published: 22 Aug 2020
5 min read | website: www.ebr.com.au
'Tell me about yourself…' This question can be paralyzing for a potential employee, leaving the person wondering 'What it is the interviewer really wants to know?' Your response will set the tone for the rest of the interview and no pressure. Do they want to know what you did last night? What are your soft skills? What is the meaning of your name? Actually, none of the above.
Here is a tip: When an interviewer asks, 'Tell me about yourself,' he or she really wants to know how your experience is pertinent to the job you're interviewing for.
Attention:
Try to define yourself as it relates to the job that you interviewing for. Mention three to four past experiences that are relevant and quantify in terms of people and time. List four to six strengths that you have that are pertinent to this job (experiences and skills). All of this adds up to the message you want the interviewer to know about you.
For example: 'Currently, I have been working on my own social network. This is the place where I express my creative content and my digital design skills to support my favorite hobby. I have a unique voice, I can express my ideas and creative content. I am willing to learn, passionate and have the ability to think outside of the box.'
Script:
Write down a script with the information you want to express. Begin by talking about past experiences and proven successes:
'I have been in the customer service industry for the past five years. From my previous career internship from Hong Kong, beside working as a VIP customer service, I also had a chance to gain knowledge from creating content on poster for VIP private event, connecting with customers by writing emails. Upselling rooms and services and received great positive feedback.'
'What I am looking for from this company is an opportunity to successfully train future interns with the knowledge and skills gained during the internship and value customer relations, where I can join a strong team and have a positive impact on customer retention'.
Practice:
Keep practicing your script until you feel confident in what you want to emphasize during your interview. The script should be organized to help you stay on track, but you should not memorize it. You don't want to sound like a robot. You want to sound natural, like someone you would like to have a chat with at the next desk or with a friend or relative.
Prepare questions:
To keep your interview going well, do not just answer their questions, step out of your safety zone and try to make something different which will make the recruiters impressed by you. Additionally, you might get some information from the company to help you prepare in advance.
Here are some examples that can help you 'nailed' the interview:
1) Who I will be working closely with?
2) What knowledge value will the role bring for me?
3) What are the daily job tasks?
4) What is company culture like? What do you like about it?
5) What are the challenges that you expect the person in role will face?
6) How will I know when I am successful in this role?
7) What do you think I will be challenged with?
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