What you can add to an organization

Consider adding a short summary section at the top of your resume.
Focus on what you can add to the organization.
Instead of using a list of recent job roles, consider providing qualitative and quantitative examples of previous experience.
Get in the habit of updating your resume every January.

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Why longer responses to "So, tell me about yourself" are better

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fastcompany.com

When it comes to first-round job interviews, you'll probably answer some version of the question, "So, tell me about yourself." Experienced hiring managers love asking this question. After all, it allows them to assess your communication skills, hear your narrative about the highlights of your career, and lay the foundation for follow-up questions.

Key Ideas

'So, Tell me about Yourself'

... or some version of that is one of the most fundamental and common questions asked in any first round of a Job Interview.

Hiring managers usually like to ask this question, because it ...

Short vs long answers

The conventional expert opinion is to provide a crisp, 30 second to 1-minute answer to the question "Tell me about yourself", but one minute isn’t enough time to deliver a meaningful response that benefits you as a candidate.

Experts prefer a short answer, as it has less chance of leading the candidate to drift or ramble.

Benefits of a long answer

A longer answer to "Tell me about yourself" allows you to provide a useful narrative beyond the résumé.
It lets you reveal key motivations that drove your career path.
You can shape the interview in your direction.
It's an opportunity to stand out from the other candidates.

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Your Guide to Answering "Tell Me About Yourself" in an Interview

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themuse.com

When Muse career coach Theresa Merrill does mock interviews with her clients, she always leads with, "Tell me about yourself." It's good practice because that's often the very first thing an interviewer will ask you to do-whether you're having a preliminary phone screen, speaking to your prospective boss, or sitting down with the CEO during a final round.

Key Ideas

Why Interviewers Ask It

This introductory question serves as an icebreaker to lend an easy flow to the conversation. It helps the recruiter to get to know you in terms of hard and soft skills.

It’s a great op...

How to build your response

Present: Talk a little bit about what your current role is, the scope of it, and possibly a recent achievement.
Past: Tell the interviewer how you got there and/or mention a past experience that’s relevant to the job and company you’re applying for.
Future: Continue with what you’re looking to do next and why you’re interested in this job.

You do not have to respond in this order. Tweak it to suit you. Make sure to tie it to the job and company.

Tailor Your Answer

Interviewers want to know how your answer about yourself is relevant to the position and company you’re applying for.

This is an opportunity to articulate why you’re interested and how your objective fulfills their goals. In order to do that, spend some time researching the company. If your answers resonate with them, it shows that you really understand the role.

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How to Conduct an Effective Job Interview

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hbr.org

The virtual stack of resumes in your inbox is winnowed and certain candidates have passed the phone screen. Next step: in-person interviews. How should you use the relatively brief time to get to know - and assess - a near stranger? How many people at your firm should be involved?

Key Idea

Conduct the Effective Job Interview

Prepare your questions based on the attributes of an ideal candidate,
Reduce stress level. Tell the candidates in advance the questions you plan to ask.
Involve enoug...