Tell me about your experience working in this field. How can this experience apply to this role at NASA?

"I have 4 years of experience working within the Aerospace industry as a project manager. My current company handles both government contracts and commercial projects. I have experience working with senior stakeholders within both sectors and I feel that experience combined with my previous five years' experience working to deliver enterprise software solutions makes me an optimal candidate for the senior project manager position here at NASA."

"If selected for the position, this will be my first aerospace industry role. However, I have seven years of professional experience as a software engineer in other public sector organizations. I am skilled in object-oriented programming within a number of languages, scripting, database design, and web service development. I have active security clearance, and I feel I am an excellent candidate for the open position here at NASA."

"As you can see from my resume, I have worked in this field for the past eleven years, after graduating with my bachelor's degree. I have been with my current organization for the past six years and I am confident that my current position has fully prepared me for success at NASA. What you may not know from just looking at my resume is that I have spent a lot of time training our new hires in my department. In taking the lead on this for the past several years, I have been formally recognized by my organization for a job well done in mentoring our new hires. I look forward to bringing this experience to work for NASA"

Open-ended questions like this can feel a little overwhelming at first. Learning how to talk about yourself is a skill that will help you express yourself clearly and concisely. NASA wants to ideally hear about your accomplishments, not just your qualifications for the job that you are interviewing for.

Start by writing out a summary of your experience followed by a few pivotal moments where you made an impact. Highlight your expertise, skills, or any training you have received. You can also include any continuing education, from workshops to higher education, that you have pursued to further your career and prepare you for this role.

When answering, keep your response brief and aligned with the list you made. Resist the temptation to over-explain the examples you provide. Your interviewer(s) will ask for additional details for any items they need clarification on.