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Old 07-16-2012, 09:45 PM
FBJ FBJ started this thread
 
Location: Tall Building down by the river
39,605 posts, read 58,897,019 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Kibbiekat View Post
It is too vague. Use more specifics. What kind of projects? What kind of work environments? How have you given back?
just a draft to get me started.
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Old 07-16-2012, 09:53 PM
 
Location: here
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TVandSportsGuy View Post
just a draft to get me started.
well, you asked
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Old 07-16-2012, 10:28 PM
FBJ FBJ started this thread
 
Location: Tall Building down by the river
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Kibbiekat View Post
well, you asked
I appreciate the feedback, that's why I posted the quick draft. In another week I should be ready
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Old 07-16-2012, 10:46 PM
 
Location: Lubbock, TX
4,255 posts, read 5,919,838 times
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In response to the original post (no I haven't read the thread (yet?)). . . It really is something to tailor to the particular job for which you are interviewing. I think what I've generally done is talked about my education (again with an emphasis on the particular job--so since I have a master's degree I generally quickly mention my BA major and then go into slightly more detail re: my graduate work), then talked about my relevant work experience. There may be cases where it would make sense to talk about other aspects of your life as well. Someone who has experience with traveling that is somehow relevant to a particular job might want to mention that. But the main thing is to try to bring it back to the issue of why you are a good candidate for the particular job, which ultimately is how every question should be answered.

--What do you like to do in your free time?
--Well, I enjoy salsa dancing because it's a good stress reliever and balances out the sedentary time I spend at work.

Or. . .
--I like to read novels and non-fiction from around the world since it helps me understand the cultures I deal with in my work in international trade.

Note: I don't notice the business world so I'm not sure how that would go over. Maybe too touchy-feely. But I think my general point is sound.
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Old 07-17-2012, 07:23 AM
 
1,359 posts, read 4,843,901 times
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Questions where they ask about your hobbies or outside interests are a good way to get them to remember you and to distinguish you from other candidates. In my field [accounting] you tend to have a lot of very similar candidates with very similar qualifications/credentials so anything you can do to set yourself apart helps a lot.
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Old 07-17-2012, 12:35 PM
 
Location: N26.03 W80.11
326 posts, read 948,107 times
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I interviewed for a job once where I was talking to the department head. I had already gotten past HR. The department head asked me that very question: Tell me a little bit about yourself.
Since it was really one of the first real corporate type interviews I had, I was unsure as to what he wanted to hear so I just flat out asked. I said something along the lines of Well, what would you like to know?
He could tell I was a bit uncomfortable so he said, why don't you ask me the same question, so I did.
Then he went on to tell me a very brief synopsis of how he got to where he was in the company and what he liked about working there and what he would like to change.
With that information I was able to relax a bit and use his example as a template for what I should tell him. I gave him a brief idea of what I'd been doing education and work wise, what I liked about my past job (which was waitressing) and what I would like to do with the job I was interviewing for.
After the interview was over he walked me out of the office and down the hall and thanked me for coming in. I told him I enjoyed the experience and that he really put me at ease. He admitted that the reason he asked me to tell him a bit about myself was just to get me talking and get the nerves out of the way. So I really don't know if that was a typical question for him when interviewing or if it was just for the kind of nervous people.
By the way, I didn't get the job. I wasn't even close to being qualified, but this was back in the early 2000 when filling positions was tough. I guess it was a job searchers market then as opposed to now.
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Old 07-17-2012, 12:42 PM
 
Location: Chciago
720 posts, read 3,002,692 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 313Weather View Post
What I will tell you is, whenever that question is asked, there's a good chance you're not getting the job.

I mean, think about it, why would they ask you to "tell me about yourself" when everything they need to know is listed in your cover letter and resume?

Translated, they basically want to know why the hell are you wasting their time when you're not hardly qualified for this position?
i think this is the case sometimes but i wouldn't make this generalization. i have been asked this question for several jobs that i have landed the job.

i think many interviewers just don't know how the hell to conduct an interview and dont know how to ask questions to get answers they want or to learn about people. tell me about yourself just seems like something they should say.

another thing, especially working on teams people often want to know about you nad not just about you that relates to the job. i know many teams i have worked on we were looking for someone who would fit in with us as a group and get along with us just as much as someone who could do the job. we would pass on the best candidate in terms of experience or qualification if they woulnd't fit with the group as we have to work closely with them on a daily basis.

also not with a bigger company necessarily but with smaller companies, startups, employee friendly companies people actually care about you as a person in addition to you as an employee
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Old 07-17-2012, 01:00 PM
 
Location: NC
6,032 posts, read 9,189,893 times
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Sometimes it is about being a chameleon and you need to appear like you fit into the clique/corporate culture. I am not saying to lie, but you could adjust answers accordingly.....
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Old 07-17-2012, 03:14 PM
 
Location: USA
4,978 posts, read 9,499,339 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Suncc49 View Post
Sometimes it is about being a chameleon and you need to appear like you fit into the clique/corporate culture. I am not saying to lie, but you could adjust answers accordingly.....

Yes, tell them what they want to hear.
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Old 07-17-2012, 03:20 PM
 
Location: USA
4,978 posts, read 9,499,339 times
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That's a good point, that many interviewers don't know how to conduct an interview.

That begs some questions, too....

So I ask these questions

Why is this person doing the interviewing? Just because they have the power isn't good enough... since everything is done for the "good of the company", aren't they putting their own egos first?

Are they the person you'd be working for? Surely that person should be the final decision, or they would bring their choice to their boss.

Why, after doing many interviews, aren't these people any good?

Why does it seem like you're the first person they've ever interviewed?

Why do they ask such vague questions?

Why do they ask silly questions like, "What color of the day are you in the morning?"

Why not ask them technical or specific question, such as, "When you do X, what are the key things you do to insure that X gets done properly?"
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