Why Do Interviewers for Colleges Ask This Question?
Put yourself in the interviewer’s position before responding to the “tell me about yourself” question in a college interview. You can concentrate on the purpose of the question and come up with a logical response if you know why an interviewer is asking it. Because it aligns with the primary goal of the college interview—getting to know you—interviewers ask this question.
An interviewer is interested in learning about you and what you could offer the student body. An interviewer can learn something about you that they would not have otherwise known if they let you talk.
The interview’s main topic can be moved from casual talk to the “tell me about yourself” query. An interviewer prefers to establish the foundation before moving into challenging subjects. You might feel more at ease and the interview may flow more naturally if you start with a conversational, open-ended question.
Finally, an interviewer could use information from your response to shape the conversation that follows. Keep in mind that a successful college interview should resemble a fruitful discussion. Something you bring up in your response may be an excellent segue into the next subject or give the interviewer a suggestion for a subsequent topic.
How to Answer “Tell Me About Yourself” Using a Simple Formula
Discuss the present. You may, for instance, discuss your current occupation or your level of schooling. You can also discuss its extent and perhaps a significant recent achievement. You can also discuss your past, explaining to the interviewer how you came to be where you are.
You might also discuss your prior experience if it is pertinent to the position. Last but not least, you might discuss your future plans and what you hope to accomplish.
