Module 4 - Video Discussion 1: Tell Us About Yourself

*Note: This discussion has been converted to a Canvas page to facilitate viewing in this public course

Overview

This discussion will take you out of your comfort zone, but interviews will do that to all of us. Learning to control your nerves in a stressful environment like an interview will give you a tremendous advantage as you answer questions and talk with recruiters. Being calm allows you to be yourself and present yourself in the best way possible. Being relaxed will enable you to be genuine and think quickly about your answers. On the other hand, people who are nervous often end up being awkward in their speech and behavior and it becomes detrimental to the interview process. I can think of quite a few interviews that I was a part of where the applicant was so nervous it precluded them from performing well and ultimately cost them the position. It is so important to learn to handle interview stress and one of the best ways to do that is to practice. As you talk about yourself in this discussion, you will hopefully build confidence and learn more about the way you come across to other people as you watch yourself answer one of the toughest questions a recruiter can ask.

Instructions

Complete this assignment by doing the following:

1. For this discussion, you will need to record yourself responding to an interviewer who has asked you to “Tell us about yourself”. You should use some of the tactics you learned earlier and apply those to the length, content, and delivery of your answer. As you record your response, please begin with a short statement letting the class know what job position you are gearing this response to and what company do you have in mind. It could be a job interview that you have coming up or one that you eventually plan to apply for. State that position and company and then proceed with your answer.     
2. Respond to at least two of your classmates videos by Sunday, 100 words minimum. NOTE: You should type your peer responses, do not record them. Only the initial post should be a video.
   • Please, respond to posts that do not have replies first. If all posts have replies, then you may choose which one to respond to.
     • Your peer feedback should identify areas that the person did very well and where you thought their answer was effective. If you were the interviewer, what would have piqued your interest in this applicant? Additionally, you might point out aspects of the response that need clarity and/or identify points that are missing. Keep in mind that feedback should be thoughtful, substantive, respectful, and should be delivered in the spirit of trying to help other students be successful in future interviews. 

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