3 Steps to a Perfect Interview

Amy Jaffe

Every interview begins with one seemingly simple question: “Tell me about yourself.”

While some interviewees tell their personal life story or summarize each line of their resume, this question requires more preparation than you might expect. In fact, your answer sets the stage for the rest of the interview. It should explain who you are and why are you the right person for the job.

The good news is that you can prepare a great answer in advance. Follow this formula, with three straight-forward parts, to develop your own perfect answer:

1. Tell the story.  Starting with your most recent work or school experience, work on an abridged version of your career story. Mention some—not all—of your job titles and employers, degrees, and educational institutions. Spend no more than two or three sentences on this introduction.

2. Make the connections. Next, read the job description closely and make a list of the required skills. Come up with an example of how you’ve demonstrated each skill—whether in a previous job, at school, or in life. Make the connection between your skills and the job requirements. Include the top two or three examples in your answer.

3.Give the big reason. Finally, consider all of the positive reasons why you want this potential job. Of those, choose one reason that’s also important to the employer and explain how this compelled you to apply for the job. It is important to put yourself in your employer’s place and consider what he/she is looking for in a candidate.

By following this formula, you should have eight to ten sentences. Practice saying your answer aloud, preferably with someone timing you. It should take two minutes or less. With a bit of preparation and some practice, you’ll come into your next interview with the perfect answer to that inevitable first question.  

Amy Jaffe, a career counselor at Heart at Work in Yarmouth, Maine, specializes in helping young adults find jobs and launch careers. She will be presenting workshops on Resume Writing, Job Search and Interview Preparation this fall. For more information about the workshops or career counseling,visit www.Heartatwork.biz or email Amy at amy@heartatwork.biz.

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