“So Tell Me A Little Bit About Yourself” - Video Instruction
You have to see this video clip I found on YouTube! It is a great example of what not to do when interviewing for a job. One of the toughest interview questions you will encounter is the statement, “So, Tell Me A Little Bit About Yourself.” It is a tough question, no doubt about it. But it is not an impossible question for you to prepare for and successfully use to leverage your position in the hiring decision.
There are lots of mistakes in this video clip, but the greatest mistake is the lack of preparation. This lady wasn’t prepared for the interview. Take a look!
Things to Remember:
1. Nervous Laughter - Get rid of it. The best way to eliminate nervous laughter is better preparation. You have to know what you will say when asked, “So Tell Me A Little Bit About Yourself”. Check out this book, my favorite book about how to effectively interview - 101 Great Answers to the Toughest Interview Questions, by Ron Fry. By far the best book on the market, in my opinion.
2. Nervous Laughter Followed By An Apology - Sounds dishonest. It also demonstrates a lack of confidence in oneself. Again, preparation is the key. If you know what you are going to say in an interview, no matter what is asked of you and you will do well. Unless you did something to harm another, or mis-speak, I would recommend holding all apologies. Confidence is something that comes when you know that you know, that you know, that you are the best candidate for the job. I am not suggesting that you go into the interview with a head so large you can’t get in the door. I am suggesting that you carry yourself with an air of confidence. Your confidence will give them confidence that you are worth their consideration for the open position.
3. “I’m very Honest! I’ll tell you the Truth!” - If you have to tell them you are honest and reinforce it with “I’ll tell you the truth”, it evokes a question mark about how honest you really are… If you have to convince them you are honest or trustworthy, you are dead in the water. Like confidence, they will “smell it”, for lack of a better term. You don’t have to tell them. If you are honest and trustworthy, it will leak off of you and you’ll never have to say it in an interveiw.
Give-A-Way:
Do me a favor, look at the video one more time. Take a look at it and see what else you see. I would like to hear from all of you!! I will give one of Ron Fry’s books away for the best comment. I am looking for something that you see, a no-no. What can you improve on in your next interview? If you were the coach, what would you tell her to improve on? Make sure you include a valid email address so I can notify you if you win. You have until Friday to submit your comment!
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POSTED IN: Coach's Cornor, Tough Questions, Video Instruction
2 opinions for “So Tell Me A Little Bit About Yourself” - Video Instruction
Bridget Wright
Nov 7, 2007 at 9:52 pm
My goodness! I see a lot of things that are wrong with this interview/video. Being a professional speaker, I am always critical of myself and closely watch others. The woman in the video did several things that were to her demise:
1. No direct eye contact. Her eyes shifted WAY too much. She should have planted them directly on the interviewer and simply answered the questions.
2. Lots of fumbling with the hands. I’m sure she was nervous, but again she should have planted her hands either on the table or in her lap and let them stay there for the duration of the interview.
3. Too many uhm’s and ahh’s. Filler words galore. When you run out of words to say, don’t say anything for fear of using these awful filler words. Simply pause in (short) silence and wait for the next thought.
I would suggest to her also to relax and give thought to the question before just jumping in to answer it. Also, I would suggest that she limit her answer to three or four succinct sentences and be done. Don’t try to fill in or use up time. The interview is not a game.
i’m certain that this person wouldn’t get hired for whatever job that was, but with these few tips and a little relaxing, she could do better on her next interview.
Darlene McDaniel
Nov 7, 2007 at 10:13 pm
Hey Bridget, Welcome to Interview Chatter! Thank you for your great recommendations for our candidate. All of your suggestions are excellent.
Apart from a video camera, she may not believe how poorly she comes across. You are officially in the contest!! Stay tuned for the winning comment!
Darlene
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