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Job Interview: How to answer personal questions.

Job Interview: How to answer personal questions.

Date: Apr 17 2009

Topic: Listening

Author: nad1a

Lesson

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One question that you are always going to get at a job interview is "Tell me about yourself". That sounds like an easy thing to talk about. It is open ended and you may think that you can talk about anything you want.

Although this is often supposed to be an ice-breaker and put you at ease, it's still a job interview, not a casual conversation. There's nothing wrong about wanting to give a feel of who you are and what you are interested in but, after all, you are there to convince that person that you are the right candidate for this job. So the best thing you can do while introducing yourself is try to connect that information to the job you are interviewing for. Point out how your personality fits the job you're trying to land.

Watch this video of an expert's advice on how exactly to approach this type of questions that often sound personal but are supposed to be taken more profesionally.



Script:

"I'm Don Varney of Varney Speaks and on behalf of Expert Village. Today we're going to talk about the interview process. Let's take a moment and talk about some of the types of questions that you could be asked during the interview process. Sometimes the questions are misleading because we're taking them personally when they're really talking professionally. A good example would be if they were to say to you, tell me about yourself. You're sitting there saying, well I like to go hunting on the weekends. I like to go camping and take my family fishing, and I really enjoy that. Well, great answer, but that's not what they're asking. When they say tell me about yourself, they are asking you to tell them about yourself in this job environment. They want to hear I enjoy coming to work with people that I get around and I have a good time with. I like an atmosphere of friendliness. Your company being a company that specializes in public relations and customer service, well this is the environment that I like and it would work well for me to work well in your environment. That would be in line with what they're really asking when they say tell me about yourself. When they ask about strengths and weaknesses, again, they're not asking you for you to really tell them I'm very good at this and I'm weak at this, but in essence, they may be asking you about how that would apply to the work force, to the workplace where you are actually going to go to work. One of the simplest examples is you might say, I was told early on in my career that listening was a weakness. I didn't listen very well because I was always ready to answer whatever it was they were saying. The good news was they were right and I figured that out, so what I've done now is I've taken a weakness of not listening very well. I've taken classes on it, I've read books on it, I've done studies on it, and over the last few years what I've determined is I really wasn't a good listener, but now I really trained myself to understand the importance to listening to the person before I try to answer."

Interactive multiple choice and listening comprehension quiz.

Comments

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wedia

wedia

China

Honest is very inportant when you have an interview!

this is my idea!

01:10 AM Aug 08 2009 |

widdy

widdy

Thailand

thanks for this topic

07:25 AM Aug 07 2009 |

monchichis

monchichis

Indonesia

Thanks this topic really usefull for everybody

Have a wonderful day

12:53 AM Aug 07 2009 |

toty050

toty050

United Arab Emirates

thanx a lot for this lesson.

best wishes for all

03:19 AM Aug 06 2009 |

niniez

niniez

Indonesia

i really like this lesson

01:39 AM Aug 06 2009 |

Guisawyer

Guisawyer

Germany

Very interesting those clues!!

 

12:31 PM Aug 04 2009 |

your adviser

Saudi Arabia

I'm really need to this subject

I'll do interview for university after a few days

thnks so muchLaughing

10:46 AM Aug 02 2009 |

zee_sultan

Indonesia

Just tell about yourself with honest and do the best as you can..

08:04 AM Aug 02 2009 |

Rahma MD

Rahma MD

Indonesia

I believe it will be usefull for u guys who is facing interview test:) I have some experiences related to it. I failed a few times in interview tests. The problem was i didn't understand much what were expected from me. I just tried to be honest and told about myself as i was. At home i tried to muse what had been asked, what my answers were and then i think i became better on my next interview :)))

 

 

07:53 AM Aug 02 2009 |

ajooni

India

good attempt to clearify a candidates concept of answering this questions as many candidates r confused

09:00 AM Jul 30 2009 |

fast_life

Azerbaijan

thanks for information

08:45 AM Jul 30 2009 |

khuraman

Azerbaijan

Hello, my name is Khuraman. I am from is Azerbaijan. I am rassian teatcher.I want to learn english. Help me please to learn english.

10:04 AM Jul 29 2009 |

babyjoce

babyjoce

United States

Gee! I wish I could've watched this video years ago.

04:06 PM Jul 27 2009 |

shekharkc

Nepal

it's my weakness, every person's making sounds different so i easily can't understand how can i do?

05:31 AM Jul 27 2009 |

shekharkc

Nepal

thonks to you, this lisson is really great help me. few days after i face my interwiew for the post of an financial officer. but i am making little norvous plz send me good topic which i get courage for my comming interview. if you have possible plz send me good advice who is related for my interview.

05:27 AM Jul 27 2009 |

vardin01

Morocco

that's really useful , thx a lot . another advice if u don't mind, Choice of words depends on the person one is speaking to and on the situation.It would be wrong to choose an informal expression, ex: if one arrives late when meeting with strangers…,another choice of expresions for the apology would be aprpriate, perhaps ' I do apologize for being late. Iam afraid my train was delayed.'  Good luck  verybody.

09:16 AM Jul 26 2009 |

miss cuttie

United Arab Emirates

yh its really interesting lesson

10:26 PM Jul 25 2009 |

sunwaves

Saudi Arabia

thank you. useful topic. actually i miss  that in one of my interview so i didnt get it . I was tired and desperate although i 'm  qualified.

09:06 PM Jul 25 2009 |

akhilcme

akhilcme

United Arab Emirates

Thank you

06:31 PM Jul 25 2009 |

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