How to answer the toughest interview question which could lock you out

You probably must have interviewed for a job in the recent or far past  and the most inevitable question you came across is: “Tell us about yourself.”

It’s the scariest question, right?

Yes, it is in the sense that it’s the ice-breaker.  Depending on how you would answer it, you may or may not get the position.

The inquiry often has a way of making candidates blurt out their life stories. But is that what potential employers want to hear?

Career Advice Monster, a top advice site on matters career and employment, has deduced an effective formula which could help you address the monster question.

Career Advice illustrates: “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.

These are the possible meanings Eleanor communicated going by her response:

• 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?

Career Advice Monster advises: “The secret to responding to this free-form request successfully is to focus, script and practice.”

Begin to think about what you want the interviewer to know about you; you can follow the below formula.

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 networking with people. She has a strong background and proven success with customer relationships – that would pass.

Scripting

Prepare a script which includes the information you want to convey.

You can adopt the PPF formula: talk about your Past career(s) and the proven success, Present and Future career – which doubles up as the position you are interviewing for.

“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 guideline should help you stay on track, but you shouldn’t memorize it – you don’t want to sound stiff and rehearsed – you should be conversational and very natural.