Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Interview Tips: The Right Way To Answer "Tell Me About Yourself"
Business Insider ^ | 06/10/2011 | Patricia Laya

Posted on 06/10/2011 11:37:53 AM PDT by SeekAndFind

There are a couple questions that everyone dreads in an interview.

"What is your greatest weakness?" "Where do you see yourself in five years?" and "Tell me about yourself." It's the default question (and the first) in most interviews, and to many candidates, it can feel like a trap.

So we spoke with executive headhunters and career coaches about how best to answer this question. "They want to gauge how the person thinks," says Eileen Finn, president of executive search firm Eileen Finn & Associates in New York.

Even though there is no one right answer, focusing on the past, the negative, or the too personal can hurt your chances of making it through.

CLICK ABOVE LINK FOR THE REST

(Excerpt) Read more at businessinsider.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Society
KEYWORDS: employment; interview; job; jobinterview; jobinterviewtips; jobs; unemployment
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-60 last
To: seowulf

Very creepy...guaranteed for a no call! Funny....


41 posted on 06/10/2011 1:18:46 PM PDT by Gaffer
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

To: SeekAndFind

Thanks for posting this. It made me realize the utter inappropriateness and unprofessionalism of such questions.

Such a question has ZERO to do with any skill, ability, professional training, job or project. Like “socialization”, meaning indoctrination and group-think has replaced education, this is also Marxist social leveling.

Hiring has been taken over by HR people wholly trained in Marxism socialism.


42 posted on 06/10/2011 1:22:06 PM PDT by bvw
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: kevkrom

Do you have any questions for me?
What’s the company policy on shooting supervisors?

Do you have any questions for me?
Yeah. Who’s got the best tasting ass? You little ass kisser.

Is there anything else you’d like to tell me?
I’m really sorry about that getting on my knees thing. I really need this job and I thought when you said “I’m from HRO” that you really said “I’m a homo”.
You won’t get this job, but I am looking for a Personal Assistant.


43 posted on 06/10/2011 1:27:26 PM PDT by blueunicorn6 ("A crack shot and a good dancer")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 29 | View Replies]

To: Opinionated Blowhard
A question I like to ask in interviews is, "If I were to flip a coin 100 times, and each time I asked you to guess heads or tails, how many do you think you would get right?"

If they say 50, I'm good with that, as that is the mathematical number. If they give a really high number, that indicates to me people who are clueless. I also avoid the, "maybe 40, I'm not very lucky." I don't want those "woe is me" type people.

44 posted on 06/10/2011 1:35:25 PM PDT by Pappy Smear (Support the presidency, end the policies.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 39 | View Replies]

To: SeekAndFind
What I learned over the years about "Tell me about yourself" was this:

1. They don't really care that much about your personal life, your dog, your cat, your personality, where you were born and raised, where you grew up, etc. etc. etc. They are only interested in whether or not you can do the job.

2. Before you even go into the interview you should already have an answer to this question based upon the qualifications listed for he job. For example, if the ad says "Need a strong self starter" you're going to talk about a job situation where you were a strong self starter. If the ad says "Database experience required" you're going to talk about your database experience at jobs.

3. In your answer try to hit as many of the requirements for the job as possible. And practice your answer. Make a script and practice. Practice. Practice. But become a good actor too. Make it sound like you've JUST thought of this. Throw in some ummms and ahhhs.

4. ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS maintain eye contact during ANY answer you give. Looking away for any reason other than to look at someone else in the interview makes it look like you're lying.

5. The most important thing I've ever learned: Nobody likes an asshole (sorry about the language but it's the most appropriate word). Nobody likes to work with an asshole. Nobody likes to hire an asshole. This applies even if they're assholes. So whatever you do BE friendly. Be nice. Be personable. Don't do or say ANYTHING that makes you look like an asshole.

45 posted on 06/10/2011 1:36:50 PM PDT by DouglasKC
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: La Lydia
Visit Answers.com homepage.
46 posted on 06/10/2011 1:48:23 PM PDT by Cribb (Home of Conservatism - America's middle class.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: SeekAndFind

“You also don’t want to tell an interviewer you’re divorced; you want to tell them something positive, like you’re a big believer in giving back to the community.”

Are you divorced?
Yes. My ex-wife believed in giving back to the community in motel room after motel room. So I gave her back to the community.

Are you divorced?
I believe in giving back to the community. You’re a good-looking babe, how about if we get up on your desk and I’ll show you how much I have to give back.

Are you involved in any charities?
I take young girls off the street...and put them in the back seat of my car. Does that count?

What are you proudest of?
I’ve never been convicted.


47 posted on 06/10/2011 1:50:52 PM PDT by blueunicorn6 ("A crack shot and a good dancer")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: bvw

I’ve interviewed many candidates. As an employer, we are subject to a myriad of off-limit questions imposed on us by the damn lawyers and federal labor laws. I am going to invest a lot of time and money into hiring, training and ultimately employing this person. I have to make sure he or she is qualified.

By asking these ‘mundane and senseless’ questions, the employer is able to gauge the candidate’s communication skills, hints at what their personality and work style is, and where their head is at. Someone who cannot speak extemporaneously about themself when they are given that five minutes to shine is generally not someone I want to work for me.


48 posted on 06/10/2011 1:51:49 PM PDT by NoKoolAidforMe (I'm clinging to my God and my guns. You can keep the change.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 42 | View Replies]

To: SeekAndFind

I usually respond by asking “Why? What have you heard?”


49 posted on 06/10/2011 2:00:30 PM PDT by IronJack (=)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: NoKoolAidforMe

Marxism crept in the back window and took over the good sensibility of many. Don’t go making excuses for it.


50 posted on 06/10/2011 2:14:03 PM PDT by bvw
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 48 | View Replies]

To: NoKoolAidforMe
As an employer, we are subject to a myriad of off-limit questions imposed on us by the damn lawyers and federal labor laws. I am going to invest a lot of time and money into hiring, training and ultimately employing this person. I have to make sure he or she is qualified.

You sound confused. What about these questions qualifies ANYONE for a particular job? The questions the Feds and your legal department prevent you asking have nothing to do with it either.

Performance-oriented companies like Amazon and Google and such ask questions like "How much would you charge to clean every window in Seattle?" That indicates analytical and verbal reasoning. It's a general question.

Stick to a conversation about the work to be done.

If you want a Psych screen use a MMPA-type test, and use or hire a psychologist to do his/her interview of subject. Stop with the group-think PC-ism feels-really-smart but meaningless questions already. Questions like: "What will you picture yourself doing in five years?" Or "What was your greatest accomplishment/failure?"

51 posted on 06/10/2011 2:45:40 PM PDT by bvw
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 48 | View Replies]

To: NoKoolAidforMe

Late fix: “MMPI”, see http://psychology.about.com/od/psychologicaltesting/a/mmpi_2.htm


52 posted on 06/10/2011 2:48:47 PM PDT by bvw
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 48 | View Replies]

To: kevkrom

Just say you’re pleading the 5th. Chances are the Constitution is not in their library.


53 posted on 06/10/2011 2:58:46 PM PDT by AFreeBird
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies]

To: SeekAndFind

My greatest weakness?

A long cool woman in a [short] black dress. Toss in some 4” stilettos, and I’m hers. Say, what time do you get off?


54 posted on 06/10/2011 3:09:56 PM PDT by AFreeBird
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SeekAndFind
I just had a lengthy set of interviews yesterday. Most interviewers I have encountered lately start by describing the job and then asking me to explain how I fit what they are looking for. That gets right to the point and saves a lot of time. Yesterday the second gentleman I interviewed with started out by asking "what would you say are the experiences that most shaped who you are today?" That one really took some thought!

A while back I interviewed with the Federal Reserve and spent almost three hours in a group interview where I was asked questions like "describe a time when you were not able to finish a work assignment because of a conflicting priority that arose, and what you did about it."

55 posted on 06/10/2011 5:37:20 PM PDT by Dems_R_Losers (U.S. Out of My Doctor's Office!!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Dems_R_Losers

“What would you say are the experiences that most shaped who you are today?”
Electro shock therapy.

“Describe a time when you were not able to finish a work assignment because of a conflicting priority that arose, and what you did about it.”
I was working on a presentation for The Board of Directors that needed to be ready in an hour. Our attorney came in and asked if I could head up a team for a charity fundraiser. I threw him out the window. It’s called “defenestration”. Look it up. Well, I can see by the looks on your faces that you’re prejudiced against people who throw lawyers out of windows. It was only nine stories. He bounced like a half-inflated basketball. Do you need someone with fundraising experience?


56 posted on 06/10/2011 7:47:24 PM PDT by blueunicorn6 ("A crack shot and a good dancer")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 55 | View Replies]

To: SeekAndFind

I’ve never gotten hired when the interview questions were such cliches. Is it me, or is it the interviewer?

The only times I’ve gotten hired has been when the interview is a relaxed chat and the hiring decision had been apparently made ahead of time, if only tentatively.


57 posted on 06/10/2011 7:55:37 PM PDT by Revolting cat! (Let us prey!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: ClearCase_guy

did he get the job?


58 posted on 06/10/2011 8:56:32 PM PDT by Former MSM Viewer
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14 | View Replies]

To: cripplecreek; seowulf

LOL

I hate that stoopid question.

Here is my question to those I interview:

Two things:

Why do you want this job?

Why should I hire you?

What makes you unique, separate and distinct from anyone else who wants this job?

Demonstrate.....

I usually wait to here “That was more than two thing!”


59 posted on 06/11/2011 2:02:20 PM PDT by Vendome ("Don't take life so seriously... You'll never live through it anyway")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 25 | View Replies]

To: Vendome
I'm working as a temp, scheduling interviews for a company that is hiring a ton of people.

For the R&D positions, usually PhD chemists, they will ask me to schedule dinner the night before, sometimes breakfast the morning of, an interview day of 9-2 or 3 that includes a 45 minute presentation.

Just the other day I heard that one of the questions asked is, "What would it take to keep you here at 7PM on a Friday night?"

Here is the question I am dying to ask..."Did you go to school forever because you want to live in your workplace OR did you go to school forever so that you DON'T have to live in your workplace?"

60 posted on 06/13/2011 7:25:25 PM PDT by Dianna
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 59 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-60 last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson