Imagine yourself entering a room consisting of your potential employers; Confidence in your eyes and all set to crack any question they might toss at you. After reading through so many books and blogs you are confident that you can respond to any technical problem the interviewer might ask. And then comes the moment of truth. As soon as you sit in front of your interviewer, out of the blue pops the most dreaded question, “Tell me something about yourself”. And you sit pondering on what would be the best way to answer this. This is a common scenario with many individuals and you need to understand that you are not alone!
One of the most ignored yet a significant open-ended question when it comes to an interview is YOUR introduction. The only person who can shoot the best answer for this question is YOU. The recruiter is more interested in knowing how you put forward yourself in front of them rather than knowing if you had a heartache after breaking up with your girlfriend lately. Take this opportunity to grab your interviewer’s attention and make a good first impression.
We asked a few Industry experts from Wenger & Watson to share their experience and opinion on this customary question. And we found a remarkable difference in each consultant’s perspective. So here are a few different approaches and ideas for you to answer this topic.
Mr. Darshan Godbole, COO, Wenger and Watson Inc., who has more than 10 years experience in HR consulting recommends that your response be specific, direct and crisp, in order for it to be more impactful. According to him “Stating first things first is important”. Start your introduction with positive and exciting parts of your career/academics; for example, if you are a gold medallist or a star performer, begin with it. You can wrap it up by mentioning your hobbies and personal interests. Family related details can come in the end. Ultimately what matters is how you put yourself across the employer.
Another point of view is to describe the reverse chronological order of events like your employment details and education. This is an approach suggested by Mr. Anish Mahale, Senior consultant at Wenger & Watson Inc. who after interacting with candidates for more than 5 years, understands the working of the industry. He also throws light on the need to share family details if the candidate is a just out of college. Instead of sharing your parent’s name, just a line about their industry/profession would be fine. Highlighting your achievements proudly without bragging, gives a fine impression.
Another way of presenting yourself involves giving a distinctive remark. According to Miss. Nidhi Ravishankar, Assistant Manager at Wenger & Watson, with more than 5 years of industry knowledge, an interesting answer like; “I am an Aquarian” or “I am a spontaneous person”, snatches the recruiter’s attention quickly. On the other hand, Mr. Srinivasa stresses on highlighting your achievements relevant to the current profile. As an Executive Search Consultant with more than 5 years of experience, he personally recommends that you mention impactful matters which are not revealed in your resume. Ms. Sushmitha Murthy, an experienced recruiter tells you to brief about your professional experience. In case a candidate is just out of college, she suggests he/she talk about their education and projects in detail.
By now you must have realised that there are many ways to present yourself in an interview. Ultimately all that an employer wants is an individual who can understand and get along with their company culture. And it would make the recruiter’s and your job much easier if you are being just yourself. All the best!!!
Feel free to share your interview experiences in the comment section below…
