The question below is a popular little query that I'm sure you have asked as an interviewer and have been asked as a candidate. If you are on the receiving end of this question, you are likely to cringe when you hear it, not knowing where to start, how much to say or when to stop.

The question is asked, and with silence looming you pick a point in time and begin talking about yourself while thinking, "The interviewer probably doesn't want to hear this." You continue telling your story with the gnawing thought, "What is the interviewer looking for?" Then, realizing that you have been rambling for two minutes and that the interviewer has a glazed look, you anxiously bring your response to an apologetically abrupt halt.

Sound familiar?

Ahhh . . . this is one of life's rich experiences.

With a little forethought, here is what you might do:

See this question as an opportunity to sell yourself.
Keep your response short, perhaps to about 30-40 seconds.
Focus on the more recent (5-6) years.
Highlight 2-3 skills or achievements that might catch the interviewer's interest.

Here's the question:

"Tell me about yourself . . ."

And a possible response:

"I believe my resume reflects a career of leadership that provides solid decision making and bottom-line management within several industries. Some common threads are my skills in perceiving trends, providing vision and planning strategic moves. My coaching style is demanding but