During an interview, this question is crucial for candidates to take seriously so they can practice and boost their confidence during the session. It can be said that a good first impression on the interviewer largely depends on how the candidate answers this question.
So, I’d like to share some tips on how you can answer this question using the “Past, Present & Future” formula. Here’s an example:
For candidates with work experience:
𝐈𝐍𝐓𝐑𝐎𝐃𝐔𝐂𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍
“First of all, thank you for inviting me to be interviewed for this position today. As you already know, my name is [Name], and I’d describe myself as an ambitious and self-motivated person with experience in the [Sector].”
𝐏𝐀𝐒𝐓
“I started my career as an intern one year ago with [XYZ Company], where I performed [Task 1] and assisted with [Task 2] on a weekly basis. In that role, a major accomplishment I’m most proud of was that I was able to [Situation] within [Timespan] by doing [X]. This resulted in [Accomplishment].”
𝐏𝐑𝐄𝐒𝐄𝐍𝐓
“Currently, I am a fourth-year student with a great interest in website design and digital marketing, which led me to [University XYZ], where I am working on my master’s degree.”
𝐅𝐔𝐓𝐔𝐑𝐄
“I find joy in social interactions and thrive when working with a dynamic group of people to achieve very specific goals. That’s why I’m excited to be part of your team and help you with [tasks listed in the job description].”
For candidates without work experience:
𝐏𝐀𝐒𝐓
“I grew up in [City] where I attended [High School]. During those years, I became interested in website design and actively contributed to the school’s website in terms of content management and optimization.”
𝐏𝐑𝐄𝐒𝐄𝐍𝐓
“My passion for web development brought me to [College Name], where I’m currently pursuing my third-year bachelor’s degree in [Field of Study]. In my spare time, I like to work on [Skill 1] and [Skill 2] to create responsive and optimized WordPress websites.”
𝐅𝐔𝐓𝐔𝐑𝐄
“Although I haven’t gained actual work experience yet, I’m eager to dive deeper into [Subject] within the [Industry], which is why I’m excited about this opportunity at [XYZ Firm].”