Most interview questions usually start with the basics of asking you to tell them about yourself. We might think that they may be asking for our personal story, however, it’s more than just that. Here are five tips to answer how to talk about yourself in an interview!

Tailor Your Answer to the Role and Company

When an interviewer asks you to tell them about yourself, they mean to tell them about how you are related to the position and organization you're applying for. This is an opportunity for you to explain why you have the necessary qualifications concisely. Before doing so, you should comb over the job description, research the company, and figure out how to convey your answer to show why you're interested as well as what you can bring to the table. This is a good opportunity to be direct and convey your goal, but you have to ensure that your purpose achieves its objectives.

Keep It Professional

Keeping in mind that this question has an unspoken addendum, it's important to answer the question professionally. While it may be customary in certain countries to provide personal information, it's not recommended in the United States. In other words, you shouldn't talk about your interests or family history.

Inject Passion in Your Answer

Maintaining a professional tone in your response, on the other hand, shouldn't prevent you from discussing why you're passionate about your job or this firm, even if it goes into a little more personal area. It helps to engage the interviewer and set you apart from the rest if you feel comfortable expressing your tale from a passionate standpoint.

You don't have to go into great detail, but if your aim in an interview is to stand out from the crowd, injecting some passion into your response will help you.

Be Succinct

Don't spend time reiterating every single aspect of your professional life. For this or any other interview question, there is no scientifically proven ideal duration. Some trainers and recruiters would advise you to keep your speech to 30 seconds or fewer, while others may advise you to strive for a minute or no more than two minutes.

Make sure to read the room. If the recruiter appears distracted or bored, it's probably time to end the conversation. However, it can be worth concentrating on one aspect of your answer if they seem to be interested.

Know Your Audience

Before answering any interview question, you should understand who you're talking to. You may be asked to "tell me about yourself" at every level of the job interview process, from the phone screen to the final rounds, but that doesn't mean you have to provide the same answer each time. If you're talking to a recruiter who isn't familiar with the hard skills of the team you'll be joining, you can keep your answer broad, however, if you're talking to your potential boss, your answer should be more technical.

Start Your Job Hunt with ColorComm Search

Once you prepared yourself, start your job hunt with ColorComm Search! As a user-friendly recruiting platform, we want to help you find a job at leading companies in the marketing, communication, and media industries. To find out more, do contact us today!