10 Good Ways to 'Tell Me About Your Self'

Good Ways to 'Tell Me About Your Self'
'If Hollywood made a movie about my life, it would be called...' and nine more memorable answers to this dreaded job interview question.

Next time you’re faced with the dreaded, “Tell me about yourself…” question, try these:

1. “I can summarize who I am in three words.”Grabs their attention immediately. Demonstrates
     your ability to be concise, creative and compelling.

2. “The quotation I live my life by is…”Proves that personal development is an essential part of
     your growth plan. Also shows your ability to motivate yourself.

3. “My personal philosophy is…”Companies hire athletes – not shortstops. This line indicates
     your position as a thinker, not just an employee.

4. “People who know me best say that I’m…”This response offers insight into your own level of
     self-awareness.

5. “Well, I googled myself this morning, and here’s what I found…”Tech-savvy, fun, cool people
     would say this. Unexpected and memorable.

6. “My passion is…”People don’t care what you do – people care who you are. And what you’re
     passionate about is who you are. Plus, passion unearths enthusiasm.

7. “When I was seven years old, I always wanted to be…”An answer like this shows that you’ve
     been preparing for this job your whole life, not just the night before.

8. “If Hollywood made a move about my life, it would be called…”Engaging, interesting and
     entertaining.

9. “Can I show you, instead of tell you?”Then, pull something out of your pocket that represents
     who you are. Who could resist this answer? Who could forget this answer?

10. “The compliment people give me most frequently is…”Almost like a testimonial, this response
      also indicates self-awareness and openness to feedback.

Keep in mind that these examples are just the opener. The secret is thinking how you will follow up each answer with relevant, interesting and concise explanations that make the already bored interviewer look up from his stale coffee and think, “Wow! That’s the best answer I’ve heard all day!” Ultimately it’s about answering quickly, it’s about speaking creatively and it’s about breaking people’s patterns.

By Scott Ginsberg