How To Answer Tell Me About Yourself In An Administration Job Interview

In all the top questions that employers and recruiters ask during a job interview, the ‘tell me about yourself’ question appears to be the most challenging among job seekers. While we have addressed this before and even gone specific with Accounting job interviews, the question still seems complex among many. So why is it that this is the case? Is it that job seekers can’t define who they are to an audience or is it that the question carries a lot of weight?

When it comes to telling about others, you may find that you are very good at it. On the other hand, when it comes to speaking about what you can do, it’s only obvious you might falter. If this ever happens to you, realize it is not your fault and try to collect your thoughts first before answering. Remember that in a job interview employers are more concerned about who you are as a professional, not personally. So your answer must be focused on your skills and not your personal life.

That said, let’s proceed to the actual response when the interviewer wants to know more about you in an administration job interview.

Your Answer To ‘Tell Me About Yourself’ in an Administration Job Interview

Like in any job interview, employers and recruiters ask this question to really find out what you can bring to the table if and when you are hired. They want to understand your skills depending on how you vouch for yourself and establish your weaknesses and strengths all in one question. This is why it is important that you take your time before the interview to rehearse your answer over and over.

And to best come up with a suitable and marketable answer, think about these 4 things: what is unique about you? How confident are you? What professional example can you use to demonstrate your expertise? Can you speak about your skills in detail? Once you are able to have concrete answers for these 4 aspects, you can come up with a concrete answer that employers will, by all means, love.

As a professional in the Administration sector, employers will be most impressed if you can demonstrate great organizational skills, keenness for the small details, ability to prioritize and great communication skills. If you can effortlessly show your expertise in these areas, then you can almost be sure the interview will go well to your liking.

Sample answer to the interview question, ‘Tell Me About Yourself’

As you can tell from my CV, I have been in Administrative roles for 5 years now. I have always wanted to work in the ABC industry (mention industry where the job is), but as a result of great opportunities along the way, I have managed to work in other different fields such as (mention specific industries).

In my most recent role as Administrative Assistant for XYZ Company, I was involved in carrying out research and writing reports on various topics that helped management in decision making and resolving client complaints in a timely manner. (You can mention an actual example when you resolved a problem with the client)

I am currently looking for a position that offers both a great challenge and opportunity to leverage my acquired skills. This is why I responded to your advert for this position, and I am hoping you will agree that I am the best fit for this role.

For more on how to answer the ‘tell me about yourself’ interview question, here is a video explaining to detail what employers want to hear in your answer. Watch it and leave a comment if you have any questions about the same.

The Writer is a Communications Officer at Corporate Staffing Service Ltd, a leading Recruitment offering CV Writing services, Job Placement & Career Advice. For queries, email her through selipha@corporatestaffing.co.ke