“Tell me about you” – Odd SG Interviewer Says This Question Means Talk About Your Family and Not Past Jobs

Job interviews can be exciting but nerve-wracking for some people. That’s why it’s important to prepare yourself ahead of time, so you can confidently answer any questions the interviewer may ask.

A Singaporean woman shared her experience on TikTok (@mallaryyrosee) about an interviewer she encountered during a job interview.

So, tell us a bit about yourself?

Amirah decided to express her opinion about what went down during the interview, describing it as a unique situation.

In the video, she detailed how the interviewer began the interview by asking,

“Tell me about yourself?”

Amirah responded by discussing her age and past work experience, but the interviewer interrupted her to clarify that this was not the question the interviewer had asked.

“I judged the interviewer for that”

The interviewer told Amirah she was jumping ahead by answering questions about her age and work experience before being asked.

Amirah explained how the interviewer clarified that when the interviewer asked her to ‘tell me about yourself,’ the interviewer was looking for information about her family and where she lived.

“In the interviews I’ve attended previously, whenever the interviewer asks me to ‘tell me more about yourself,’ I usually talk about my past work experience, as mentioned on my resume.”

“I already knew that I didn’t want the interviewer as my boss”

Amirah tried to stay positive, telling herself that maybe the interviewer didn’t fully understand how the question is typically used. After answering some personal questions, the interviewer then asked her to revisit her age and past work experience.

Amirah shared that from that point on, she knew she didn’t want to work under that interviewer because she felt the interviewer wasn’t truly listening to her responses.

“You’re not answering my question. You need to answer the question how I want it to be answered.”

That’s another red flag right there!

Amirah continued to express how the reason for her opinions is due to the fact that when she starts a job, she would want to see what kind of manager she’ll be working closely with and what kind of support she would be getting.

“I did tell about myself, it’s just that it wasn’t the aspect that the interviewer wanted me to say.”

She continued by explaining that the interviewer had told her she would be asked to perform tasks not listed in her job description, without receiving any additional pay or overtime.

Amirah concluded the interview with some advice,

“I know many of us might have to stay in a toxic work environment to make ends meet. However, don’t let a toxic boss manipulate you into believing you can’t answer their questions correctly or perform your job well, especially when expectations are unclear.”

You can watch the full video down below:

@mallaryyrosee

how should you answer “tell me more about yourself”? and if the interviewer did not answer the aspect you expected, is it right to completely disregard their answer and have them repeat it at the timing YOU want because you want to feel in control of the interview? and is it also right to hide additional job description when you’re posting it and then get surprised that the candidate says they can’t commit?

♬ original sound – Mallary Rose – Mallary Rose

What has your experience been with job interviews? Let us know in the comments down below!

Also read: China Mum Follows Son to Job Interview & Answers HR’s Questions, Gets Mad When Her Son is Rejected