So, tell me about yourself...

[PsxDcSquall]

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I've heard this is a pretty popular question asked during interviews. I am not entirely sure how to answer it. I mean I dont want to say hello my name is ____ I am _____ years old I was born in _____ that seems so pointless and would make me seem rather...boring.


Has anyone had any experience with this type of question, what would be the best way to go about answering this if its thrown your way.

Thanks!

 

[anxiousteen]

this question usually comes at the beginning. think of it as giving your interviewer some appetizers to eat. mention a few of your major life experiences that you would like to talk about during the interview

 

[PsxDcSquall]

think of this question as giving your interviewer some appetizers to eat. mention a few of your major life experiences that you would like to talk about during the interview

How long should I go on for I mean should I just come out and say a few things and quit or should I try and talk for like 5-10 minutes.

 

[armybound]

If you say something interesting about yourself (which is what you should be doing), the interviewer should interrupt you and start asking you for more information on whatever experience or whatever you said.

 

[LizzyM]

The interviewer already knows your name. You should mention
1) your hometown, particularly if it is close to the medical school (within 50-100 miles), "I'm originally from ___" or where you live now.

2)what you are doing right now (school & major* or job or whatever), and

3) what you did this past summer if it was different from what you are doing now or where you went to school if you didn't cover that above.

*if your major was rather uninteresting but you had an interesting EC on campus (involved as an athlete or support staff to varsity team, editor, leader of a volunteer group, Greek organization or performing arts group) you can add or substitute that.

If you've been abroad for school, work or service, throw that it.

As armybound said, you want to throw out something that the interviewer can latch onto and say "tell me more about that".

 

[AnthroMD]

Very helpful, thank you.

 

[armybound]

Start with your name if it makes you comfortable. I doubt that's going to be much of a discussion point, and the idea of this question is to come up with discussion points.

 

[akinetopsia]

What makes you, you? Family background/upbringing? What's interesting about you? What have you done? How would your friends describe you? How have you spent your time up to this point and what lessons have you learned?

A lot of questions you get asked at interviews are the open-ended ones that encourage a discussion. They give you an opportunity to steer the interview. It's almost like how a politician has talking points. You're selling yourself. Why should they be buying what you're selling (which, in this case, is you)?

Of course, you could always say, "You first, chucklehead" and see what response you get. Just kidding. 🙂

 

[mikedc813]

I sometimes asked the "so tell me about yourself" question when I interviewed applicants. I didn't ever expect to hear a specific answer, meaning there is no wrong answer per se. It's more to get a general sense of how you respond to open-ended questioning and converse in general. Keep in mind most interviewers are just looking to make sure you can communicate like a normal person.

 

[PsxDcSquall]

Thanks to everyone who responded!

All of your answers have been very helpful.