Sample Interview Reply For "Tell Me About Yourself"

Often the "Tell me about yourself..." Interview question is used as an ice-breaker & is mostly used when the interviewer himself/herself isn't sure about where to begin. It's a professional version of saying "So, Wut's up !" The question is asked so that the interviewer could fish for clues to ask more questions.


Hence you don't want to start & sound unprepared with - "My name is XYZR and I come from PQRST - I am married and I play tennis and I love to read and Blah blah .." and have the interview progress around your married life or hobbies, etc ....it aint memorable !


Instead, you gotta be crisp, confident, have a professional tone and raise those Interviewer ears. In fact you should be happy about this question coz' it's like an opportunity of a free-style performance and you can put the ball back in the interviewers court by ending with a earnest question :-)



Here's a 4-step reply flow pattern that You might find useful to structure your replies before you go for interview:

1. General professional Background

2. Most Recent experience in the specialty of interest (clinical / research / presentation , etc.)

3. Strengths, aptitudes and/or what you feel passionate about

4. What you are looking for and hope to achieve.



And here's a sample answer for a Dermatology Residency Interview:


"As you can tell from my resume, I have been deeply involved with Medicine since the past 10 years. Though I have always been interested in skin diseases, my interest in Dermatology strongly developed during the second year of medical school, thanks to my splendid professors, and ever since, most of my experiences have centered around this amazing field.

My most recent experience has been working with Dr. ______ on his research about Melanoma, which was recently published on _______, where I played a critical part in making clinical observations and diagnoses, evaluating data and literature review.

My chief strengths are my flair for diagnosing skin conditions, ability to develop great rapport with patients and an aptitude for clinical research.

I am specifically looking for a residency program that has a good research track besides strong clinical training, this is I applied to your residency program and I would love to hear your take on the research opportunities here. "


Caution: While replying, try not to sound like a parrot giving out memorized monotones. Maintain a body language to show your are actively thinking :-)


So....if asked this question - take that virtual microphone in your hands and render a great performance ;-) ... Cool ?



Also Read:

- Determining your Strengths and Weaknesses

- 301 Smart Answers to Tough Interview Questions





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