How to Answer: Can you tell me a little bit about yourself?
Advice and answer examples written specifically for a Frito Lay job interview.
19. Can you tell me a little bit about yourself?
What You Need to Know
This is a typical question posed at the beginning of an interview to get a candidate to relax. One of the primary goals of the interviewer is to get to know you so they can get a better feel for how well you would fit into their company and their teams in this role. So, anytime in an interview where you step outside of interview mode, it is important not to become too informal or familiar. Yes, be yourself, but continue to present yourself as a professional. Frito Lay advises all their candidates to "know what type of colleague you'd like to be to others. There's not a one-size-fits-all approach to working with others. Be prepared to flex your style as needed. And, above all else, follow through on your commitments. In sum, it's about the Golden Rule - treat others as you'd like to be treated no matter what comes your way. It's that simple."
Written by Kevin Downey on September 5th, 2023
How to Answer
This is your first impression. Take advantage of the opportunity it presents for you to set the stage as a professional and as an ideal candidate. Think about how you want to present yourself and compose a short bio on your professional journey. Share who you are as a person and as a professional, where you have come from in your career, why you are at this crossroads, and where you hope this next chapter will take you. Share what you find exciting about this position and what you believe you have to offer. Then, if the opportunity presents itself, ask the interviewer about themself. How long they've been with the company, and what it's like to work there.
Written by Kevin Downey on September 5th, 2023
Experienced Example
"I graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree with a major in Communications and Marketing from UBC in 2009. Since then, I have been actively making my way to a leadership role in social media marketing within the hotel and hospitality industry. I am energetic, positive, and ready to make a difference in a growing organization. I have been looking for the right fit to explore the next stages of my career fit, and based on everything I learned about the culture here, how happy the employees are, and the great things they have to say about what a great place it is to work, I think I finally found the company I want to invest the next chapter of my future with."
Written by Kevin Downey on September 5th, 2023
About the Author
Before I was in management, there were positions I wasn’t sure I wanted to be hired for. I wasn’t convinced it was the right job for me. Despite this, some of those interviews resulted in job offers. Then, some jobs felt like the perfect fit. I went into those interviews feeling confident and commanding, believing I would get hired. Yet, I didn’t get hired for many of those jobs despite my confidence and swagger.
Later in my management career, I learned there was more to it than being the right fit. I had my agenda, and my interviewee had theirs. When I sat down to interview someone, my goal was to check off all of my boxes. Is this person up to the job? Do they have the right skills? Does their character align with our values? Will they stick around and raise morale, strengthening our teams? What are their goals, aside from trying to land a job? Do they have leadership potential? What would this professional relationship look like?
This is the key to mastering any interview - understanding each other’s goals and objectives. The cold reality is that your interviewer has sat down with countless candidates before and will sit across from countless more. Every one of them wants a job. But only a few of them check off all the interviewer’s boxes.
If you are wondering how you could know what your interviewer is looking for, that’s easy. Most of it is posted all across their careers page. You just have to be on the hunt for those keywords that say it all. For Frito Lay, it’s physical hard work. Grit and determination. Punctuality and teamwork. Faster, stronger, better, and honest. These qualities aren’t unique to any one person. In fact, at some point, you have exhibited every one of these qualities.
The secret formula for delivering a great interview is simple. Actions speak louder than words. If you present yourself sincerely and honestly in every answer, aligning these traits with their values, they will know you prepared thoughtfully. It shows you respect their time and take this opportunity seriously. Your words showcase the actions you took to get ready for your interview. It proclaims you have a strong work ethic. It explains why you are so confident and shows that your interview isn’t a performance but an accurate presentation of who you are as a person and a professional. This is the key to delivering a great interview, which gets you closer to hearing the words, ‘You’re hired.’
Learn more about Kevin Downey