Tell me about yourself ?
TRAPS:
Beware, about 80% of all interviews begin with this “innocent” question. Many
candidates, unprepared for the question, skewer themselves by rambling,
recapping their life story, delving into ancient work history or personal
matters.
BEST ANSWER:
Start with the present and tell why you are well qualified for the position.
Remember that the key to all successful interviewing is to match your
qualifications to what the interviewer is looking for. In other words you
must sell what the buyer is buying. This is the single most important strategy
in job hunting.
So, before you answer this or
any question it's imperative that you try to uncover your interviewer's
greatest need, want, problem or goal.
To do so, make you take these two
steps:
1.
Do all the homework you can before the
interview to uncover this person's wants and needs (not the generalized
needs of the industry or company)
2.
As early as you can in the interview, ask
for a more complete description of what the position entails. You might say: “I
have a number of accomplishments I'd like to tell you about, but I want to make
the best use of our time together and talk directly to your needs. To help me
do, that, could you tell me more about the most important priorities of this
position? All I know is what I (heard from the recruiter, read in the
classified ad, etc.)”
Then, ALWAYS follow-up with a
second and possibly, third question, to draw out his needs even more.
Surprisingly, it's usually this second or
third question that unearths what the interviewer is most looking
for.
You might ask simply, "And in
addition to that?..." or, "Is there anything else you see as essential to
success in this position?:
This process will not feel easy or
natural at first, because it is easier simply to answer questions, but only if
you uncover the employer's wants and needs will your answers make the most
sense. Practice asking these key questions before giving your answers, the
process will feel more natural and you will be light years ahead of the other
job candidates you're competing with.
After uncovering what the employer
is looking for, describe why the needs of this job bear striking parallels to
tasks you've succeeded at before. Be sure to illustrate with specific examples
of your responsibilities and especially your achievements, all of which are
geared to present yourself as a perfect match for the needs he has just
described.
What are your
strengths?
TRAPS:
This question seems like a softball lob, but be prepared. You don't want to come
across as egotistical or arrogant. Neither is this a time to be humble.
BEST ANSWER:
You know that your key strategy is to first uncover your interviewer's greatest
wants and needs before you answer questions. And from Question 1, you know how
to do this.
Prior to any interview, you should
have a list mentally prepared of your greatest strengths. You should also have,
a specific example or two, which illustrates each strength, an example chosen
from your most recent and most impressive achievements.
You should, have this list of your
greatest strengths and corresponding examples from your achievements so well
committed to memory that you can recite them cold after being shaken awake at
2:30AM.
Then, once you uncover your
interviewer's greatest wants and needs, you can choose those achievements from
your list that best match up.
As a general guideline, the 10
most desirable traits that all employers love to see in their employees are:
1.
A proven track record as an achiever...especially
if your achievements match up with the employer's greatest wants and needs.
2.
Intelligence...management "savvy".
3.
Honesty...integrity...a
decent human being.
4.
Good fit with corporate culture...someone to
feel comfortable with...a team player who meshes well with interviewer's team.
5. Likeability...positive
attitude...sense of humor.
6. Good
communication skills.
7.
Dedication...willingness
to walk the extra mile to achieve excellence.
8. Definiteness
of purpose...clear goals.
9.
Enthusiasm...high level of motivation.
10.
Confident...healthy...a leader
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