Monster's Interview Tip on How to "Tell Me More About Yourself"

Here's another cool article from Monster.com on how to get through a successful interview. Tell me about yourself, is one of the most commonly asked questions. It's normally the first one too.

Your response to this request will set the tone for the rest of the interview. For some, this is the most challenging question to answer, as they wonder what the interviewer really wants to know and what information they should include.

Eleanor dreaded this question. When it was the first one asked at her interview, she fumbled her way through a vague answer, not focusing on what she could bring to the job.

"I'm happily married and originally from Denver," she began. "My husband was transferred here three months ago, and I've been getting us settled in our new home. I'm now ready to go back to work. I've worked in a variety of jobs, usually customer service-related. I'm looking for a company that offers growth opportunities."

The interview went downhill after that. She had started with personal information and gave the interviewer reason to doubt whether she was an employee who would stay for very long.

* She's married, and when her husband gets transferred that means she has to leave; she did it once and can do it again.
* She has some work experience with customers but didn't emphasize what she did.
* She is looking to grow. What about the job she is applying for? Will she stay content for long?

The secret to responding to this free-form request successfully is to focus, script and practice. You cannot afford to wing this answer, as it will affect the rest of the interview. Begin to think about what you want the interviewer to know about you.

Focus

List five strengths you have that are pertinent to this job (experiences, traits, skills, etc.). What do you want the interviewer to know about you when you leave?

Eleanor is strong in communications and connecting with people. She has a strong background and proven success with customer relationships. Her real strength is her follow-through. She prides herself on her reputation for meeting deadlines.

Scripting

Prepare a script that includes the information you want to convey. Begin by talking about past experiences and proven success:

"I have been in the customer service industry for the past five years. My most recent experience has been handling incoming calls in the high tech industry. One reason I particularly enjoy this business, and the challenges that go along with it, is the opportunity to connect with people. In my last job, I formed some significant customer relationships resulting in a 30 percent increase in sales in a matter of months."

Next, mention your strengths and abilities:

"My real strength is my attention to detail. I pride myself on my reputation for following through and meeting deadlines. When I commit to doing something, I make sure it gets done, and on time."

Conclude with a statement about your current situation:

"What I am looking for now is a company that values customer relations, where I can join a strong team and have a positive impact on customer retention and sales."

Practice

Practice with your script until you feel confident about what you want to emphasize in your statement. Your script should help you stay on track, but you shouldn't memorize it -- you don't want to sound stiff and rehearsed. It should sound natural and conversational.

Even if you are not asked this type of question to begin the interview, this preparation will help you focus on what you have to offer. You will also find that you can use the information in this exercise to assist you in answering other questions. The more you can talk about your product -- you -- the better chance you will have at selling it.

Of Weaknesses, Salaries, Your Previous Job, The Next 5 Years, and Why You Should Be Hired?

Nicole Williams of Monster.com talks about five of the most difficult interview questions and gives us an idea of how to answer them. Hope this helps everybody. Read the original article here

1. What is your biggest weakness?

Questions like these, says Denham, are asked so that interviewees admit a weakness that justifies their being shown the door. He recommends responding with: “I have a tendency to say yes and get overcommitted.” Then follow that with an example of how you are working on prioritizing and setting personal limits. Never draw negative attention to yourself by stating a weakness that would lead an employer to think you are not the best person for the job, Denham says. “The focus of your interview should be on your strengths,” he says.

2. What salary do you think you deserve?

“The person who states the salary is the loser,” says Denham, explaining that if you are the first to throw out a number, the number you give could be less than what the employer was planning to pay. Wait for the employer to give a range, and when it does ask you for a figure you expect to be making, choose a salary that is higher than the median they provide. Use online tools and resources to find out what you can realistically expect. Also, don’t talk salary on the first interview.

3. Why should I hire you?

For this one, Denham says it’s important to prepare before the interview. “Go back to your resume and look through it for the three to five things that make you outstanding,” he says. These qualities should accent your work ability, like “I’m a hard worker” or “I get things done.” You have to demonstrate a track record of results. “The notion is that past performance is always the best predictor of future performance,” Denham says.

4. What didn’t you like about your last job?

The employer who asks this question could be looking for you to answer with something that would indicate a weakness of yours, once again in an attempt to eliminate you. So while it may be tempting to trash your boss or complain about the hours (they expected me to be in at 8 a.m.!), try answering with something like this: “I did not feel my responsibilities were challenging enough.” Then the employer will feel confident that you are ready for whatever they may throw at you.

5. Where do you see yourself in three to five years?

The worst answer you can provide to this one, Denham says, is “I have no idea,” even though that might be the truth. “It’s basically like saying, ‘I have no idea what I’m doing with my life and I have no idea how long I’ll stay with this job,’” Denham says. Try a response like “I’ve done a lot of self-assessment, and what I’ve learned about myself is that I want to make a commitment to this career and I want to build my career here.”

Top Three Interview Questions And How You Should Answer

Wondering what they'll ask you during your interview? Here are the top three interview questions practically all interviewers ask during job interviews. More experienced (and senior) interviewers will go through your resume in detail and will jump start questions from different sections like where you previously worked, what you used to do.

The questions here are more the generic type that most likely an HR person will ask. As you go through the door, take note that the HR personnel is the gate-keeper. You are more often than not, not going to get to the boss if you are rude to the human resources department.



1. Tell me something about yourself

This is a natural question given the interviewer has no clue who you are. This is also a way to test your eloquence at presenting yourself.

The ideal answer here should be relevant to the position your applying for and should be brief but concise. Don't delve into your childhood or how well you play siatong. Be smart - put your best foot forward

2. What are your strengths and weaknesses

The key as always is to be honest. You don't need a job interview to tell you that. Your strengths and weaknesses will be recorded and referenced once you start or they will be cross-referenced when they do your background check

You HAVE to mention a weakness. There isn't a person in the world without a weakness so might as well be straight forward. But of course note how you are improving or the steps you've taken to improve

3. Why should we hire you

Now to be able to answer this accurately, you will need to do some initial research on the company and the position you're applying for. You can't just mouth off on all your skills (which may help sometimes) but instead of shooting in the dark. Your answer should be precise. Note the need of the company via your position. Understand what the company does and show your interviewer that you did look them up - this will definitely impress them.

These are just some of the secrets to getting hired. Stay tuned for more updates