“Tell me about yourself.”

　　请进行自我介绍。

　　It’s one of the most-frequently-asked job interview questions, just behind “What are your strengths?” and “What are your weaknesses?” Even so, many job seekers don’t take the question seriously, thinking it’s just an icebreaker meant to put them at ease. But they should carefully consider their response because it’s more than a throwaway opener for most interviewers. When hiring managers pose this question, they’re hoping candidates will give them some insight as to why they think they’re a good fit for the job. They’re also using it to learn about applicants’ priorities, which gives them a better sense of who each candidate really is.

　　这是最常见的求职面试问题之一，仅次于“你的优势是什么?”和“你有什么弱点?”即便如此，许多求职者并没有认真对待这个问题，认为这只是一个寒暄的常见问题。但他们真应该仔细考虑他们的回答，因为这对大多数面试者来说这不仅仅只是一次性的开场白。当HR提出这个问题时，他们希望面试者能够给他们一些见解，说明他们为什么认为自己很适合这份工作。他们还用它来确定面试者优先级，这让他们更清楚面试者的真实身份。

　　And that’s not all: Interviewers also ask this question to judge how articulate and confident interviewees are, which in turn gives them a view of how new hires might present themselves to customers, clients and colleagues if they get the job. As a job seeker, your answer will give you a great opportunity to spotlight the skills and experience that make you the ideal candidate for the job. And because it’s the question most hiring managers lead with, it can also help you to get the job interview off on the right foot. Here are a few tips to help you nail your response:

　　这还不是全部：HR问这个问题，还想判断面试者是如何表达和是否自信，这反过来又让他们了解到新员工如何在客户，客户和同事面前工作并展示自己。作为一名求职者，您的答案将为您提供一个很好的机会，让您了解使您成为该职位理想人选的必备技能和经验。而且，由于这是大多数HR的常见问题，因此也可以帮助您面试获得成功。这里有一些提示可以帮助你正确的进行“自我介绍”：

　　(1) What you shouldn’t say

　　(1) 你不应该说什么!

　　Many job candidates make the mistake of answering this question with talk of something personal — their family, kids or hobbies. Some even launch into their life story, starting with their hometown and continuing on through their college graduation. Alternately, others share descriptions of the problems in their current job, explaining that they applied for this position because their commute is horrible, their boss is a jerk or their employer won’t allow them to work a flexible schedule.

　　许多求职者在谈论个人—他们的家庭，孩子或业余爱好时，都会犯这个错误。有些甚至开始讲他们的生活故事，从他们的家乡开始，说到他们的大学毕业。或者，一些人分享他们目前工作中问题，解释他们为什么申请这个职位，因为他们的通勤非常糟糕，他们的老板是个混蛋，或者他们的雇主不会让他们按照灵活的时间表工作。

　　And some job seekers simply summarize their resume, going point-by-point through their work experience and education history. All three of these responses can quickly send your new-job dreams down the tubes. If you answer with either of the first two, hiring managers see a red flag — an indication that you’re not that serious about the position or simply trying to escape a bad situation at your current job. And if you go with the third approach, you’re throwing away an opportunity. The interviewer read your resume before inviting you in for the interview, and they don’t need you to walk them through it. They’d rather hear you highlight what makes you an ideal fit for the job.

　　一些求职者通过他们的工作经历和教育历史来逐一总结他们的简历。所有这三个回答都可以迅速将新工作的愿望体现出来。如果你回答前两者中的任何一个，招聘经理打问号，这表明你对这个职位并不那么认真，或者仅仅是为了摆脱目前工作中的不利局面。如果你采用第三种方法，你就可能会丢掉一个机会。面试官在邀请你参加面试前已经阅读你的简历，他们不需要你再进行重复。他们宁愿听到你为什么认为这是你理想的工作。

　　(2) Craft a great answer

　　(2) 如何正确“自我介绍”?

　　The best answers to this question succinctly and clearly explain how you’re qualified for this particular job and — just as important — why you want it. So before you start crafting your answer, spend some time reviewing the job description in the recruitment ad for the position and researching the company. That way you’ll have a good understanding of what the hiring manager is looking for as far as qualifications, experience and fit with the workplace culture.

　　这个问题的最佳答案是简洁而清晰地解释了你为什么能胜任这项特定工作的， 同样重要的是，你为什么要这样做。因此，在你开始回答之前，花一些时间在招聘广告中查看职位描述并了解公司。通过这种方式，您可以很好地了解HR在职位方面、工作经验和适应性方面的要求。

　　Next, prepare a short script that highlights the skills, strengths and expertise you have that make you especially qualified for the position. Follow that with the reasons you’re applying for the job, focusing on career-related motivations such as the desire to build your experience and take on added responsibilities. Conclude with a short statement explaining why working for this specific company appeals to you.

　　接下来，准备一个简短的脚本，强调你拥有的技能，优势和专业知识，让你看起来特别适合担任职位。按照你申请这项工作的原因，聚焦在职业有关的动机上：比如陈述你的相关经验和责任心等。总结一个简短的陈述，阐述为什么为这家公司工作吸引你。

　　(3) A strong sample answer

　　(3) 标准答案范例

　　Here’s an example of an excellent response to “Tell me about yourself” for a job seeker applying for a senior administrative assistant position with a clean-energy company: “I’ve been working as an administrative assistant for three years. At my current job in the finance department of a midsize company, I handle scheduling, meeting and travel planning for four executives and 20 staff members. I also help prepare correspondence, presentations and reports.

　　以下是一个很好例子，供你参考：求职者向一家清洁能源公司申请高级行政助理的职位：“我一直担任行政助理工作三年。我目前在一家中型公司的财务部门工作，具体职责是为四名主管和20名员工作时间安排，会议和旅行计划。我还帮助准备信函，介绍和报告。

　　“I’m known for being a detail-oriented, well-organized team player. I never miss deadlines, I’m a good communicator and I can juggle multiple tasks at once. In my performance reviews, my supervisor always notes that he appreciates my professionalism and enthusiasm for the job. “With this experience under my belt, I’m looking for an opportunity to take the next step in my career. I’m hoping to do so in an organization like yours that works to improve the environment, which is something I’m passionate about.”

　　“我是一个细心且组织良好的团队工作人员。我从不错过最后期限，我是一个很好的沟通者，我可以一次处理多项任务。在我的表现评估中，我的主管曾高度表扬我，他非常感谢我对这项工作的专业精神和热情。凭借这一经验，我正在寻找机会迈出职业生涯的下一步。我希望在像你这样的组织中也能这样做，这是我非常热衷的。”

　　(4) A final word of advice

　　(4) 最后的建议

　　No matter how you answer this question, don’t take up too much time with your response. You don’t have to tell the hiring manager every single thing that makes you a great fit for the position. Just give a few important details that will spark their interest in learning more and you’ll get the interview off to a great start.

　　不管你如何回答这个问题，都不要花太多时间回应你的回答。你不必告诉招聘经理每一件让你非常适合这个职位的事情。只要提供一些重要的细节，这些细节将激发他们对你兴趣，这样你就把面试带到一个好的开始。