Regardless of the form of your interview (online, recorded, group, panel, one on one, phone, Skype), and the complexity of the selection process (one interview round, two rounds, seven rounds, simple questions or lot of testing and behavioral interviewing), at some point you will have to introduce yourself. On the following lines I will outline all important aspects of such an introduction, reveal some truths about hiring managers that 95% of job applicants are unaware of, give sample answers (introductions) for a variety of professions, and more. Let’s start!
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The basics
- Most common interview questions belonging to the area: Tell me about yourself. Introduce yourself (in one sentence, one paragraph, one word, in a tweet).
- Less common questions belonging to the area: Tell me something about yourself you wouldn’t want me to know. Tell me something that’s not on your resume. How would you best friends describe you. If your former boss should characterize you in one sentence, what would they say?
- Out of 10 random jobs, in how many cases will this area be tested during the hiring process: 10/10. It is virtually impossible to avoid this one.
- Difficulty score: 1/5 – Easy (that doesn’t mean you cannot make a mistake answering it though, or that it is easy for everyone).
- Main goals of the hiring managers with questions belonging to this area: Breaking the ice, getting the initial idea of your communication skills and motivation, trying to understand “red flags” on your resume–if there are any.
- Your main goals with answers to questions belonging to this area: Showing enthusiasm for the job, gaining initial interest, trying to make a connection with the hiring managers, showing 1-2 skills/abilities/attitudes important for the job.
7 sample answers
* Make sure to read also the “advanced info” below the sample answers, to understand what attitudes you actually show with this or that answer, the most common mistakes you should avoid making, things that 90% of interviewers notice but 95% of job applicants do not realize, etc.
Sample answer no. 1: Young man applying for an entry level position in an international corporation
I am Mario, 25 years old, and I have just finished my Masters in Economy. More than anything else I enjoy teamwork, and I am looking for my first job, ideally in a big company. I want to learn, and meet like-minded people at work. In my free time I like to run, read, and meet with friends. I try to have positive outlook of life, and take everything that comes my way as an opportunity to become a better person.
- Quick thing to notice about this answer: Mentioning bits from your personal life will help you make a more personal connection with the hiring managers.
Sample answer no. 2: High school graduate with no experience, trying to get their first job (in a bank)
I’m Jenni, I have just graduated from high school, and I can’t wait to get my first job. I am an avid book reader and learner, and I really enjoy spending time with other people. And I’d love to work as a bank teller. I have a dog called Donald, and enjoy going for long walks with him. We often walk around this banking center, and it would be wonderful to work here one day.
- Quick thing to notice: When you lack previous experience, focus on positive habits (learning, reading) and on your enthusiasm when it comes to work (“I cannot wait to get my first job“)
Sample answer no. 3: Man in his forties, trying to get a job, after being unemployment for some time (he applies for a position in HR department)
I’m Ron, I have graduated from XYZ college back in 2005, and I’ve been working with people ever since. They are my passion, my greatest hobby, and I believe that I’ve learned to understand them. As you can see on my resume, I have been unemployed for the past two years. I experienced a crisis in my personal life, and I needed some time away from work. Firstly to solve things out, and later to reflect on my past, and think about the goals for the future. Now I am ready to return to work, motivated to try my best every day, and I hope to be an asset for your HR team. That is what I’d say to introduce myself.
- Quick thing to notice: If you have an employment gap on your resume, it is always a good idea explaining it straight away, while introducing yourself. Showing honesty and openness right from the start will help your trustworthiness in the eyes of the interviewers.
Sample answer no. 4: Woman with a little child, trying to get a secretary position
I’m Liliana, thirty years old, single mother. I excel in administrative work, and believe to be a nice companion. I have strong organization and communication skills, and hope to use these skills in a secretary job. I have studied your job description carefully and decided to apply, since the working hours suit me perfectly. You should know that my parents help me with my daughter, and I also have a nanny who comes to help. Apart from working I enjoy books and running.
- Quick thing to notice: If there’s something in your life that can be issue or a red flag for many employers (in this case being a single mother with a small child), you can use your introduction to explain how you have things covered, and that it shouldn’t really be a reason for them to worry.
Sample answer no. 5: Man in his late thirties, trying to change career from teaching to programming
I’m Carl, and I have been working as a teacher ever since I earned my Masters Degree. But I found that the career in education is not really my cup of coffee, and for the past few years I’ve been learning various programming languages, mostly C++ and Java, preparing for a career change. Now I feel ready to make the transition. I feel excited, happy to start something new, and understanding the software applications you develop in your company, I believe to be a great fit for the job you advertise.
- Quick thing to notice: Notice how the applicant immediately named programming languages they know, and how this skill relates to the core business of the employer.
Sample answer no. 6: Man tries to get a job on an ecological farm, but has no experience in the field. He is trying to change his career.
I’m John, I like to spend my time outside, walking in the nature, gardening. I’ve been working with computers for most of my life, and now I am looking for a radical change, since I am tired of corporate environment. Understanding that I may look overqualified for this position, but this is exactly the job I want to have, and I am eager to learn to do it well. I believe that once you have a relationship to animals, once you feel for them, you will quickly learn how to take care of the, and how to do a good job on a farm.
- Quick thing to notice: If you’re overqualified for the job you are trying to get, it is pivotal to explain straight away why you are applying.
Sample answer no. 7: Former prisoner, trying to get back on track and secure some job in retail
My name is Jeremy, and the first thing I want to tell you is that I’ve spent the last two years in XYZ detention facility. I’ve made some mistakes in my life, but I had time to think and reflect in prison, and I believe I walked out the prison gates a different person. I like your retail store, I am strong and can handle manual labor, and I would be really proud to work for you. I hope you give me a chance to prove my abilities and strong working ethics in your store.
- Quick thing to notice: Everybody deserves a second chance. If you’ve been through some hard times, do not hide it from the employer. Nowadays almost all companies do background checks and they will find out anyway. And if they find out that you hide something from them, they won’t trust you anymore and your chances will be gone.
Advanced information
Mistakes people make while introducing themselves in the interviews/on the job applications
- Long answers. This question is an ice-breaker. It is not a time to explain your entire working history (or lack of it), and list all your study successes, hobbies, achievements, etc. They will ask you about such things later on, if relevant. On a job application, your answer to any question belonging to this area should not exceed one paragraph. In an interview, your introduction should take less than a minute.
- The ego trap and question of relevancy. We all have things we are proud of in our lives, things we like to talk about with anyone we meet for the first time. Can be some personal or work achievements, can be our children, hobbies, anything. However, you should always consider whether what you want to say is of any relevancy for the hiring managers. If it is not, avoid talking about it, or mention it just very briefly.
- Lack of enthusiasm. Job seeking is hard. And we all need money to live. Maybe you do not really want the job you apply for in a long run. But hiring managers should never get such an impression. If they do, they will screen you out immediately. Make sure to show at least moderate level of enthusiasm.
- Looking down at the interviewers–another ego trap. Many people hate the hiring managers and interviewers. Especially in some cases, for example when the HR person is 10 years your junior. However, if they feel it from your cold introduction, if lack of respect is there, you’ll almost certainly walk away empty-handed from the interview.
- Not explaining red flags straight away. If there is an apparent red-flag on your application (employment gap, very short stints in your previous jobs, being overqualified for the job), you should at least briefly address it straight away. Because if you do not, it may easily happen that the person who reads your answers will read just the answer to this one question, and screen you out immediately.
Few points from the perspective of the hiring managers/interviewers
- We understand that you may be nervous, and may need one of two questions to relax at least a bit in the interviews. Hence your stress is definitely not a red flag. The introduction in the interview is exactly for breaking the ice, and helping you to relax. We have our goals (to find the right fit for the job), but we are not your enemies. The earlier you understand this, the better.
- Try to be at least a bit original. In the ear of video interviews, we may sometimes see 100 answers to “Tell me about yourself” question in a single day. Share something from your personal life. Show that enthusiasm, show your nice smile. While we try to be as professional as possible, we are also only human beings and our attention span isn’t much longer than yours. Unless you catch our interest and curiosity, we may simply move on to another applicant.
7 keywords to remember when answering questions belonging to this area
- Relevancy, honesty, enthusiasm, explaining red-flags, sharing a bit from personal life, it is OK being stressed, avoid the ego-trap.
So that’s it! You’ve just covered area no. 1 out of 25 areas that cover 99% of questions you may ever get in the interviews. Just 24 areas left! Check the next one: Choice, or go back to homepage for the full list of 25 areas and pick one you want to learn about and practice.
