It’s one of the most commonly asked interview questions and also one of the hardest to answer. “Tell Me About Yourself.” Although you’re technically the world expert on this subject, when hiring managers ask you to talk about yourself, you might freeze up, laugh nervously, or struggle with what aspects of your experience to highlight.

While there’s no one right response when it comes to this dreaded interview question, there is a formula that can help you answer in a way that’s concise and effective. By structuring your response, so you talk about the present, past, and future, you can make the right impression on hiring managers and increase your odds of landing the job.

Start With the Present: If an interviewer invites you to talk about yourself, start by discussing what you’re doing right now in your professional life. For example, you might detail your current role and explain how the skills you learned there will benefit this company should they hire you. This time is also ideal for discussing recent professional accomplishments. Focus on measurable achievements, such as increasing sales or decreasing customer wait times in your role.

Talk About Your Past: After discussing where your career is right now, take a step back and explain how you got to this point. Along with noting your educational achievements, such as college degrees and certificate programs, highlight those jobs that are relevant to the position you’re applying to presently.

Look to the Future: Finally, job candidates should speak about their goals for the future and how this employment opportunity fits into their long-term career plans. Mention those aspects of the job and the company that drew you to apply in the first place. After all, businesses are looking to hire people who want to stick around for the long haul, so it pays to show that your future aligns with that of the company.

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Ontario’s staffing leader, HCR Personnel Solutions, specializes in connecting workers with a wide array of light industrial and automotive positions, including jobs as machine operators, general labourers, assemblers, and packagers. Whether you’re looking to find a position with better benefits or transition to a new field entirely, you can count on our team to support you. Learn more about what we do online and then search our latest job openings.