Best answer for Interview Question – Describe yourself in one word

Interviewers deduce a lot of information from the answer you give for this question. They try to assess the interviewee’s personality trait, IQ level and self-confidence. This question may seem to be easy, but it is one of the toughest questions to answer. It is not always easy to describe someone else in one word, let alone yourself. It requires a great deal of self-reflection within one’s personality to answer this question.

It is somewhat ok if the interviewer asks you to describe yourself. You get to frame your sentences, articulate and put forth appropriate points as answer to this question. However, it becomes difficult to condense all of the above into a single word. People don’t have single personality, i.e., their reactions differ according to the situations which make them multi-faceted. So what is the best answer for interview question?

Here is the answer

Experts agree that there is no one correct answer to this question and that it depends on one’s personality and the nature of the job. How is nature of the job linked to this question? It’s fairly simple. For example, you are attending an interview for the post of data entry operator and you are asked this question. Your answer shouldn’t be “creative”, instead it must be “accurate”, “dedicated”, “punctual”.  If you are applying for the post of creative content editor, your answer should be “creative”, “flexible”, “punctual”. Your answer must reflect your personality and also should relate to the nature of the job. You need to think who you are in relation to the job opening.

Some good examples can be “successful”, “honest”, “reliable”, “dynamic”, “flexible”, “punctual”, “factual”, “organized”, “motivated”, “diligent”, the list is endless. There are some adjectives that you can avoid as much as possible. They are “funny”, “attractive”, “lovable”, “adorable”, “and sweet”. You may be all of the above, but these adjectives might not suit or relate to the job opening. These words will rather confuse the interviewer in assessing how best you will fit the role. In addition to this, it is better to avoid inappropriate adjectives even if it is your personality trait.

Be ready for follow up Question

So the rule of thumb is, see what it takes to be successful in that particular role. Think of three or more adjectives that relates to the role and choose one that would describe you. This will help especially when there is a follow up question like “Tell us a situation when you exhibited your flexibility”. You can easily reflect upon your past experiences, rather than cooking up an impromptu story to tackle the question.

The answer to the question “Describe you in one word” will give the interviewer a sneak peak of your inner personality. This might also be a deciding factor to select you for the job, for all you know. So, it is best to be strategic while answering this question.

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