[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ custom_padding_last_edited=”on|desktop” admin_label=”section” _builder_version=”3.2″ background_image=”https:\/\/www.careersingovernment.com\/tools\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/nailquestion1.jpg” custom_padding_tablet=”50px|0|50px|0″ padding_mobile=”off”][et_pb_row admin_label=”row” _builder_version=”3.0.47″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat”][et_pb_column type=”1_3″ _builder_version=”3.0.47″ parallax=”off” parallax_method=”on”][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”2_3″ _builder_version=”3.0.47″ parallax=”off” parallax_method=”on”][et_pb_divider show_divider=”off” height=”200″ disabled_on=”on|on|off” _builder_version=”3.2″][\/et_pb_divider][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.2″ text_font=”PT Sans||||” text_text_color=”#ffffff” text_font_size=”72″ text_font_size_tablet=”52″ text_font_size_last_edited=”on|tablet” text_line_height=”1.1em” background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” max_width=”620px” custom_margin=”0px||0px|”]<\/p>\n
How To Nail The Toughest Interview Question<\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ custom_padding_last_edited=”on|desktop” _builder_version=”3.0.47″ custom_padding_tablet=”50px|0|50px|0″ padding_mobile=”off”][et_pb_row use_custom_width=”on” custom_width_px=”1200px” custom_padding=”20px||0px|” custom_padding_tablet=”0px|||” column_padding_mobile=”on” custom_padding_last_edited=”on|tablet” parallax_method_1=”off” parallax_method_2=”off” admin_label=”row” _builder_version=”3.0.47″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat”][et_pb_column type=”1_3″ _builder_version=”3.0.47″ column_padding_mobile=”on” parallax=”off” parallax_method=”off”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/www.careersingovernment.com\/tools\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/BlackBerry-balcony-1.jpg” show_bottom_space=”off” align=”center” disabled_on=”on|on|” _builder_version=”3.2″ animation=”off” sticky=”on”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text disabled_on=”on|on|” _builder_version=”3.2″ text_font=”PT Sans|on|||” text_text_color=”#02b875″ text_font_size=”20″ text_line_height=”1.2em” header_text_color=”#000000″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” text_orientation=”center” max_width=”140px” module_alignment=”center” custom_margin=”20px||0px|”]DAWN GRAHAM<\/a><\/span> The opening question in an interview is a crucial opportunity to be memorable and introduce your strongest points. Your objective is to sell yourself as the preferred candidate by showing how you solve the company\u2019s pain points, and your response to the initial question can set the tone for the remaining 45 minutes of the discussion.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The most popular opening question for hirers is some version of\u00a0\u201c<\/span>Tell me about yourself.\u201d<\/span><\/i>\u00a0While this general statement is designed to be an easy\u00a0way for your interviewer to get to know you before the true \u201cinterrogation\u201d begins, it can actually be one of the most difficult questions to answer due to how open-ended and ambiguous it is.<\/span><\/p>\n Many job seekers underestimate the power of their response to set them up as the candidate of choice, writing it off as small talk and an insignificant part of the interview. The exact\u00a0<\/span>opposite<\/span><\/i>\u00a0is true.<\/span><\/p>\n This is one of the few questions where you have the bandwidth to choose\u00a0<\/span>any<\/span><\/i>\u00a0information, skills, accomplishments and assets you want to convey, and your response can influence the agenda for the rest of the meeting by introducing achievements that the interviewer hadn\u2019t even thought of delving into. Additionally, you don\u2019t know what questions an interviewer plans to ask and as a candidate, it is\u00a0<\/span>your<\/span><\/i>\u00a0responsibility to ensure that you communicate your candidacy thoroughly in the short time that you have. Yes, it may be unfair that the interviewer didn\u2019t ask about your best qualities or awards and instead spent time digging into your weaknesses or talking about themselves, but it will be of little consolation when the job is offered to someone else.<\/span><\/p>\n So, take control of how you kick off the interview and craft a stellar response to \u201ctell me about yourself!”<\/span><\/p>\n You might\u00a0understandably\u00a0feel somewhat at a loss as to how to answer such an\u00a0open-ended statement. The broadness of \u201ctell me about yourself\u201d is what makes it such a challenge to answer succinctly and effectively, and as a seasoned interviewer, I\u2019ve heard candidates talk about their childhood, hometown, pets, and even irrelevant medical history. Essentially, they\u2019ve wasted an opportunity to set themselves up as the candidate of choice.<\/span><\/p>\n It\u2019s okay to include some personal details, and in fact, this can help build a connection with the hiring manager, which is also important. However,\u00a0<\/span>the primary goal should be to convey your value to the employer<\/span><\/i>.<\/span> First, let\u2019s translate this question into what the interviewer is\u00a0<\/span>really<\/span><\/i>\u00a0asking:\u00a0<\/span>\u201cWhat are the top two or three qualities, skill sets, or areas of expertise that will enable you to excel in this role and set you apart from other candidates I\u2019ll be interviewing?<\/span><\/i>\u201d Now, that\u2019s a lot easier to address!<\/span><\/p>\n Second, make sure you understand the audience and craft a response that is:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Relevant\u00a0\u2013 Focus on what\u2019s most important to the interviewer. Your answer should demonstrate your\u00a0abilities, fit, and motivation to do\u00a0<\/span>this<\/span><\/i>\u00a0job.<\/span><\/p>\n Memorable \u2013\u00a0Think of your response as a \u201cteaser\u201d for further conversation. Drop in a few\u00a0tangible\u00a0achievements\u00a0you plan to discuss in more detail later in the interview.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Relatable\u00a0\u2013 Prepare what you want to say,\u00a0but\u00a0avoid memorizing or sounding overly rehearsed.\u00a0Your goal in the\u00a0interview is to\u00a0<\/span>relate<\/span><\/i>\u00a0to the hirer.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Concise \u2013\u00a0Keep your response\u00a0to\u00a0no more than two minutes. This sounds easy,\u00a0but\u00a0most candidates unknowingly ramble\u00a0for\u00a0four or five\u00a0minutes.\u00a0Time yourself when practicing beforehand.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Third, map out a structure:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Start with an engaging opening\u00a0statement \u2013\u00a0As the first sentence out of your mouth, this statement should be conveyed with confidence and enthusiasm and offer a clear idea of the value and strengths you bring to the table.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Offer some brief career highlights\u00a0– Pick\u00a02 strong\u00a0achievements that most relate to the job you\u2019re applying to and that show how the work you’ve done had an impact on your field or previous employer. Measurable results are always impressive, but even if you don’t have specific numbers to convey, you can still speak to your contributions.<\/span><\/p>\n Relate\u00a0your achievements to how they solve an employer’s key problems.\u00a0It’s great that your prior work experience had an impact, now take the next step and show how you can use those same strengths to positively affect the new role. This shows the hiring manager that you’ve thought about how you can apply your skills in the new environment.<\/span><\/p>\n Close with why you\u2019re excited about this particular role and company.\u00a0While you may be applying to multiple employers, organizations are most interested in candidates who have a specific and logical reason for choosing<\/span>\u00a0their\u00a0<\/span><\/i>company and this particular role. Hiring managers want to make a good decision and they know that the more motivated you are to join the company, the more likely you are to contribute for the long-term.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n A less common variation on this opening statement is, \u201c<\/span>Walk me through your\u00a0background<\/span><\/i>.\u201d\u00a0In this case, interviewers\u00a0are\u00a0looking for a chronological response\u00a0featuring\u00a0key\u00a0career\u00a0decision\u00a0points,\u00a0related\u00a0accomplishments, and\u00a0strong\u00a0transitions. All of the same rules apply, however, the structure will take a more chronological format and your answer will be slightly longer since you may need to include a few more details.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n One final way to view the \u201cTell me about yourself\u201d opener is to imagine that it\u2019s the\u00a0<\/span>only<\/span><\/i>\u00a0question you will be asked in the interview. While that\u2019s likely not the case, keeping this thought in mind when structuring your response will help you to keep your answer professional, targeted and relevant.<\/span><\/p>\n Happy hunting!<\/span><\/p>\n “As long as you have certain desires about how it ought to be you can’t see how it is.”<\/span><\/i> First impressions count! In fact, one study shows that interviewers make a determination about hiring a candidate (or not) in the first ninety seconds of the discussion. If you consider this during your next interview, you\u2019ll realize how important the first question is to landing the job!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3299,"featured_media":31978,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","_cbd_carousel_blocks":"[]","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[13,18],"tags":[41,615],"class_list":["post-31977","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-about-gov","category-career-advice","tag-career-advice-2","tag-interviewing"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n
\n[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text disabled_on=”on|on|” _builder_version=”3.2″ text_font=”PT Serif||on||” text_text_color=”#363636″ text_font_size=”16″ text_line_height=”1.4em” background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” text_orientation=”center” max_width=”140px” module_alignment=”center” custom_margin=”10px||60px|”]Dr Dawn Graham, PhD is one of the nation’s leading career coaches. She is the Career Director for the MBA Program for Executives at The Wharton School, where she counsels business leaders on making strategic career choices. A licensed psychologist and former corporate recruiter, she hosts SiriusXM Radio’s popular weekly call-in show Career Talk and is a regular contributor to Forbes.
\n[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”2_3″ _builder_version=”3.0.47″ column_padding_mobile=”on” parallax=”off” parallax_method=”off”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.2″ text_font=”PT Serif||||” text_text_color=”#363636″ text_font_size=”24″ text_font_size_last_edited=”on|tablet” text_line_height=”1.5em” background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” max_width=”720px” custom_margin=”0px||0px|”]First impressions count! In fact, <\/span>one study<\/span><\/a> shows that interviewers make a determination about hiring a candidate (or not) in the first\u00a0ninety\u00a0seconds of the discussion. If you consider this during your next interview, you\u2019ll realize how important the first question is to landing the job!<\/span><\/p>\n
\n[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”3.0.47″ background_color=”#f7f7f4″ custom_padding=”0px||0px|”][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”3.0.47″ custom_padding=”0px||0px|”][et_pb_row make_fullwidth=”on” custom_width_px=”680px” use_custom_gutter=”on” gutter_width=”1″ custom_padding=”0px||0px|” make_equal=”on” column_padding_mobile=”on” background_color_2=”#efefe9″ parallax_method_1=”off” parallax_method_2=”off” _builder_version=”3.0.47″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat”][et_pb_column type=”2_3″ _builder_version=”3.0.47″ column_padding_mobile=”on” parallax=”off” parallax_method=”off”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/www.careersingovernment.com\/tools\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/nailquestion2.jpg” show_bottom_space=”off” force_fullwidth=”on” _builder_version=”3.2″ animation=”off”][\/et_pb_image][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_3″ _builder_version=”3.0.47″ column_padding_mobile=”on” background_color=”#efefe9″ parallax=”off” parallax_method=”off”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/www.careersingovernment.com\/tools\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/nailquestion3.jpg” show_bottom_space=”off” force_fullwidth=”on” _builder_version=”3.2″ animation=”off”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text disabled_on=”off|off|” _builder_version=”3.2″ text_font=”PT Serif||||” text_text_color=”#818178″ text_font_size=”24″ text_font_size_last_edited=”on|phone” text_line_height=”1.4em” background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” text_orientation=”center” module_alignment=”center” custom_margin=”20%|10%||10%” custom_margin_tablet=”|10%||10%” custom_margin_last_edited=”on|desktop”]“As long as you have certain desires about how it ought to be you can’t see how it is.”<\/span><\/i>
\n[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.2″ text_font=”PT Sans|on|||” text_text_color=”#888888″ text_font_size=”12″ text_letter_spacing=”2px” text_line_height=”1.2em” background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” text_orientation=”center” module_alignment=”center” custom_margin=”20px||20%|” custom_margin_tablet=”20px|||” custom_margin_last_edited=”on|tablet”]DAWN GRAHAM
\n[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row use_custom_width=”on” custom_width_px=”1200px” use_custom_gutter=”on” gutter_width=”4″ custom_padding=”0px||0px|” custom_padding_tablet=”0px|||” column_padding_mobile=”on” custom_padding_last_edited=”on|tablet” parallax_method_1=”off” parallax_method_2=”off” parallax_method_3=”off” parallax_method_4=”off” admin_label=”row” _builder_version=”3.0.47″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”3.0.47″ column_padding_mobile=”on” parallax=”off” parallax_method=”off”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.2″ text_font=”PT Serif||||” text_text_color=”#363636″ text_font_size=”20″ text_font_size_last_edited=”on|tablet” text_line_height=”1.4em” background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” custom_margin=”60px||0px|” custom_margin_tablet=”40px||0px|” custom_margin_last_edited=”on|tablet”]Here\u2019s a structure for crafting a great response to \u201cTell me about yourself\u201d and making a glowing first impression\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n
\n[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”3.0.47″ custom_padding=”19px|0px|24.625px|0px”][et_pb_row use_custom_width=”on” custom_width_px=”780px” custom_padding=”0px|0px|73.90625px|0px” column_padding_mobile=”on” parallax_method_1=”off” _builder_version=”3.0.47″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”3.0.47″ column_padding_mobile=”on” parallax=”off” parallax_method=”off”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.0.47″ text_font=”PT Serif||||” text_text_color=”#363636″ text_font_size=”36″ text_font_size_tablet=”26″ text_font_size_last_edited=”on|tablet” text_line_height=”1.4em” background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” text_orientation=”center” module_alignment=”center” custom_margin=”||70px|”] Want new articles before they get published? Subscribe to our Awesome Newsletter. [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_contact_form captcha=”off” module_id=”et_pb_contact_form_0″ _builder_version=”3.0.47″ custom_button=”on” button_text_color=”#ffffff” button_bg_color=”#02b875″ button_border_width=”8″ button_border_color=”#02b875″ button_border_radius=”4″][et_pb_contact_field field_id=”E-mail Address” field_title=”E-mail Address” field_background_color=”rgba(0,0,0,0)” _builder_version=”3.0.47″ form_field_font=”PT Sans||||” form_field_text_color=”#adadab” form_field_font_size=”20″ form_field_font_size_tablet=”20″ form_field_font_size_phone=”20″ form_field_line_height=”1.4em” form_field_line_height_tablet=”1.4em” form_field_line_height_phone=”1.4em” border_radii=”on||||” border_width_all=”1″ border_color_all=”#adadab” border_style_all=”solid” custom_css_main_element=”height:64px;” use_border_color=”on” border_color=”#adadab” border_width=”1″ border_style=”solid”][\/et_pb_contact_field][et_pb_contact_field field_id=”First Name” field_title=”First Name” field_background_color=”rgba(0,0,0,0)” _builder_version=”3.0.47″ form_field_font=”PT Sans||||” form_field_text_color=”#adadab” form_field_font_size=”20″ form_field_font_size_tablet=”20″ form_field_font_size_phone=”20″ form_field_line_height=”1.4em” form_field_line_height_tablet=”1.4em” form_field_line_height_phone=”1.4em” border_radii=”on||||” border_width_all=”1″ border_color_all=”#adadab” border_style_all=”solid” custom_css_main_element=”height:64px;” use_border_color=”on” border_color=”#adadab” border_width=”1″ border_style=”solid”][\/et_pb_contact_field][\/et_pb_contact_form][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”3.0.47″ background_color=”#222222″ custom_padding=”78px||78px|”][et_pb_row make_fullwidth=”on” use_custom_gutter=”on” gutter_width=”1″ custom_padding=”0px|0px|0px|0px” padding_mobile=”on” column_padding_mobile=”on” parallax_method_1=”off” parallax_method_2=”off” parallax_method_3=”off” parallax_method_4=”off” module_class=”border-hover” _builder_version=”3.0.47″ background_color=”#f5f5f5″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat”][et_pb_column type=”1_3″ _builder_version=”3.0.47″ column_padding_mobile=”on” parallax=”off” parallax_method=”off”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/www.careersingovernment.com\/tools\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/typing.jpg” show_bottom_space=”off” align=”center” force_fullwidth=”on” _builder_version=”3.0.47″ animation=”off” sticky=”on”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_cta title=”CAREER ADVICE” button_url=”https:\/\/www.careersingovernment.com\/tools\/gov-talk\/career-advice\/” button_text=”CAREER ADVICE” _builder_version=”3.0.47″ header_font_size=”30px” body_font_size=”20px” use_background_color=”off” background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat”] Advice from top Career specialists [\/et_pb_cta][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_3″ _builder_version=”3.0.47″ column_padding_mobile=”on” parallax=”off” parallax_method=”off”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/www.careersingovernment.com\/tools\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/news-cig.jpg” show_bottom_space=”off” align=”center” force_fullwidth=”on” _builder_version=”3.0.47″ animation_style=”slide” animation_direction=”left” animation_duration=”500ms” animation_intensity_slide=”10%” sticky=”on”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_cta title=”GOV TALK” button_url=”https:\/\/www.careersingovernment.com\/tools\/gov-talk-page\/” button_text=”Government Updates” _builder_version=”3.0.47″ header_font_size=”30px” body_font_size=”20px” use_background_color=”off” background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat”] Articles about the Public Sector [\/et_pb_cta][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_3″ _builder_version=”3.0.47″ column_padding_mobile=”on” parallax=”off” parallax_method=”off”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/www.careersingovernment.com\/tools\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/public-secot-trends.jpg” show_bottom_space=”off” align=”center” force_fullwidth=”on” _builder_version=”3.0.47″ animation=”off” sticky=”on”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_cta title=”TRENDS” button_url=”https:\/\/www.careersingovernment.com\/tools\/hr-tips-and-strategies\/” button_text=”TRENDS” _builder_version=”3.0.47″ header_font_size=”30px” body_font_size=”20px” use_background_color=”off” background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat”] Public Sector Trends [\/et_pb_cta][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"