How to Respond to “Tell me about yourself”

Often times, the most puzzling part of an interview is the broad icebreaker: “Tell me about yourself.” When employers say “tell me about yourself”, they really mean what can you do for this business. Prepare yourself before an interview using these helpful tips as guidance.

1. Make a list of your top qualities that apply to the position you are being interviewed for. Practice a dialogue in the mirror of what you will say about yourself during the interview.

2. Be confident. Don’t be afraid to talk about your accomplishments and traits that you are proud of. The interviewer wants to know why you make a better fit to the position than other candidates.

3. Begin with your most impressive accomplishments and try to relate them to how these experiences will help you in your future career.

Practice, practice, practice! And don’t forget to make eye contact!

5 Reasons You Need to Be on LinkedIn Even When You Have a Job

1. You need to have a large network so you can use it later
Imagine you just got laid off. And you have 10 people in your LinkedIn network. You suddenly realize that you should have invested more in getting to know people. It's better to add connections while you're working with them and the same goes for asking for recommendations. So don’t wait until you need it. Build a strong network on LinkedIn now. Be active. Provide value. Stay in touch.

2. Opportunities come to you; recruiters look for passive candidates
When a company hires a contract recruiter to fill a job requisition, that company isn’t looking for someone unemployed.  There are enough unemployed people to fill every single job vacancy in the country. What the organization needs is someone who is not actively looking, called a passive candidate. Someone who is already employed by a competitor might be the perfect candidate.
If you aren’t on LinkedIn, you are reducing your chances of being discovered and having the opportunity to make more money.

3. Industry groups can offer you value and connection
If you find the right groups in which to participate, the value to your network — and the knowledge you'll gain — is huge. Not only will you be exposed to news, and new ideas, but you’ll have a chance to demonstrate your expertise through commenting and discussion.

4. Keep your resume up to date just in case
A resume is a static thing. You write it once when you are actively looking for work. You get your job. Then you forget about it. LinkedIn profiles tend to stay up to date with greater accuracy than any other online profile. Recruiters know this. They know that your profile will be more accurate than your five-year-old resume.


5. Read the news feed for your industry
LinkedIn delivers you customized news delivered daily. Based on your industry, the types of articles you share, and who is in your network, your daily news feed is likely going to inform you of things you should know about your job.

A version of this post was originally posted on Ladders.com by Joshua Waldman.

Take Ownership of Your Career Path

Are you where you want to be? Here are 3 tips for taking control of your career path.


1. Have a destination in mind.

Know what type of work you want to be doing in a few years and where you’d like to be in five more years. Your goals will guide you along your decision making process as you take ownership of your career path.


2. Network with others along the way.
Now that you have a general idea of which direction you would like to go, it is time to meet some fellow travelers that are headed down that same path. It’s not just how much you know, it’s who you know. Go to conferences, industry events, or lectures. Shake hands and come back again. And again. You’ll slowly develop a group of professional contacts that you can start to grow closer with.


3. Provide value to your network.

Proper networking has a key word in it: work. Being a strong member of your own network requires work. It requires reaching out and follow up! The best networkers are those that meet people, learn about them, and let the other person talk. Then the networker helps that person in the network connect to another or simply provides some guidance on an issue. Just like you shouldn’t wait until you are laid off to update your resume, you shouldn’t build your network the moment you need it.

Choosing A Career Path - Video

Career Fairs: Tips for Success!

By Andrew Belanger - Career Services Coordinator (Lansing Campus)




I recently had the opportunity to attend several career fairs for business and community development. At the Greater Lansing Journey to Job Career Fair on April 26th, I participated as an employer representative, collecting resumes and speaking with potential candidates. Below are several things that stood out among job seekers that I spoke with: