Interview Question #1

Tell me about yourself! That’s the first question job applicants usually get in interviews. How they answer it could determine the outcome of the process, because, as we’ll see, the response to that question is more art than mechanics. When I have asked that question of prospective hires for my teams, I have found that many of them recite their resume (some verbatim) right back to me. For years I have thought about this and discussed it with friends and colleagues; back then I attributed the response to a lack of preparation for the mechanics of an interview. However, as I studied more about storytelling and coached people through the process of developing their personal story, I realized that when a prospective employer says “tell me about yourself” they are basically asking you to tell them your personal story.

They are asking for the story that cannot be gleaned from your resume. When a hiring manager asks this question, they are looking to connect with the you beyond what’s written on paper. In a way, they are looking for the “human” you and not the “resume” you. When, as a response, you recite your resume back to them, you are giving them that which they already know. When you interview for a job, it is important that you seize the incredible storytelling opportunity it affords. This is your chance to use the power of narrative to set the stage, the agenda, even the story of the final outcome of the interview. People struggle at this stage in the process, because they don’t take time to actually craft their personal story. They don’t take time to sit with paper and pencil (or a tablet) to articulate that which made them who they are. When I have coached people through this process, they have found it to be a journey of self discovery that unlocks other memories that enrich the eventual interview. So, for your next interview, prepare for Interview Question #1 with a little of the art of storytelling.