5 ways to answer,"Tell me about yourself" using your passion, mission or strength [TEMPLATES]

"Tell me about yourself"

4 words that can cause students, CEO's and everyone in between to ramble or freeze.

It's hard enough to explain what you do simply and clearly.

What do you say if your passion, mission or strength drives you?

Or if you're rebranding yourself, or don't have a lot of work experience?

Good news.

You don't always have to talk about your work or role.

Your passion, mission and strengths are perfect ways to introduce yourself.

Here's how to turn them into an introduction your listener will value.

Use these Guidelines

1. Describe how you make a difference

   Don't just talk about your strength, include how you add value. This makes your introduction more engaging and personal.

   Here's a before and after:

   Before: Describe your passion

   • I'm passionate about helping people

   
   After: Explain the difference you make through your passion

   • I'm passionate about helping people in need, and finding them opportunities to exceed.

   
   See the difference?

   Translate your passion into how you help and your introduction will really stand out.

2. Keep it to 20 words or less

   Remember, these days people only have split second attention spans. Keep your introduction short - 20 words max.

   That length makes it simple for you to say, and easy for your listener to remember and pass along to others.

3. Customize it by relating it to something the listener values

   Do you want your introduction to really resonate with your audience?

   Do a little research on them, then describe how you add value to something both you and your listener find important. Now you're describing something you're both passionate about.

   This technique is perfect when you're interviewing with the hiring manager, meeting your new co-worker, client or boss, or networking with a specific group of people.

Here are 5 templates when you want to use your mission, passion or strength to introduce yourself

To illustrate the templates, imagine you're responding to, "Tell me about yourself..." Feel free to mix and match them to create your perfect introduction.

1. I'm passionate about...

   I'm passionate about [my skill] and helping to improve [something my listener and/or I value]

   • I'm passionate about solving problems and helping to improve processes
   • I'm passionate about helping people in need, and finding them opportunities to exceed

2. I'm known for...

   I'm known for [my strength] and enjoy [transforming one thing into something of value]

   • I'm known for being a problem solver, and enjoy turning theory into practical improvements

3. I believe in...

   I believe in [something I'm known for] and helping [something important to my listener and me]

   • I believe in going above and beyond and helping teams do their best

4. I value...

   I value [type of role] where I can [do something both the listener and I value]

   • I value customer service roles where I help turn first time visitors into loyal guests

5. I'm on a mission...

   • I'm on a mission to help [target audience ] + [achieve a goal] by [doing something aspirational]

   • I'm on a mission to help recent graduates get hired faster by developing their personal brand statements and stories

Your passion, mission and strengths can make a powerful, lasting impression

They're just as important as your role or title.

They define who you are and what you value.

And that's worth sharing.

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