How would you answer this interview question?

[Anonymous]

Tell me something about yourself that I wouldn't know from your resume.

Would you stick to character traits, skills, a specific work experience that was formative or something else?

I was in an interview recently where this was asked after a bunch of nonsense questions, many of which were non-work related. This was for a large, reputable contracting company so I was thrown. FWIW, mid-40s professional.

[Anonymous]

It's kind of a dumb question, but I would probably talk about my hobbies or maybe an interesting experience that I had had at some point.

Are you a published author? Have you played the piano at Carnegie Hall? Have you travelled across the US by bicycle? Something like that would at least be interesting to the interviewer.

[Anonymous]

I would talk about soft skills - I collaborate well, communicate clearly, manage or diffuse conflicts, mentor junior colleagues, look out for new talent to bring into a team, etc.

[Anonymous]

Hobbies

[Anonymous]

Answer it the same way you'd answer, "Is there anything else you'd like us to know about you?" Which is a super common question in interviews.

[Anonymous]

I find this to be a dumb and lazy question. I have been asked that before and have been in interviews where colleagues ask it. We rarely get useful info from it. Agree it is the time to talk about a hobby or experience.

[Anonymous]

I would answer with a work related skill or experience. I don't think anyone would care about your hobbies.

For me personally, I would say you'll see Excel listed on the bottom of my resume, but what isn't obvious is that at my last two jobs I've been the office default "Excel guru" that everyone comes to when they had an Excel challenge. Which has allowed me to assist many different colleagues with challenges through the years. But also I've enjoyed the challenge of how to solve various data issues at different companies and learned a lot in the process.

[Anonymous]

I'd tell them three things, and assume they are asking to just get an idea of who I am personality wise.

Tell me something about yourself that I wouldn't know from your resume. I love dogs, am a really great problem-solver, and once danced with 1 Direction's Niall Horan.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'd tell them three things, and assume they are asking to just get an idea of who I am personality wise.

Tell me something about yourself that I wouldn't know from your resume. I love dogs, am a really great problem-solver, and once danced with 1 Direction's Niall Horan.

When I saw the "tell them three things" (before even reading them), my mind went to "2 truths and a lie". But 3 truths is probably best.

[Anonymous]

I would tell them that everything relevant is on my resume, and if they want to find out more about me they will have to give me a job.

[Anonymous]

OMG! I was just asked this question today and it threw me. I didn't know if they meant professionally or personally. I gave one of each.

It's always the oddball questions that throw me off. Last week I was asked for my favorite movie and I blanked. I could not think of one gd movie! I was clueless so I blurted out "Clueless" and gave some BS answer.

Interviewing is the worst.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OMG! I was just asked this question today and it threw me. I didn't know if they meant professionally or personally. I gave one of each.

It's always the oddball questions that throw me off. Last week I was asked for my favorite movie and I blanked. I could not think of one gd movie! I was clueless so I blurted out "Clueless" and gave some BS answer.

Interviewing is the worst.

100 % on confusion about whether this was meant to be personal or professional. After their other nonsense questions unrelated to my actual skills and experience, I was lost. Maybe their intention to see how I kept my nerve

[Anonymous]

It’s becoming a common question. I like it because it allows to elaborate on skills that I bring to the table that are not necessarily written on my resume.

Like collaboration or relationship skills. Those are a big part of what makes me successful, and giving me the opportunity to speak to those further is beneficial. Or saying you are the grammar police, which is annoying to your kids (lol), but super helpful when drafting client facing communication.

[Anonymous]

When asked I talk about one of my hobbies. It is unusual and I sell my work on commission. It sparks a lot of conversation and all ops me to talk about some of my skills and attributes that would be valued on a job.

But I also hate the question. And while I never got the movie question, that would throw me. Like I just prefer the Hallmark Christmas Channel and I’d be afraid I’d blurt that out.

[Anonymous]

As long as you don't answer, "I've been married 17 years and am raisint 3 incredible children," you'll be fine (yes, someone answered that when we asked them to tell us about an achievement or something they were proud of). We were looking for an example from work