It's my first interview tomorrow (I'm applying for college), and I've been practicing questions with my parents and teachers. I can answer the "Why do you want to go here?" questions pretty well, but I get tripped up on the more personal "Tell me about yourself" ones. I'm sure you all have had some experience with this sort of thing, and I'd appreciate it if you could share it with me.
When I ask someone the "Tell me about yourself" type questions, I am looking to see what excites them about the field. Since I interview programmers, I look for passion about the industry, I want to know if they are keeping up with various trends on their free time, and I want to know about personal accomplishments that they were proud of.<p>It may not be what other people are looking for when they ask that question, but that is what it means to me.<p>Good luck, and just act relaxed and confident :)
<i>Tell me about yourself</i><p>My answer: <i>I'm not good at dealing with people. When I'm talking about mathematics or computer science, I'll argue with people without giving a moment's thought to who I might antagonize, because at that point I'm dealing with the subject and not with the people. In social contexts, by contrast, I can't avoid the human factor, and I back away from anything which could potentially result in a confrontation. I think holding my ground when I know I'm right is a good thing; but I'm working on being less of a wimp in social situations.</i><p>It really doesn't matter what you say here, as long as you say something coherent. The point of the question isn't to find out your opinions of yourself; rather, it's to determine your level of self-awareness. Saying "I have problems X, Y, and Z" shows far more self-awareness and will win you more points than reciting a list of your accomplishments.
From an interviewees standpoint, the point of the an interview is to introduce a narrative about your self. So, first decide how you want your self to be portrayed and work backwards. Are you a rags to riches golden boy, are you Mr. Accomplishment. Are you Mr. I bring Diversity. Once you know what you're going to sell them on, then the "Tell me about your self" point gets easier. Tell them a narrative that highlights whatever your story is. Also, throughout the interview reflect back on the narrative you're telling.<p>At the end of the "Tell me about your self" question don't say, "That's all" or something lame like that. Say, "Does that answer your question?"
People remember good stories. They shouldn't be "I'm awesome stories". They shouldn't be "I'm exactly what you are looking for" stories.<p>They should be novel and descriptive.<p>Describe what you do in your spare time. Everyone has the usual School/extracurriculars/etc. If you are a programmer, describe something you built, from concept to completion. Maybe a simple weekend project that you launched as a website. Or a lawn mowing business you ran instead of getting a job. Something unique enough to be memorable.
When you say the question trips you up do you mean because you don't know what they're asking? Or because you know what they want to know but don't know what to say in response? Or because you know what information you want to proffer in return but not how to couch it?