How to Answer: Tell me about yourself.

[Music] hi this is ryan brown from mockquestions.com we're going to discuss how to answer the following interview question tell me about yourself using the past present future framework in this video you'll find the reason this question is asked by most interviewers similar interview questions that may be asked in lieu of tell me about yourself using the past present future framework to guide your answer tips for creating a great interview answer and finally seven answer examples now let's get [Music] started [Music] many interviews begin with a question tell me about yourself this question can turn any well-prepared candidate inside out why because it's open-ended where do you begin and where do you end a great place to start is to understand the reasoning behind the question primarily the interviewer will use this question as an ice breaker however to the candidate it feels like being put on the hot seat in response many candidates accidentally go too in depth into their personal lives other candidates freeze up and give an answer that is far too brief if you are one of those candidates don't beat yourself up there's help and it comes in a simple easy to learn three-part framework an interviewer may not always ask tell me about yourself using this exact wording other ways your interviewer may ask this question tell me about your career journey can you expand on your resume talk to me about your career walk me through your professional background what brings you here today [Music] a simple way to guide your interview answer is by using the past present future framework here are three basic steps for this framework past provide a brief overview of your career journey present discuss your current career situation as it relates to the job opportunity future talk about your career aspirations and how this future opportunity is a fit when you frame your response using the past present future method it helps you to keep your thoughts on track allowing you to deliver a well-organized answer with impact if it feels more natural to you you can also frame your answer as present past future when setting up the past portion of your response choose which aspect of your previous experience is most relevant to the job if you are not sure which factors are most relevant take the time to dissect the job posting and highlight which points seem to be the most important to the hiring company do they repeatedly mention any skills or phrases what do they list first in their bullet points of responsibilities and experience you can begin the past portion of your response in a variety of ways here are some ideas recently i i pursued i have my background is in for x years i have worked as a blank for blank years primarily working in discuss your responsibility skills i've always enjoyed discuss the duties tasks that align best with the new job opportunity to sum up the present portion of your response bring up the factors of your current situation that are most relevant to the new job opportunity to effectively do this you'll want to study the job posting to discover which tasks and responsibilities should be in the spotlight again do they repeatedly mention any skills or phrases in the job posting what do they list in their first bullet points of responsibilities and experience you can begin the present portion of your response in a variety of ways here are some ideas currently i am since working for after completing my while working with i've been working in currently i work for blank where i discuss your primary responsibilities as they relate to this new opportunity this rule has helped me to qualify yourself by highlighting the ways your current job has prepared you for this future opportunity you have set the stage of past and present now it's time to tie this information together making sense of your future goals talk to the interviewer about what you envisioned for yourself should you be hired with their company discuss what interests you the most about their career opportunity the more you have researched the potential employer the stronger your response will be check out the company's website for information on their vision mission goals and accomplishments tying these details as much as possible you can begin the future portion of your response in a variety of ways here are some ideas i plan to i am eager to now i i've discovered after realizing that i plan to grow my career specifically in the areas of list one of three topics of interest your company focuses on discuss the ways that the company's activities align with your career goals your mission aligns with my core passions by give specifics on where these passions align it would be an honor to grow my career with company name let's go over some answer tips that will help you create a great answer keep your points job related as much as possible if you are new to your career you can discuss competitive sports educational achievements or volunteer work you can add in a splash of personal information however choose i love to read science fiction books versus i was recently diagnosed with to qualify yourself means to add in a sentence or two regarding your strengths and why you are a good match for this role generally speaking you can fit this into the future portion of your response it is essential to discuss what you want to achieve in your career and how the interviewing company fits into those goals interviewers love to hear quantifiable statements that include numbers percentages and measurable accomplishments for instance rather than saying i am the best salesperson you could say i was awarded top sales rep for three consecutive months try bringing in words from the company's job description vision statement or core values show the interviewer that your goals align with the company just like you would at a cocktail party avoid dominating the conversation your answer should be no more than a minute in delivery [Music] you will want to avoid sounding robotic or too rehearsed however the more you practice the past present future framework the easier it will become to develop a natural sounding response now let's go over seven different answer examples with a different perspective for each answer i recently completed high school where i was valedictorian thanks to my high grades and dedication to the students associations currently i am seeking out an opportunity to strengthen my leadership skills and learn more about the business world before selecting my post-secondary educational paths i am eager to start my career on the right foot and i believe that this internship with company abc will help to guide and shape me for the future if you do not have any work experience you can use examples from school church volunteer work sports music or any other activity that has required commitment and dedication from you i pursued a bachelor of arts degree in psychology at ucla where i became fascinated with children's mental health specifically the rise of anxiety depression and adhd in north america upon graduation i entered in the children's mental health department at organization abc where i was responsible for new patient intake and file documentation since completing this three-month internship i have gained considerable confidence in my knowledge in the areas of children's mental health emotions and behaviors i am now ready to move forward into the next phase of my career i plan to grow my career specifically in family outreach programs i understand that your organization focuses on the launch of outreach programs for families in this community your mission aligns perfectly with my core passions and it would be an honor to grow my career with this esteemed organization i have worked as a patient care coordinator for over five years consulting with patients and determining their needs i've always enjoyed delivering patient care with compassion and empathy currently i work for a private functional medicine clinic developing care plans and coordinating patient care services this rule helped me to expand my knowledge of program development while meeting unique patient needs now i am looking to broaden my experience to include actively educating patients and working with an established care team to evaluate interventions your organization's focus on care plans is one reason why i was thrilled to apply for this career opportunity i have worked in the consumer product industry for over 15 years focused on key accounts and business development within commerce and e-commerce environments right now i work as the vp of business development for a large toy manufacturer my primary responsibilities include initiating and setting up meetings to sell multi-million dollar contracts to large size retailers and big box stores over the past few months i've discovered my excitement for sas and fintech industries which is where i see a significant amount of opportunity i wish to expand my business development experiences across sectors which is why i'm interested in growing my career with your company [Music] my background is in the hospitality industry i spent many years as a customer service manager where i hired and trained service staff and resolved customer complaints most recently i left my job as a service desk manager at hotel abc where i was responsible for a team of 15 including front desk agents and room service attendants after two years with hotel abc i realized that my skills and interests are best suited for the fast pace of the restaurant sector after realizing my true passion is within restaurant environments i set up job alerts for roles such as your restaurant service manager position i've dined with your restaurant group many times before and jumped at the chance to apply for eight years i worked as a warehouse manager for logistics abc where i led a team of forklift operators pickers packers and delivery drivers i learned a great deal about problem solving since every day i was facing significant logistics challenges unfortunately i recently lost my job as the company went through a merger with its largest competitor the company phased out my role and provided me with a severance package this package included outplacement services and access to a career coach after working with this career coach for the past six weeks i discovered my passion for leadership and training through this coaching i learned that i work best in supportive environments where employees are valued and trained to succeed when i saw this technical trainer job opportunity i was excited i'm eager to grow my career to include the design and development of professional training workshops within logistics i am thrilled to have had the privilege to raise my children for the past 10 years although being a stay-at-home parent took me out of the traditional workforce i kept myself busy and relevant in a multitude of ways currently i volunteer on the parent teacher association where i facilitate the building of healthy relationships between parents teachers and schools however as my kids are getting older and more independent i find myself seeking more i've developed exceptional skills in recruiting volunteers giving presentations problem solving on the fly and persuading others to collaborate these skills align very well with the qualities your agency seeks for this generalist recruiter opportunity i'm ready to step into the next phase of my career and would be happy to apply these skills within your recruitment agency remember that you are not alone the majority of candidates panic over tell me about yourself and similar open-ended questions the more you prepare and practice your past present future framework the better you will deliver your response keep your reply light and work relevant questions of this sort offer an excellent opportunity to describe yourself by discussing the strengths and qualities that you bring thank you for watching subscribe to 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Channel: Mock Questions

Views: 73,785

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Id: 1Ev51KwqoP4

Length: 13min 12sec (792 seconds)

Published: Wed Sep 16 2020