“Tell me about yourself” is almost always the opening question in a job interview. How you answer sets the tone for everything that follows. Answering smoothly in both English and Amharic can really make you stand out—mainly with employers who value bilingual skills.
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The list below you will find:
- A simple and easy valuable three-step structure to better prepare and organize your thoughts carefully.
- Practical tips to sound natural and confident.
- Sample scripts in both English and Amharic.
- From my experience: Extra practice ideas to help you prepare.
1. Structure Your Answer – {Present – Past – Future}
A clear, memorable answer follows three parts ->
- Present
Who you are right now. Focus on current role or studies. For example, what you are doing right now (like if you are studying, tell in detail about it and key strengths). - Past
One or two highlights from your last experience, education, or any achievements you have made before — including metrics if possible. - Future
Why this opportunity excites you and how you’ll bring value to their company or organization.
Aim for 1.5 to 2 minutes total (about 150–200 words). That’s enough to be substantive, but please don’t make it too long.
Tips for a More Human, Engaging Delivery
- Customize for each role: Mention skills or experiences that match the job description.
- Tell a mini‑story: Instead of listing facts, give a quick example—“I led a small team…”, “I solved a challenge by…”.
- Use natural language: Speak conversationally, as if you’re introducing yourself to a colleague.
- Include a personal touch: A brief note about why you chose your field can make you memorable.
- Practice transitions: Smoothly link each section with phrases like “Before that…”, “Most recently…”, or “Now, I’m excited to…”.
Sample Answer in English
“I’m a marketing specialist with over three years of experience creating digital campaigns for both startups and established brands.
Currently, I work at OMN media, where I manage our social media channels and have increased our engagement rate by 40% in the past year.
Before that, I graduated from Addis Ababa University with a BA in Business Administration, where I led a student project that raised funds for a local charity.
What I love most is combining creative ideas with data‑driven strategies to tell a story.
I’m now looking forward to joining ABC Agency because you’re known for innovative brand work—I believe my background in audience analysis and my passion for storytelling can help your clients stand out.”
Why It Works
- Present: “I’m a marketing specialist…”
- Past: Points out university project + a quantifiable result at BrightMedia.
- Future: Shows enthusiasm for ABC Agency’s style and how you fit.
Sample Answer in Amharic (አማርኛ)
“እኔ ከ ሶስት ዓመት በላይ የዲጂታል ማርኬቲንግ ስራዎች ላይ የተመራ ማርኬታይስት ነኝ።
በቅርብ ጊዜ በBright Media ውስጥ ስራ እየሰራሁ ማህበራዊ ትራፊክን በ40% በመጨመር አስተዋወቀኝ።
በዚህ በፊት ከአዲስ አበባ ዩኒቨርሲቲ ስራና ቢዝነስ አስተዳደር በማጠናቀቅ የተማሩትን ተማሪዎች በማመለከት ለአካባቢያዊ ቻሪቲ የገንዘብ ስጦታ ለማሰብ ፕሮጀክት መሪ ነበርሁ።
አሁን ደግሞ በABC Agency ውስጥ የምትሰሩትን አዲስ ፕሮጀክቶች በጣም እፈልጋለሁ፣ የተጠቃሚ ድምጽ ትንተና ማድረግና ታሪክ በመስራት የማስታወቂያ ስራዎችን ለማድረግ ብዙ አስተዋይነት ሰጥቻለሁ ብዬ እመኛለሁ።”
Extra Practice Exercises
- Record & Review
Video yourself and note filler words (um, like). - Mirror Practice
Watch your posture and facial expressions so that it brings you confidence. - Peer Review
Practice with a friend who can ask follow‑up questions. - Switch Roles
Let your friend answer first, then ask them questions to simulate an interview.
Final Advice and Wishes
- Stay positive
Even when talking about challenges, focus on solutions. - Be concise
If you go over two minutes, trim nonessential details. - Show enthusiasm
A smile and confident tone make a big impact. - Have a closing line
End with something like,
“That’s a quick snapshot of my journey—I would love to tell you more about XYZ if you’re interested.”
Thank you for reading. I wish you all get a better job.
