You enter the room, shake hands with the interviewer, sit down, and

wear your sweetest smile.

Then, comes the first question:

“So, why don’t you tell me about yourself?”

Imagine: Today is your job interview...

Seems easy?You know this question will be

asked. While seemingly easy, many find this question quite tricky.

... true enough, many candidates fail to grab this perfect opportunity to showcase their

value – their brand!

It’s not what it seems.

Behind this question is a more important question.

The interviewer is not merely asking you to share with them information about yourself.

In the interviewer’s head, the real question is:

“Who are you and what can you offer

us?”

So, how do you respond?

Tell the interviewer who you are in just one or two lines, afterwards introduce key attributes essential to the job you are vying for. In short, tell them how great you are at what you do (of course without sounding arrogant).

Go to the next slide for an example!

1. Provide a concise intro.

State your most recent and current experience. Tell the interviewer your greatest achievements as a professional. It will boost your standing in the competition for the job.

Go to the next slide for an example!

2. Provide a compelling career

summary.

As an interviewee, you must make sure that the interviewer understands how your previous experiences, and your great achievements in the past can benefit the firm where you are applying for. Connect the dots!

Go to the next slide for an example.

3. Connect your answers to the needs

of the firm.

Ask a discerning question to control the interview. Your goal in asking is to make the interviewer participate in the conversation, and also, to prove your genuine interest in the job.

Go to the next slide for an example.

4. Ask.

1. Provide a concise introduction.2. Provide a compelling career summary.3. Connect the dots.4. Ask.

Let’s review the steps!Others call this strategy the “Past-Present-Future” formula. You begin by introducing what you did in the past (and how great you were at it), then focus on what you want to do now with your prospective employer (and how you’ll be great at it), and end with where you see yourself in the future (connecting the dots). But, minus the abstraction, it’s as easy as these four steps:

Postscript: In mastering this 4-step strategy, preparation is the key. Identify your unique selling points ahead of time and make a personal branding statement defining your strengths. You can use this personal brand statement when you do Steps 1 and 2.

Remember, this question— “tell me about yourself”– is essentially a question of brand. How you will answer it in four steps is personal branding in action. We got resources that will help you with this. Come visit our blog sometime!

Anyways, we wish you the best of luck in your interview!

Originally published on The Puzzle Piece, Sysgen Philippines’ career blog. For more career advice, please visit our career blog at www.sysgen.com.ph/articles.

Source:

CareerKnowhow.com, (2015). So, Why Don’t You Tell Me About Yourself?. [online] Available at: http://www.careerknowhow.com/interviewtips/tellme.htm [Accessed 14 Sep. 2015].