Struggling with "Tell Me About Yourself" in Interviews? Here's How to Start and What HR Expects

Greetings !!!
Almost in all the Interviews... this will be the first question dropped from HR's.
" Tell me about urself ?" or "Tell me about ur profile?"
But normally everyone struggles here.... wondering from where we need to start ? From schooling ? or After my Degree ?, Should I tell about my family here (becoz sometimes HR's will have another question "Tell me abt ur Family?"), I am here one of those confused persons..... But I could also assume that here the HR may see our way of speech, the way we deliver, the body language etc.
So. please let me know
1. the exact HR's expectation to this question ?
2. from where do I need to start telling abt myself ?
I am 2 years experienced person... also it will be fine if u tell the same for the fresher's too, as the fresh ones reading this forum will be benefited too
Thanks a lot in advance !!!
~harry

Hi,

What I think is you should start by telling your professional qualifications, then your family background, followed by your schooling and graduation details, your strengths and weaknesses, and if necessary, your hobbies.

Regards,
Wricha

Hi Harry,

I was just browsing I found your answer this is the page from that site.

Here's your answer

Tell me about yourself.

TRAPS: Beware, about 80% of all interviews begin with this “innocent” question. Many candidates, unprepared for the question, skewer themselves by rambling, recapping their life story, delving into ancient work history or personal matters.

BEST ANSWER: Start with the present and tell why you are well qualified for the position. Remember that the key to all successful interviewing is to match your qualifications to what the interviewer is looking for. In other words you must sell what the buyer is buying. This is the single most important strategy in job hunting.

So, before you answer this or any question it's imperative that you try to uncover your interviewer's greatest need, want, problem or goal.

To do so, make you take these two steps:

1. Do all the homework you can before the interview to uncover this person's wants and needs (not the generalized needs of the industry or company)

2. As early as you can in the interview, ask for a more complete description of what the position entails. You might say: “I have a number of accomplishments I'd like to tell you about, but I want to make the best use of our time together and talk directly to your needs. To help me do, that, could you tell me more about the most important priorities of this position? All I know is what I (heard from the recruiter, read in the classified ad, etc.)”

Then, ALWAYS follow-up with a second and possibly, third question, to draw out his needs even more. Surprisingly, it's usually this second or third question that unearths what the interviewer is most looking for.

You might ask simply, "And in addition to that?..." or, "Is there anything else you see as essential to success in this position?:

This process will not feel easy or natural at first, because it is easier simply to answer questions, but only if you uncover the employer's wants and needs will your answers make the most sense. Practice asking these key questions before giving your answers, the process will feel more natural and you will be light years ahead of the other job candidates you're competing with.

After uncovering what the employer is looking for, describe why the needs of this job bear striking parallels to tasks you've succeeded at before. Be sure to illustrate with specific examples of your responsibilities and especially your achievements, all of which are geared to present yourself as a perfect match for the needs he has just described

our answer.

Regards,

Wricha

Hi Harry,

I would like to thank Wricha for her comments and further information gathered from the web.

This question is asked in all interviews primarily for two reasons:

* It is meant to make the candidates feel at ease, acting as an icebreaker. Here, the HR's expectation is to assess your natural response. The expectations may vary from company to company. Some are looking for forthright and honest answers, as they have already conducted basic reference checks and background studies on the candidates. Others are interested in how you convey your response rather than the content itself.

Let me share an experience: a candidate for a marketing position once told us that his father was a taxi driver. We were all impressed by his dignity and honesty. While the final decision for the position took some time and he was placed in another company in the meantime, the HR head explained that they appreciated his level of thought process and integrity.

The main idea is to prepare yourself well, as many candidates do not. This is evident in their responses, with some speaking spontaneously at the moment.

* For some companies, this question is about the candidate's career aspirations and contacts. However, this is not as significant in today's job market. In the past, connections played a vital role in securing a job, but now competency and performance are key factors.

* This question provides recruiters with insight into the candidate's thought process, which can vary from person to person.

There is no ideal answer as such, but it is essential to be yourself and consider yourself as a product. Emphasize your strengths.

Hope this helps.

Cheers,

Rajat

There is no standard reply for this answer as per my experience. It's just an icebreaker to the candidate, so ultimately, it just helps the interview panel to ask some connecting questions. However, it is not the ultimate evaluation question.

So either you start with schooling or your professional experience will not make much difference. But take care that you should not exceed more than 3-5 minutes for this answer.

Cheers,
Wilfred

I agree 100% with Rajat and Wricha. Just to add on...

I believe interviews are more of a rejection round rather than a selection round. Interviewers are finding reasons why not to select a particular candidate. These two questions are a tool for them. Here, the confidence level of the candidate and his ability to put his key achievements across the table matter most.

Cheers,
Saurabh

Hi,

I know what you mean by innocent questions. Initially, I made the mistake of not finding out the way to answer this question, and as you can guess, I flunked the interview. So, first of all, a pat on your back for taking interest in this question, and secondly, I hope this still proves useful to you.

When an interviewer asks this question, do not think he/she is not interested in the answer. They are. But your body language is important too. After all, you have to be confident about what you are saying when they ask you about yourself.

When answering, begin with the present - your qualifications and how and why you got to the interview. But don't bore them with it; remember, they already have your resume.

Slowly ease into your interests and hobbies, all the while keeping in mind that it should be of some use to the organization too. After that, it is your go. Mostly, the interviewer may stop you after this.

Please remember, never say you do not have weaknesses, but don't bring it into the light if possible, and certainly, don't stress it.

All the best to you.

Hope this proves useful to you.