Tell Me About Yourselef...

[Sarapary]

Does any one have any suggestion about how long should the answer to this question take?! 5 Min or less or more?and what kind of answer do they want ? your life story?
thank you for your help

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[ForcedEntry]

The purpose of this question is to see if a real person exist behind the books. Do you have a life? Are you interesting? What makes you unique? How do you add diversity? What frames your point of reference? All of these questions and more are bundled in a seemingly harmless "Tell me about yourself" question.

One way to think about it is to think of it as a first date. The interviewer(s) are the hot guy you have been pining over for weeks. You want to impress them so you go to the mall and buy a new outfit; yet, you change outfits three or four times anyways. When the night finally gets underway what do you talk about? How do you sell yourself? It's the same situation. You don't want to look like a *****, and you don't want to look like a prude. You want him to see a reason beyond the obvious to call you again.

 

[sdn1977]

The purpose of this question is to see if a real person exist behind the books. Do you have a life? Are you interesting? What makes you unique? How do you add diversity? What frames your point of reference? All of these questions and more are bundled in a seemingly harmless "Tell me about yourself" question.

One way to think about it is to think of it as a first date. The interviewer(s) are the hot guy you have been pining over for weeks. You want to impress them so you go to the mall and buy a new outfit; yet, you change outfits three or four times anyways. When the night finally gets underway what do you talk about? How do you sell yourself? It's the same situation. You don't want to look like a *****, and you don't want to look like a prude. You want him to see a reason beyond the obvious to call you again.

This is an excellent answer!

Of all the applicants, why you? Forced's analogy to a first date is pretty much right on. On this first meeting, you don't want to dwell on the petty nor unimportant details of your life...you want to bring out your uniqueness and special qualities.

Good luck!

 

[Sarapary]

The purpose of this question is to see if a real person exist behind the books. Do you have a life? Are you interesting? What makes you unique? How do you add diversity? What frames your point of reference? All of these questions and more are bundled in a seemingly harmless "Tell me about yourself" question.

One way to think about it is to think of it as a first date. The interviewer(s) are the hot guy you have been pining over for weeks. You want to impress them so you go to the mall and buy a new outfit; yet, you change outfits three or four times anyways. When the night finally gets underway what do you talk about? How do you sell yourself? It's the same situation. You don't want to look like a *****, and you don't want to look like a prude. You want him to see a reason beyond the obvious to call you again.

It was a great answer, thanks alot... and what is the average time that I should talk for any answer? 2-3 Minutes or more ?

thank you again

 

[ForcedEntry]

It was a great answer, thanks alot... and what is the average time that I should talk for any answer? 2-3 Minutes or more ?

thank you again

For this you really need to read your audience. If you see them perk up about something you have just said, keep going. If not, move onto the next subject. I would pick two to three things that I really wanted to highlight about myself and season it with little details.

 

[medstudent115]

What is the best way to answer this question The seniors, attendings, program directors and residents, please answer this question. Because everyone as different views on this one. Some people say that it is just be yourself and say something about who you are? Others say the interviewer would like to know how you can be good fit for their program professionally or personally. I have written and scratched it many times but still not know what is the perfect answer. Points that program is looking for?

 

[DrDrugs2012]

Disagree very strongly with the first responder.

The answer should be short (less than 2 minutes), provide insight not into your being a human or having a life outside of ambition, but into the things that led you to the interview table and why those things make you an excellent candidate for the job/internship/academic program for which you applied.

Many students start the answer with things like "I am from California", "My grandmother was diagnosed with _____", or something else completely irrelevant. Bzzzz. Wrong answer. Put yourself in the interviewer's shoes - what does he/she care to know about you? What does your being from California have to do with the position for which you are applying? Nothing! Ergo, its irrelevant.

If the interviewers want to know why pharmacy or what you do for fun, they will ask. And believe me, they do ask. Just as with salary negotiations, the side that gives up too much information early tends to lose.

 

[kies89]

Disagree very strongly with the first responder.

The answer should be short (less than 2 minutes), provide insight not into your being a human or having a life outside of ambition, but into the things that led you to the interview table and why those things make you an excellent candidate for the job/internship/academic program for which you applied.

Cant this part be asked with "why pharmacy, why our school, why you?"questions as well?

Back to OP, I think just give a little bit of your background... where you from, school, major, what do you do now, and just a brief description of your hobby or something along the line would be fine imo.

I always thought Tell me about yourself question is just a starter to begin the interview conversation with. They will ask your other important questions after that, so just keep it simple and brief!

 

[DrDrugs2012]

Yes, you could provide the same answer with those questions but why offer the interviewer the opportunity to ask?

The best interview, as defined as the one which turns out most favorably for the interviewee, will always be the one which rapidly evolves from question-answer to dialogue format.

Beginning the interview with a blanket answer highlighting your experience, skills, and how you fit into the role gives the interviewer a chance to more methodically investigate your candidacy by engaging your opening statement. This helps you turn the conversation to your favor by changing the tone of the conversation from "prove youre the best choice" to lets talk about how you fit into this organization.

If nothing else, think about risk. You risk nothing by taking my approach - you can only come across as being all business. You risk much by discussing superfluous things.

 

[KidPharmD]

Yes, you could provide the same answer with those questions but why offer the interviewer the opportunity to ask?

The best interview, as defined as the one which turns out most favorably for the interviewee, will always be the one which rapidly evolves from question-answer to dialogue format.

Beginning the interview with a blanket answer highlighting your experience, skills, and how you fit into the role gives the interviewer a chance to more methodically investigate your candidacy by engaging your opening statement. This helps you turn the conversation to your favor by changing the tone of the conversation from "prove youre the best choice" to lets talk about how you fit into this organization.

If nothing else, think about risk. You risk nothing by taking my approach - you can only come across as being all business. You risk much by discussing superfluous things.

As someone who has asked this very question recently, I have to both agree and disagree with you. Part of the reason I ask the question is to see how people will choose to interpret the question. When someone tells me about all of the professional things that led them to pharmacy school, that tells me one thing, and when someone talks about their life outside of school that tells me another. I would say that you do risk something by coming across as all business. That is why graduate schools like people with unrelated extracurriculars. We don't want someone that lives and breaths their potential pharmacy career. A balanced answer is often best.

 

[DrDrugs2012]

I ask the same question of every applicant that comes across my desk. And for the same reasons. I fully agree that no one wants a workaholic. But given that the first question is "tell me about yourself", business first, pleasure second. When they ask "why this school?" you can talk about the school, its opportunities and how its location in Sacramento means you would also get to free climb El Capitan in your spare time. Many other questions give you the opportunity to talk about your interests and being a human being outside of work.

Two questions asked in every meaningful interview:
Tell me about yourself.
Why us?

Business first, pleasure second. And since tell me about yourself is typically asked first, not second, ergo refer to aforementioned statement.

But thats just me.