Tell me about yourself

"Tell me about yourself..." It's a common question in job interviews, often causing much anxiety. However, beyond its role in interviews, I see this question as a valuable tool for developing your communication skills.

Effective communication begins with crafting a compelling personal narrative. Communication is about delivering a message and receiving feedback. It's about sharing a piece of yourself—whether that's a thought, a wish, a belief or something else—with others. To communicate effectively, you must first understand yourself: your thoughts, your motivations, your beliefs. Without this self-awareness, conveying a coherent message becomes challenging.

Once you have clarity on your personal narrative, you can then build an effective message by focusing on three key components - context, content and delivery.

• Context – Understand your audience and the purpose of your communication.

• Content – Decide what you want to communicate.

• Delivery – Consider how to deliver your message, including tone, body language and presentation skills.

So, whether you're preparing for an interview or not, I encourage you to practice responding to the question "tell me about yourself." It's an opportunity to explore the essence of who you are. What message do you want to convey? What aspects of yourself do you want to highlight? By knowing yourself and understanding your message, you can communicate more authentically and effectively, both in interviews and in your career beyond.

#Communication, #PersonalNarrative, #Interview