How to answer "Tell me about yourself"

The main idea behind the question "Tell me about yourself" is to make the candidate feel comfortable as he/she would be in a tensed mood as soon as he/she enters the interviewer's room. It would also let the interviewer know the background of the candidate. And also it provides the interview with an opportunity to assess the soft skills of the candidate. So be confident and address the interviewer politely while giving your answer.

Next time you’re faced with the dreaded, “Tell me about yourself…” question, try these:

1. “I can summarize who I am in three words.” Grabs their attention immediately. Demonstrates your ability to be concise, creative and compelling.
2. “The quotation I live my life by is…” Proves that personal development is an essential part of your growth plan. Also shows your ability to motivate yourself.
3. “My personal philosophy is…” Companies hire athletes – not shortstops. This line indicates your position as a thinker, not just an employee.
4. “People who know me best say that I’m…” This response offers insight into your own level of self-awareness.
5. “Well, I googled myself this morning, and here’s what I found…” Tech-savvy, fun, cool people would say this. Unexpected and memorable.
6. “My passion is…” People don’t care what you do – people care who you are. And what you’re passionate about is who you are. Plus, passion unearths enthusiasm.
7. “When I was seven years old, I always wanted to be…” An answer like this shows that you’ve been preparing for this job your whole life, not just the night before.
8. “If Hollywood made a move about my life, it would be called…” Engaging, interesting and entertaining.
9. “Can I show you, instead of tell you?” Then, pull something out of your pocket that represents who you are. Who could resist this answer? Who could forget this answer?
10. “The compliment people give me most frequently is…” Almost like a testimonial, this response also indicates self-awareness and openness to feedback.

• I understand your fear with such answers. Responses like these are risky, unexpected and unorthodox. And that’s exactly why they work.
• You’re hired because of your answers. When people ask you to tell them about yourself, make them glad they asked.

Scott Ginsberg is an Author, Speaker, Publisher, Artist and Mentor. Some part of this post was originally was published in TheLadders.com