What IT Hiring Managers Really Want to Hear When You Answer “Tell Us About Yourself”
If you are applying for an IT job, chances are you will be asked to answer the question “Tell us about yourself” at some point in the interview process. This question may seem simple, but it is a crucial opportunity to make a good impression and showcase your skills and personality. According to a survey by CareerBuilder, 49% of hiring managers said they know within the first five minutes of an interview if a candidate is a good fit for the position. That means you have to make every second count and deliver a compelling and concise answer that sets you apart from the competition.
But how do you do that? What do IT hiring managers want to hear when you answer “Tell us about yourself”? In this blog post, I will share some tips and examples on how to prepare and deliver a great answer that will impress the hiring manager and increase your chances of landing the job.
How to Prepare a Compelling and Concise Answer that Showcases Your Skills and Personality
The first step to answering “Tell us about yourself” is to prepare in advance. You don’t want to improvise on the spot and risk rambling, repeating yourself, or saying something irrelevant or inappropriate. Instead, you want to have a clear and structured answer that covers the following points:
- Your current or most recent role and responsibilities
- Your relevant skills and achievements
- Your career goals and motivations
- Your unique value proposition and fit for the role
To prepare your answer, you can use the STAR method, which stands for Situation, Task, Action, and Result. This is a common technique for answering behavioral questions, but it can also help you structure your answer for “Tell us about yourself”. The STAR method helps you provide specific and measurable examples of your skills and achievements, as well as demonstrate how you solved problems, overcame challenges, and added value to your previous or current employers.
Here is an Example of How You Can Use the STAR Method to Prepare Your Answer for “Tell us about yourself”:
Situation: I am currently a senior software engineer at Moo Designs, a leading e-commerce company that provides online shopping solutions for millions of customers worldwide.
Task: My main responsibility is to design, develop, and maintain the backend systems that power the website and the mobile app, using technologies such as Java, Spring Boot, MongoDB, and AWS.
Action: In the past year, I have successfully led several projects, such as implementing a new payment gateway, optimizing the performance and security of the database, and migrating the infrastructure to the cloud.
Result: As a result of my work, I have improved the customer experience, increased the revenue, and reduced the operational costs for the company. I have also received positive feedback from my manager and peers and earned a promotion and a bonus for my performance.
Once you have prepared your answer using the STAR method, you should practice it out loud and time yourself. Your answer should be no longer than two minutes, as you don’t want to bore the hiring manager or take up too much time. You should also avoid using jargon, acronyms, or technical terms that the hiring manager may not understand. Instead, use simple and clear language that showcases your communication skills and your ability to explain complex concepts easily.
What to Include and What to Avoid in Your Answer: Examples and Tips
Now that you know how to prepare your answer, let’s look at some examples of what to include and what to avoid in your answer. Here are some dos and don’ts for answering “Tell us about yourself”:
- Do focus on your relevant skills and achievements that match the job description and the company’s goals. For example, if you are applying for a web developer role, you should highlight your experience and expertise in web development, as well as the projects and outcomes that you have delivered in this area.
- Don’t give a chronological summary of your entire work history or education. The hiring manager can already see that information on your resume. Instead, focus on the most recent and relevant roles and responsibilities that demonstrate your fit for the position.
- Do show some personality and enthusiasm in your answer. You want to convey that you are not only qualified but also passionate and motivated about the role and the company. You can do that by mentioning what you enjoy or find challenging about your work, what you are learning or improving on, and what you are looking for in your next opportunity.
- Don’t share personal or irrelevant information that has nothing to do with the job or the company. For example, you should avoid talking about your family, hobbies, political views, or health issues, unless they are directly related to the role or the company’s culture or values. You should also avoid negative or controversial topics, such as your salary expectations, your reasons for leaving your previous job, or your complaints or criticisms about your current or past employers or coworkers.
- Do end your answer with a question or a statement that invites the hiring manager to ask more questions or continue the conversation. For example, you can say something like “That’s a brief overview of my background and skills, but I would love to hear more about the role and the company. What are some of the projects or challenges that you are currently working on?” or “That’s a summary of who I am and what I can offer, but I’m curious to know more about you and your expectations.
How to Tailor Your Answer to Different IT Roles and Scenarios
One of the most important things to remember when answering “Tell us about yourself” is to tailor your answer to the specific role and scenario that you are applying for. You don’t want to give the same generic answer to every IT job that you apply for, as that will make you sound unprepared and uninterested. Instead, you want to customize your answer to show that you have done your research and that you understand the requirements and expectations of the role and the company.
To tailor your answer, you should first review the job description and the company’s website and social media accounts. Look for keywords and phrases that describe the skills, experience, and qualifications that they are looking for, as well as the company’s mission, vision, values, and culture. Then, use those keywords and phrases in your answer to show that you are a match for the role and the company.
For example, if you are applying for a data analyst role at a healthcare company, you should emphasize your skills and experience in data analysis, as well as your knowledge and interest in the healthcare industry. You should also mention how your work can help the company achieve its goals and solve its problems, such as improving patient care, reducing costs, or increasing efficiency.
Here is an example of how you can tailor your answer for a data analyst role at a healthcare company:
Situation: I am currently a data analyst at Moo Ventures., a consulting firm that provides data-driven solutions for various industries, such as retail, finance, and education.
Task: My main responsibility is to collect, clean, analyze, and visualize data from different sources, using tools such as SQL, Python, R, and Tableau. I also communicate my findings and recommendations to the clients and stakeholders, using reports, dashboards, and presentations.
Action: In the past year, I have worked on several projects for healthcare clients, such as hospitals, clinics, and insurance companies. For example, I helped a hospital improve its patient satisfaction and retention rates by analyzing the feedback surveys and identifying the key drivers and areas of improvement. I also helped an insurance company optimize its pricing and risk models by analyzing the claims data and applying machine learning techniques.
Result: As a result of my work, I have helped clients improve their decision-making, performance, and profitability. I have also received positive feedback from my manager and clients and earned a recognition award for my excellence and innovation.
Tailored statement: I am very passionate and curious about data and its potential to transform the healthcare industry. I am particularly interested in working for your company, as I admire your mission to provide quality and affordable healthcare for everyone. I believe that my skills and experience can help you achieve your goals and overcome your challenges.
In conclusion;
Answering “Tell us about yourself” is not as easy as it seems, but it is also not as hard as it sounds. With some preparation, practice, and tailoring, you can craft a compelling and concise answer that showcases your skills and personality and impresses the hiring manager.
Remember to use the STAR method to structure your answer, focus on your relevant and recent skills and achievements, show some personality and enthusiasm, avoid personal or irrelevant information, and end with a question or a statement that invites further discussion.
By following these tips and examples, you can ace the question “Tell us about yourself” and increase your chances of landing your dream IT job.
Thank you for reading this blog post. I hope you found it helpful and informative. Please share with me your views in the comments section on what you think hiring managers want to hear when they ask you the question “Tell us about yourself”. I would love to hear your thoughts and opinions. And don’t forget to follow me on Medium for more interesting stories and insights on IT careers and topics.
