“So, why don’t you tell me (us) about yourself?”

Careful, it’s a trap.

Why? Because most of us gleefully seize the moment to drone on about you, where you born, where you went to school, and on and on and on.

Don’t do it.

I recommend, along with others who care like I do about such conversations, you reply: “I have three recent accomplishments that I believe match up well with what I understand are challenges you are currently facing.” (Practice headline summary of each)

“Would you like to hear about how I saved my former employer more than N2 million annually?, or about how I salvaged three disgruntled, high revenue customers, or about how I made more accurate an antiquated forecasting process?”

The interviewer, not expecting such a thorough reply with options, will, based on history, encourage you to select one to amplify in less than 60 seconds. You then choose the one that best matches what you think the interviewer wants to hear.

Avoid…eschew…and don’t talk about you. Instead talk about results you delivered and be sure you quantify the achievements with real Numbers, real Percents and real Dollars (money).

Remember, it’s not what you say so much as it is, how you say it. Smile. Show genuine enthusiasm. Sell your reply with conviction. Competing applicants will not be as well prepared as you. Hiring officials like to hire happy people and people they believe their boss will like, too.

Everyone has a boss.