Tell Me A Little About Yourself

The question, “Tell me a little about yourself...” seems to leave a lot of interviewees completely stumped and can derail an interview practically before it has started.  The irony is that this simple question is actually meant to be a fairly casual icebreaker – a way to put the interviewee at ease before the onslaught of behavioral questions.  So how do you respond to this common interview question, “Tell me a little about yourself?”  Here are two rules to follow: keep it short and be enthusiastic.

Short: The interviewer is not interested in hearing your life story.  What they are likely looking for is a brief overview of what brought you to this point.  So keep your answer concise and focused.  Perhaps you can quickly speak to your career path, highlight ways in which you determined your niche or share a little bit about your genuine passion for what you do.

Enthusiastic: One of the reasons this question tends to trip people up is because their minds go directly to things that diminish their confidence.  They think about their non-linear career path or the job they hated.  You are setting the tone for the interview with your answer, so try to stay focused on the aspects of your history that lift you up.

Since this question is so common, practice it ahead of time.  Ask a friend to listen to you and share their thoughts.  This way you can feel confident when this tricky little “icebreaker” comes up in your next interview.

Designed Resumes - Know Your Audience

A few days ago, I provided resume tips for designers and creatives where I suggested that these professionals can have two versions of their resumes – a standard resume and a “designed” resume. This post sparked an interesting conversation over social media about when it would be appropriate to use the designed version and when one should apply with the standard version. As I have shared in posts about infographic resumes and other “cutting edge” approaches, it is critical to know your audience. A few more thoughts...

• If you are applying via standard channels (i.e. you are not handing your resume to a the head of the creative team) to a non-design focused organization – like a corporation with an in-house design / creative team – then a more standard resume would be a smart move. This will ensure your that your resume “plays nice” with resume screening systems and, beyond that, that it appeals to readers in HR.

• You never know when a company is going to be using automated resume screening software, so using your standard resume is always a safe bet (sometimes you can find "clues" on the organization's website). Having said that, I think it is okay to provide a designed resume right up front if you are applying to a small, design focused company. In a smaller organization, it is more likely that all members of the team share a similar vision and will appreciate a more unique approach.

• The beauty of having two versions is that you can always provide the "designed" resume during the interview process.

• And one more thing: regardless of which resume you choose to use, make sure that you are driving readers to your on-line portfolio, which should be a natural extension of your resume.

3 Resume Tips for Designers and Creatives

One of the most common ways in which individuals attempt to make their resumes stand out is to use lots of color and graphic elements. I have already shared that, for most people, “designed” resumes are a bad idea. But what about in the case of designers and people in creative fields? Doesn’t it make sense for them to have “designed” resumes? In short, it can. Having a well-designed resume makes perfect sense if you can, in the design itself, communicate your expertise in this arena. That is why I suggest that designers and creatives have two resumes – one standard and one with some design elements. 

Always start by developing an accomplishment-focused, design-free resume.  This will ensure that you are focusing first-and-foremost on excellent content.  It will also leave you with a version of your resume that will work well with automated screening systems – a big roadblock for designed resumes.

When you are ready to create the "designed" version of your resume, there are some important things to keep in mind:

1. Design should complement accomplishment-focused content. Too often I read resume from candidates in creative fields that are all design and no content. If you want to be truly disruptive in a creative field, develop a resume that speaks to your actual impact. Speaking to things like ROI, delivery-timelines, and customer satisfaction communicates that you can measure your success and helps readers across all departments understand your value.

2. Design should increase readability, not diminish it. As we all know, your resume will be scanned by a human for, probably, seconds before a judgment is made. If your resume design makes it difficult for readers to quickly identify your qualifications and get an initial idea of your potential impact, they will simply move on. Remember, no one has time to decrypt your complicated infographic.

3. Design should bolster your qualifications. Remember, unlike non-creative candidates, your resume design may be heavily weighted. That’s an added burden, but also a unique opportunity to use the design itself to represent your skills and aesthetic.

I can't overstate that – regardless of your profession – when it comes to resumes, content is king. But even great content won't hold up if you are using a tired resume template. While I don’t suggest colors and graphics for non-“creatives,” everyone should have a resume that is accomplishment-focused, extremely readable and professionally formatted.

Turn Responsibilities Into Accomplishments

One of the most difficult aspects of writing an extraordinary resume is creating high impact bullet points that speak to quantifiable achievements. “But I don’t have any quantifiable accomplishments!”  I can’t tell you how often I hear this.  And not just from entry-level job seekers.  The good news is that, if you dig a little deeper, you can almost always uncover quantifiable accomplishments.

Have a look at the responsibilities you are listing on your resume.  Now, ask yourself “did I perform this responsibility successfully?”  If the answer is yes, then ask, “How was my success measured?”  The answer to that question is your entry point for creating a powerful bullet.

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Have a great week!