Tell me about yourself.

Why the Interviewer Asks This Question
What You Need to Know
Answer Example

Your interviewer's job is to identify the most qualified candidates who best match their target talent, and who would fit well into their work culture while embracing their values. They are looking for a unique combination of experience, skill, and work ethic while aligning with their company culture and their model of leadership. But to determine whether any candidate meets these qualifications, they first need to make every effort to get to know each one of them. Considering that many candidates might be nervous in an interview, or are uncertain which aspects of their personality they should showcase, this is a more difficult task than it seems. Therefore, this opening, ice-breaker question is the first step in helping make their job easier by getting to know the qualities of each candidate they interview.

Northrup Grumman offers interview prep tips for successful candidates on their website. The first they offer is for this very question. "This response should be one to two minutes long and should reflect your ability to speak succinctly and with confidence. Try to highlight your strengths and remember that the interviewers want to know more about you. What we don't want is a chronological retelling of your whole life story. Instead, the answer to this question should be a short overview of your life, emphasizing highlights of your professional experience that are relevant to the job you're interviewing for. Think of it as an elevator pitch about yourself."

"Well, I come from a long line of family that's worked in the defense and aerospace industry. My grandfather, Redmond Jerr Joyce, who served in WWII, later became an engineer working for Northrup Grumman and there designed the F-14 Tomcat. When he was training pilots how to fly it back in the 1960s in Virginia, he met my father who was in the Navy, and they became friends and my grandfather introduced my father to my mother. So in a way, if it wasn't for Northrup Grumman, I might not have ever been born. He made it into several of Grumman's newsletters from the 70s, Plane News, as well. I still have the issues. Later, my mother worked for Rockwell, and my cousin currently works for Boeing. So, I figured it felt natural to find a position in the defense and aerospace industry and decided to start here, where it all began."

Next Question

How to Answer: Tell me about yourself.

Advice and answer examples written specifically for a Northrop Grumman job interview.

23. Tell me about yourself.

Why the Interviewer Asks This Question

Your interviewer's job is to identify the most qualified candidates who best match their target talent, and who would fit well into their work culture while embracing their values. They are looking for a unique combination of experience, skill, and work ethic while aligning with their company culture and their model of leadership. But to determine whether any candidate meets these qualifications, they first need to make every effort to get to know each one of them. Considering that many candidates might be nervous in an interview, or are uncertain which aspects of their personality they should showcase, this is a more difficult task than it seems. Therefore, this opening, ice-breaker question is the first step in helping make their job easier by getting to know the qualities of each candidate they interview.

Written by Samantha Brown on January 8th, 2024

What You Need to Know

Northrup Grumman offers interview prep tips for successful candidates on their website. The first they offer is for this very question. "This response should be one to two minutes long and should reflect your ability to speak succinctly and with confidence. Try to highlight your strengths and remember that the interviewers want to know more about you. What we don't want is a chronological retelling of your whole life story. Instead, the answer to this question should be a short overview of your life, emphasizing highlights of your professional experience that are relevant to the job you're interviewing for. Think of it as an elevator pitch about yourself."

Written by Kevin Downey on January 8th, 2024

Answer Example

"Well, I come from a long line of family that's worked in the defense and aerospace industry. My grandfather, Redmond Jerr Joyce, who served in WWII, later became an engineer working for Northrup Grumman and there designed the F-14 Tomcat. When he was training pilots how to fly it back in the 1960s in Virginia, he met my father who was in the Navy, and they became friends and my grandfather introduced my father to my mother. So in a way, if it wasn't for Northrup Grumman, I might not have ever been born. He made it into several of Grumman's newsletters from the 70s, Plane News, as well. I still have the issues. Later, my mother worked for Rockwell, and my cousin currently works for Boeing. So, I figured it felt natural to find a position in the defense and aerospace industry and decided to start here, where it all began."

Written by Samantha Brown on January 8th, 2024

Next Question