Finding a job in itself is already stressful. You will go through the rigorous process of contacting different companies so you could get a slot for an interview, perhaps submit your resume so they could check for available positions if you’re lucky. In any case that you will be called for an interview, you need to prepare for the various questions the employer or human resource person will throw at you. And one of those questions is not really a question, rather a request that will make or break your entire interview, “tell me about yourself.”
More often than not this is the first question that will be asked for you to prove that you are worthy of the engineering position. Before your legs start shaking and your hands go sweating, know that there is a simple formula that will help you answer this question with ease.
Source: Giphy
First and foremost, the employer would hate to hear your entire life story and read what is already in bullets in your resume. What he or she likes to come out from your mouth is how you are the right one for the job.
The formula is essentially the present-past-future. Give your status right now as an engineer. Where are you in your career? If you currently hold an engineering position, explain what you do. You can then segue into your past experiences which include a quick review of your skills and trainings in a previous work. Finish it with the future, mentioning the company you are applying for. Make them believe that if you could grab the job opportunity, you and their company will grow and benefit from each other.
You can insert some stories or anecdotes to make your response less practiced and of course, human.
If you could do that, you are one question away from getting that job.
