Tell Me About Yourself...

I recently discovered that when asked the question "Tell Me About Yourself", what the interviewer really wants to hear is what is it that you did in the past that correlates with the position you are interviewing for.  They purposely ask this type of open-ended question to see where you will take it.  Basically, the way you want to answer this question will set the tone for the rest of the interview, regardless if it is a phone interview or a face to face interview.

When the hiring manager asks this question, please do not respond, "So what would you like to know?"

Take the time to read the position description thoroughly and make sure you mention job duties that you have performed in the past that tie to the position you applied for.  If they want someone who has skills at planning events, be sure to mention how you managed your event planning when describing yourself.

Make sure that you include any accomplishments you achieved.  With the event planning example, you might want to say how you managed to put together an event and stay under budget.  Or talk about how you managed to get vendors to supply things for a discount or make a donation...  This shows your negotiating skills.....

I hope this helps.  Have a safe 4th of July.