How To Describe Yourself in an Interview
You will often be asked to describe yourself in a job interview. What are some of the best ways to approach this question?
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Words To Describe Yourself
What Does It Mean To “Describe Yourself” in an Interview?
Some Great Words to Describe Yourself in an Interview
What are the best words to use when you get this interview question? Refer to this word list in your answer to impress a potential employer and make a great first impression.
- Self-aware
- Collaborative
- Open-minded
- Empathetic
- People person
- Punctual
- Self-assured
- Self-starter
- Tenacious
Remember, this isn’t a dating profile; you’re looking to showcase that you fit the job description. Instead of going into a history of who you are and all your hobbies and interests, condense your answer down to a couple of sentences, giving some examples from your work background that shows how you use these positive terms.
Where To Use These Words
Although it’s a great choice to use these “good” words in an interview setting, you can also use these descriptive words during the application process itself. Consider highlighting these words in your resume:
- Resume summary
- Work history section
- Skills section
For example, your resume summary might benefit from adding that you’re a self-starter. Your work experience may include that you helped with collaborative projects. Your skill set may include that you’re open-minded. The more you use these terms, the more you’ll be able to showcase your soft skills to the hiring manager before you describe yourself during common interview questions.
FAQ: Describing Yourself
Q: What are some ways an interviewer may ask you how to describe yourself?
Here are some typical ways the question will be asked so you can prepare for them:
- Tell me about yourself.
- How would you describe yourself?
- What are three words you would use to describe yourself?
- What are the best words to describe yourself?
- How would other people describe you?
Q: How many words should I use to describe myself?
Q: How do I prove that these words actually apply to me?
The best way to prove that you’re not just making up descriptors is to provide examples. Instead of just saying, “I am empathetic, punctual and collaborative,” you could choose to say, “Empathy is a big part of who I am. When I worked as a customer service representative, I learned to understand where people were coming from, to improve my customer service metrics. I’m very big on punctuality and only arrived late once in five years at a prior job. I also value collaboration and I am one of the people who most frequently starts collaborative projects.”
The first answer is something anyone could say, regardless of whether those things actually describe them. The second answer showcases exactly why those three things apply to you and gives the hiring manager a better idea of how you can be an asset to the company.