“Tell Me About Yourself” - Ugh!

You’ve just settled into your chair at the interview you finally landed, and get asked right away “Mark, nice to meet you. Tell me about yourself…”.

Ugh. Where do you begin? What do you say, and for how long? Do they really want to hear your whole life story? Your grade school wooden towel rack project? Boy Scout camping trips? Help!

Before you say a peep, please, I beg of you, look at things from their perspective. Ask yourself, “why are they really asking me this?”.

First of all, there really is no way we can possibly know what they want to hear, right?

Unless…we ask!

One of my preferred replies is…”I’m currently a [Your Position] at [Current Company / Organization], and I’ve spent several years developing [Your Expertise] at a couple of highly regarded firms. Is there anything specific in my background that you would like me to focus on?”

Oh, thank goodness, your interviewer thinks. The audible sigh and appreciation coming from them will stand out, as they are thrilled they won’t have to listen to you drone on and on for 10 minutes about every single thing you’ve done at every job you’ve ever had, as if replacing toner cartridges in your office copy machine back in 2006 is critical to this company’s future success.

That question you ask the interviewer gives them the flexibility to reply with something specific, like “I see you worked at company ABC, as did my [brother, wife, roommate, evil former boss…] and I’d love to hear your perspective on how things went there”, or “actually, I’d like you to walk me through your resume” (dreaded reply, but it happens).

Whatever their response, it’s critical to provide a concise and focused answer that highlights your relevant experience, skills, and achievements.?

Offer a brief summary of your professional experience and key accomplishments related to the position you are applying for. (Don’t worry, if they want to hear more, they will ask for more details).

If they want a broader overview vs. a specific question, focus on relevant roles, projects, and skills that demonstrate your expertise and qualifications.?

Emphasize your strengths and the value you have brought to previous employers, and please be specific, providing quantifiable achievements whenever possible. (They will remember when you say that your recommendation to the project manager resulted in a $3M revenue increase, trust me!)

Briefly discuss your educational background, mentioning any degrees, certifications, or relevant training that support your expertise in the field. Throw in a few extracurricular things you did, whether you played a sport, performed in plays, wrote for the collegiate newspaper, was on the rock climbing club, and so on.

Whenever possible, connect your previous experience and achievements with the requirements and responsibilities of the position you are interviewing for. Explain how your skills and experience make you a strong fit for the role and how you can contribute to the company's success.

Just as critical, please make sure to smile and express enthusiasm for the role and the company, showcasing your motivation and eagerness to contribute and collaborate with the team.

The most important thing you can do is practice, practice, practice. When asked “Tell me about yourself”, have your answer well-practiced but not sounding scripted, as your interviewer will ding you points for being too fake and rehearsed.?

When you sound genuinely prepared, interested, enthusiastic, with a concise answer, you’re a big step towards being the candidate who receives the offer in the job you truly want to be in!

Now start practicing!

> If you want to hear more tips on how to be ready for your next interview / meeting, please reach out, I’d be thrilled to guide you through the entire process, from figuring out what role would truly inspire, motivate and reward you, straight through how to develop a strong network within that industry, preparing and acing your interviews and negotiating the best possible deal for yourself! Let’s talk!

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Raise your hand if you feel you have enough people in your network.?

I usually think I do. But...are they the right people?

One thing I do know...

If you want to meet more of the right people, join the?Win Again?community and?be one of the more than 1000 amazing folks who have attended a previous Clubroom event?as part of the incredible virtual interactive platform that blows away all others.

Join us on?Tuesday June 27th, 1pm ET,?and be a part of our next?Business and Sports Networking event in the Clubroom, just use the link below to join, and we'll see you there.

Save this link in your calendar: https://live.remo.co/e/business-and-sports-networking-i-18

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See why?we've had 1000+?impressive athletes, entrepreneurs, business owners and executives attend our Clubroom events!

If you haven't been to the Clubroom, you'll be amazed at?how easy it is to move table to table, speaking with whoever you want, whenever you want,?no being stuck in breakout rooms here!

Develop valuable relationships that become collaborations?- it's been such a great way to expand our networks!

For those of you who have,?feel free to?bring a friend or three?who you believe could use an upgrade in their circle of connections!

Read more about it here:?https://www.winagainacademy.com/the-clubroom

See you in the Clubroom!

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Then let's partner up!

I'm certified in offering valuable assessments that feature?Axiology, the study of values.

Wait until you see how they highlight not just your strengths and how to leverage them, but also some of the things that you could use some work on.?

Ask to see a sample report, you'll be amazed at how thorough and accurate they are!

Whether you are a graduating student, a seasoned professional, a retiring executive or member of our military, or a current or retired athlete, there are assessments that fit your background and future careers and businesses.

Check out a few of the most valuable and insightful assessments here:?https://www.winagainacademy.com/assessments

Reach out to me directly at?[email protected].

WIN AGAIN! - The Job Search Playbook

WIN AGAIN! The Job Search Playbook, is filled with over 150 pages of my proven WIN AGAIN methodology, where you’ll?discover how to define your true identity?outside of being an athlete, plan your path towards an?ideal job and business?and work towards it.?You’ll turn strangers into allies and grow your network as you position yourself for meetings and interviews, negotiate offers, and anticipate your prospective client's or employer’s needs.

WIN AGAIN helps you transition from the playing field to the boardroom.?Yes, there’s competition in the corporate world, but you’re used to competing.

You’ve already got an edge!!

You can join the WIN AGAIN social media pages, its?LinkedIn Group,?Facebook?page and follow on?Twitter?to be able to access exclusive content just for you.

ABOUT ME

Combining my passion for sports and a desire to help others succeed, I founded Win Again, where current and former athletes can discover their identity beyond sports, develop the structure needed to succeed again, and receive the tips, strategies and actionable advice that allows them to WIN AGAIN and be elite in their next great career. Over the past 20 years as a business advisor and career coach, I have guided athletes and executives, holding them accountable during their transition.

The Win Again Clubroom events, "Make Your Mark" podcasts, and MYM Live webinars highlight athletes who are making a positive impact post-playing career, and my book “Win Again!” is a job search playbook for athletes, equipping them with strategies needed to land their ideal job or boost their entrepreneurial ventures.

As a graduate of Colgate University and a longtime Manhattan resident with my wife, kids, and Duke, I enjoy playing ice hockey, softball and golf, along with the guitar and piano.

Reach out to me anytime and let me know how I can be of service!

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