Tell me about yourself… (hint - you only have two minutes!)
The famous question, “Tell me about yourself.” This is not an open invitation to incessantly talk for minutes on end about your life from start to finish in exquisite detail. I used to think everyone else thought my life was as interesting as I thought it was - wrong! The fact is, no one really cares (that much). You have two minutes to answer this question. And, it needs to be a structured answer that includes the following:
- Humanizer - make a connection and be likeable/personable
- Career progression - make sense of your career moves
- Value proposition - what are you known for?
- Personalize - what do you like to do? Make a connection and humanize.
If you only remember two things, simply be brief (around two minutes) and clearly communicate your value proposition. What are you known for? What is your calling card? Remember, organizations have needs and people have skills. Be clear about your skills and match them with the organization’s needs.