Tell Me About Yourself - Structure a Strong Answer

Jeff Su
19 Aug 202009:27
EducationalLearning
32 Likes 10 Comments

TLDRThe video script offers a strategic approach to answering the 'tell me about yourself' interview question. It emphasizes structuring responses using the present, past, and future format to showcase current professional roles, past achievements, and future aspirations. The script also introduces the 'highlight method' to engage interviewers with impactful anecdotes that prompt follow-up questions, ultimately guiding the conversation towards one's strengths and suitability for the role.

Takeaways
  • 🎯 A strong 'tell me about yourself' answer can influence the direction of the entire interview.
  • 📈 Structure your answer using the present, past, and future format to show growth and relevance.
  • 🏢 In the present section, focus on your current role, achievements, and metrics to demonstrate professionalism.
  • 🌟 Highlight a key achievement that aligns with the job you're applying for to engage the interviewer.
  • 🔍 For the past section, identify key strengths and select experiences that showcase them effectively.
  • 📚 Tailor your past experiences to the job, even if they're from different fields, to highlight transferable skills.
  • 🔗 Use the 'highlight method' to mention impressive achievements that prompt follow-up questions.
  • 🚀 The future section should reinforce why you're a good fit for the role and how you see yourself contributing.
  • 🌐 Consider your international background and diverse experiences as assets, especially in global roles.
  • 📝 Be prepared with a STAR (Situation, Task, Action, Result) formatted story for any highlights you mention.
  • 💡 Nailing the 'tell me about yourself' question can boost your confidence and set a positive tone for the rest of the interview.
Q & A

  • What is the primary purpose of answering 'tell me about yourself' effectively in an interview?

    -The primary purpose is to set the tone for the rest of the interview and to influence what the interviewer will ask next, making it a crucial question to answer well.

  • What are the three parts of the present, past, and future answer format?

    -The present part includes your current role, success metrics, and a recent achievement. The past part highlights key strengths or takeaways. The future part reinforces why you're a good fit for the role.

  • How long should each part of the present, past, and future answer format be?

    -Each part should be kept within one minute, providing a concise yet informative overview of your professional journey.

  • What should you include when discussing your current role in the 'tell me about yourself' answer?

    -You should include what you do in your current role, the success metrics you are measured against, and a recent achievement you are particularly proud of.

  • How can you use the highlight method to influence the interviewer?

    -The highlight method involves selecting a key moment from your experiences that serves as the highlight of that experience. This should trigger the interviewer to ask follow-up questions leading to your larger story.

  • What is the STAR format mentioned in the context of preparing for follow-up questions?

    -The STAR format stands for Situation, Task, Action, and Result, which is a structured way to prepare and讲述 your experiences or achievements in a clear and impactful manner.

  • How can you make your 'tell me about yourself' answer relevant if you're applying for a role with little direct experience?

    -You can focus on transferable skills and experiences from your past that align with the attributes the role is looking for, and highlight how those can be applied in the new context.

  • What is the significance of starting the 'tell me about yourself' answer with your current role?

    -Starting with your current role immediately establishes you as a professional and helps you stay on topic, avoiding irrelevant personal information.

  • How can the 'tell me about yourself' answer impact the rest of the interview?

    -A strong answer can engage the interviewer with your story, plant ideas for follow-up questions, and boost your confidence, setting a positive tone for the remainder of the interview.

  • What is the role of the future portion in the 'tell me about yourself' answer?

    -The future portion serves as a quick wrap-up, reinforcing why you're a good fit for the role and helping the interviewer imagine how well you would fit into their team.

  • How can the 'tell me about yourself' answer be used to demonstrate your results orientation?

    -By mentioning your success metrics and the goals you have on the job, you show that you are focused on results and confident in your capabilities.

Outlines
00:00
📝 Structuring a Strong 'Tell Me About Yourself' Answer

This paragraph introduces the importance of crafting a compelling answer to the 'tell me about yourself' interview question, emphasizing its role in setting the tone for the rest of the interview. It outlines a strategy that avoids common advice and focuses on structuring a strong answer using the present, past, and future format. The paragraph also highlights the use of the 'highlight method' to influence the interviewer's subsequent questions and concludes with a sample answer to illustrate the approach. The main takeaway is the methodological approach to answering this common interview question, rather than a one-size-fits-all response.

05:02
🎯 Tailoring Your Answer to the Interviewer's Needs

The second paragraph delves into the specifics of tailoring the 'tell me about yourself' answer to the interviewer's expectations. It discusses how to use the present, past, and future structure to showcase current professional capacity, past achievements, and future potential. The paragraph provides detailed examples for both working professionals and students, illustrating how to highlight relevant skills and experiences. It also touches on the concept of 'influence', suggesting that the way interviewees frame their experiences can lead the interviewer to ask follow-up questions that allow the candidate to expand on their highlights.

Mindmap
Keywords
💡Interview
An interview is a structured conversation between two individuals, typically used for assessing a candidate's suitability for a job or position. In the context of the video, the interview is the central scenario where the discussed strategies and techniques are applied, aiming to make a strong first impression and influence the direction of the conversation.
💡Answer Structure
Answer structure refers to the organization and format of a response, particularly in the context of an interview. A strong answer structure helps in conveying information clearly and effectively, ensuring that the candidate's skills, experiences, and potential contributions are communicated in a compelling manner.
💡Highlight Method
The highlight method is a technique used in interviews to strategically select and emphasize specific achievements or experiences that showcase one's strengths and suitability for the role. It involves choosing impactful elements of one's story to pique the interviewer's interest and potentially lead to follow-up questions.
💡Professional Identity
Professional identity refers to an individual's self-concept in relation to their work, including their skills, roles, and values. In the video, establishing a clear professional identity is crucial as it helps to define the candidate's current capabilities and potential contributions to the role they are applying for.
💡Success Metrics
Success metrics are the quantifiable measures used to evaluate an individual's performance in their role. They are important in interviews as they demonstrate the candidate's results-oriented approach and their ability to meet or exceed expectations.
💡Recent Achievement
A recent achievement refers to a notable success or accomplishment that has occurred in the recent past and is relevant to the position being applied for. Highlighting such achievements helps to demonstrate the candidate's current capabilities and the value they can bring to the new role.
💡Past Experiences
Past experiences are the candidate's previous roles, projects, or educational background that have shaped their skills and qualifications. These experiences are crucial in interviews as they provide evidence of the candidate's abilities and potential to succeed in the new role.
💡Future Aspirations
Future aspirations refer to the candidate's career goals and the reasons they are interested in the position being applied for. Articulating these aspirations helps to show the interviewer that the candidate is a good fit for the role and has a clear direction for their professional growth.
💡Follow-Up Questions
Follow-up questions are additional inquiries made by the interviewer to delve deeper into a candidate's responses. These questions are often triggered by the content of the candidate's initial answers, particularly when they include highlights or intriguing details that the interviewer wants to explore further.
💡International Background
An international background refers to a candidate's experiences or qualifications that span multiple countries or cultures. This can be a valuable asset in global or diverse work environments, as it signifies adaptability, cross-cultural communication skills, and a broader perspective.
Highlights

A good 'tell me about yourself' answer sets the tone for the rest of the interview and influences what the interviewer will ask next.

The present, past, and future answer format is a strong structure for answering interview questions.

In the present section, describe your current role, success metrics, and a recent achievement.

For the past section, identify key strengths and select a key moment from your experiences that highlights these attributes.

The future section should reinforce why you're a good fit for the role and briefly imagine your potential contributions.

Using the highlight method can trigger follow-up questions from the interviewer and keep your answer concise.

A current professional example: Management consultant at Ernst and Young, focusing on Finance Shared Service Center projects.

A student example: Event coordinator for a business fraternity, managing finances and training other coordinators.

Tailor your past experiences to highlight relevant skills for the role you're applying for, regardless of how closely related they are.

A sample answer for a product marketer at Google covering the Greater China region, emphasizing communication skills and international background.

The importance of the 'tell me about yourself' question in interviews for setting the tone and boosting confidence.

The STAR format (Situation, Task, Action, Result) can be used to prepare the rest of the story for your highlights.

Engaging the interviewer with a compelling story and planting seeds for follow-up questions.

The role of current role description in showcasing professionalism and keeping the answer relevant.

The impact of stating success metrics and achievements on showing results orientation and capability confidence.

The importance of not going off-topic into personal and irrelevant details in the 'tell me about yourself' section.

The role of the past section in showcasing key strengths and memorable takeaways.

The future section as a 30-second wrap-up that reinforces fit for the role and potential contributions.

Transcripts

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