How to Answer The ‘Tell me about yourself’ Question During an Interview
Ever tried Googling yourself? If you ever performed such inquiry chances are you received little to no responses or you may have also gotten way too much information- information that is private and might make it stressful for you in the real world. Well, when you go on a job interview and the interviewer says, “Tell me about yourself,” that same information, rather it’s good or bad is the same response the interviewer may want to get out of you. “We always ask prospective employees the ‘Tell me about yourself’ question,” says RMG Staffing President Ricardo Michelangeli. “It’s a good way to find out if a candidate can organize their thoughts on the spot. It’s a good way to see if someone can speak well and be able to give honest answers.” Being honest is the best thing you could do and another thing we suggest in preparation for the “Tell me about yourself” question is to Google yourself and read the information you may or may not want to be exposed. If the information is negative you may want to directly contact the source and ratify the situation. If the information is good then you might want to use that same information and its source in your responses. Also, be sure to review your social media posts. Edit out comments you may have written that might paint you in a negative light. In addition, you can ask friends, relatives or colleagues a few things they may or may not like about you and see if those responses may benefit you at a job interview. “One should always practice and get feedback from friends and colleagues on how best to answer that question,” Mr. Michelangeli added. “Good or bad the more responses you get the better. You can never be overly prepared for a job interview.” So if you’re still unsure to how to answer the “Tell me about yourself” question here are some quick suggestions that are straight to the point. Be aware that there are other guidelines and suggestions out there and being open to constructive criticism will benefit you in the long run. • Connect personal strengths and give supporting examples. • Mention your overall dreams and aspirations. • Avoid summarizing your resume word for word. • Mention past experiences and proven successes. • Align your current job responsibilities to the role. • Avoid mentioning personal information related to your marital status, children, political or religious views. • Highlight your personality and education background • Avoid rushing into deeper conversations about the role and company. • Connect your skills to the job description. • Briefly mention hobbies and give examples of how your work benefit others on a personal level Last but not least, make sure you remain calm during an interview. Don’t go in there with an empty stomach or dehydrated. Be mindful of your composure and smile. Relax, you got this.
What to Do if You Are Not Called After an Interview
We all have had that moment. The experience in prepping up for a job interview, dressing in our best business attire, being nervous during the interview but giving great responses to questions. We walk out of the room with great confidence, knowing we landed the job. But once we get home, we spent the rest of the day wondering why they hadn’t immediately called us back to say, “you’re hired’. 24 hours go by and no phone call. Another day goes by, and still no call. We spent the rest of the week second guessing ourselves. Did we do enough prepping? Did we wear the right clothing? Were those responses we gave good enough? Why do some recruiters never call prospective employees back after conducting an interview? The term is called ghosting— the act of a company vanishing, going dark or pulling away at some point in the hiring process without any explanation. The word originating in the online dating world where two people discovered each other online, exchange messages and then one of them suddenly disappear without a trace. Though the job market has nothing to do with the “Catfish” like dating world, sadly, job seekers have had to deal with the same outcome. Why do some employers don’t call back after an interview? The simple answer is that you didn’t get the job and rather calling you to inform you of the sad news, some employers rather avoid an awkward situation by not calling and hoping you get the hint. A more complicated answer may be that the person who interviewed you is sick and is not reporting to work until he or she gets better. Maybe he or she got fired and the company may have decided to restart the hiring process all over again. Another reason may be that the company went out of business or the position may no longer be available due to budgeting. In any case, not being called back after an interview happens to us all and if you currently find yourself in this situation here are some advice that might be of help. 1. Send a short e-mail inquiry If you really think you were extremely qualified for the job and had performed a great interview, sending a short and sweet inquiry and asking your recruiters on rather they had chosen a candidate would mostly get you some type of reply. The rule of thumb is to wait at least a week before sending that e-mail. 2. Give them a call Wait until a week has gone by and if the company hasn’t called you after an interview, kindly give them a call. Remember always be polite during the phone call and be sure to thank them for the opportunity even if you ended up with bad news. • If e-mailing or calling the company doesn’t work and you still haven’t found out if you were selected, just realize that competition is great and you are well-qualified, there are thousand more positions available and discuss the next opportunity with your recruiter. Don’t give up. Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence. Call us or email your resume to apply@rmgstaffing.com