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When preparing for an interview, there are tips all over the internet to help you:

• Arrive early.
• Good handshake
• Make eye contact.
• Be enthusiastic.

However, how many people know how to answer the big question…. “Tell me about yourself?”

It may seem like an easy enough question, after all only you know all about you, but you would be surprised how many people struggle to answer this question, making a lot of people feel uncomfortable.

Do they want your life story?

Do they want to know what school you went too?

Your interviewer doesn’t need to know what you like to have for breakfast each morning.

This question is one you should prepare for in advance as it sets the stage for the interview and gives you the opportunity to give a good first impression!

In my opinion, most interviewers make their decision in the first minute based on the tips I mentioned at the start, but added to those is usually what you say.
So, to help you, here are some tips to answer that question:
 

• Taylor your answer to the role/company – research the company and go through the job description, if they are looking for a confident and organized person, talk about your current role and how you organize/prioritize your work and how you adapt that in your everyday life.
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• Keep it professional – talk about your career and how you got to where you are today, where you wish to be and keep it short & sweet.
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• Speak with passion – keeping it professional doesn’t mean you can’t be passionate about your work and hobbies
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• Don’t Ramble – don’t give the interviewer a full rundown of your CV dates, if you keep it short & interesting this may get the interviewer interested in asking further questions, therefore helping the interview flow nicely.
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• Practice, practice, practice – although you don’t want your conversation to be scripted, it is always good to have your answers in your memory, so you feel confident with this question.
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• Keep it positive – a big red flag to any interviewer is when you talk negatively about past employers/jobs. Even if you are looking to leave a current role due to bad feelings or any unhappiness, this is never something you should discuss in an interview. “I am looking for a new challenge” is always a good answer to why you may be looking for a new job.

Interviews can always be nerve wracking, so the key is to be prepared as best you can be for every possible question.

Remember – Be prepared, Be Professional, and most importantly Be yourself!!