Interview Question: Tell Me about Yourself?

Bonjour people,

Most interviewers choose this as the first question, it's meant to break the ice and make you comfortable. However, this is the case where first impressions matter. This is your chance to set the tone of the interview.

Have you ever walked into a room with stern faced panelists and you feared for your life or bowels? Buterflies and gas were having a match in your tummy. in a hot suit or uncomfortable heels and you brea a sweat. This gets worse when you find a parade of other interviewees looking to snatch a chance. Oh yes, I have experienced this before.

The truth is; many people take different paths to a career and companies seek people that will fit into their company culture, someone they can relate to, So no matter, the qualifications of other so deserving candidates, you have your own story and this is what appeals to the panelist.

So let's get into the gist of the matter. in answering this question.

You want to make the answer ,a pitch; telling them great things about you that add value to the profile of what they are looking for. So you are passionate,  hard-working, honest, dedicated, loyal – right ?

That's exactly what they want ! Also,it's exactly what everybody else is going to say.

But as for you , strive to make this an introduction to you like you see people do in TV interviews.

Ok so the interviever already knows your name, age, marital status, experience and this you don't need to repeat but allude to them by forming an introduction story.
It's not your life story but just a summary about how you ended up in the profession and why everything leading up to this point has built you into an ideal profile of the person they are looking for, highlighting your strengths according to the job requirements. For instance in sales, you need to have confidence, love to speak to people and be passionate about your product. Show them passion, enthusiasm and also belief in yourself.
Kings and queens 2018 is not the year to have doubt, Don't hold yourself back.
Also, make the intro short, not more than 2 minutes, so that the interview proceeds and it's not all about you.
Did you know that the more you speak, there's a higher chance to self sabotage and besides, following a good intro, the panelists will be more intrigued and will ordinarily follow up on some things you mentioned- ensure this is not a made up story but well thought of.

Here's an example of how I would answer the Question about myself.

It never crossed my mind that I would ever be in Sales. I was a curious kid when young, mostly shy , never had many friends, so sales was never an option for me. I mean enjoyed performing in class, drama, or situations that meant i did public speaking. It gave me a lot of intellectual stimulation and fun .However my dream job was to be in communication, doing something like a newscaster, I mean am confident, great at public speaking and extremely passionate in defending my opinion,of course with respect to others so when the opportunity to join Sales unexpectedly fell in my lap, I was apprehensive. But here i am, x years later, i enjoy doing this in my work time and resort to being shy in my down-times with my family.
OR

Its an oxymoron that I love communication and yet I am an introvert. What it means is that I enjoy being informed and getting others informed as well, just a case of a curious cat. I feel information is empowering. I enjoy learning about various things- An average jane in most things- but I am learning to get people excited and informed about my product. looking forward to work in a diverse range of company types. this is why sales is a perfect mix of me.

Another tip:

Practise, Practise to say your story, a day before the interview so that your nerves are calmed when you are at the interview desk- this helps a lot.

Mark you, I get to learn about many candidates when waiting at the interview bench and can tell about their strengths compared to me and therefore be able to defend my case comprehensively.

One time an interviewer commented on my interpersonal skills at the interview because I took it upon myself to discuss with people and therefore i was less nervous when we got to the panel. This always works.

Now drop your comments here about how you'd answer this question at your next interview.

Best of Luck.