Lesson 4 - TMI (too much information)

Yes, there’s such a thing as too much honesty. And in an interview, the last thing you want to discuss is your magazine preferences, adventurous hobbies, and run-ins with the law!

When an interviewer asks, “Tell me about yourself,” what they’re really looking for is how well you fit with the open position, the department, and the company culture in general. While it might be fun to talk about mosh pits and graffitti, it’s not what they want to hear.

They want to hear about your skills, your experience, and how they relate to the position you’re applying for. They want to find out if you’re a team player, and if you’re the kind of person the department can work with.

And don’t think they’re not watching how you respond, either. The best answer to this question is concise, confident, and relevant to the job. The worst answers go on and on and on, straying into tangents about concerts, drinking binges, and personal misadventures they really don’t want to hear about!

Remember: keep it concise, keep it professional, and keep it clean!

So what other questions should you expect in an interview, and how should you answer them? Check out the Common Interview Questions to prepare yourself for whatever the interviewer asks you.