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Tough Interview Questions

To help you prepare for your next job interview, here are 30 of our hardest interview questions.

Tough was updated by on March 19th, 2024. Learn more here.

Question 25 of 30

Describe yourself in just three words.

By limiting your self-description to three words, the interviewer is assessing your resourcefulness and creative thinking. Study their values, keywords, and key phrases that they use to describe their people and who they are as a company. Then ask yourself which of those align, which resonate with you, and even those you aspire to, and why you believe they can help you get there. Then, without copying them, choose those three words or phrases which you feel sincerely reflect who you are, and which would appeal to them.

Use professional adjectives to set yourself apart from others, which you feel define who you are, your character, principles, and values. Avoid generic descriptives that they may hear from other candidates. Consider exploring your thesaurus to select descriptives that encapsulate who you are while aligning yourself with their values and cultural language.

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How to Answer: Describe yourself in just three words.

  • 25. Describe yourself in just three words.

      Why the Interviewer Asks This Question

      By limiting your self-description to three words, the interviewer is assessing your resourcefulness and creative thinking. Study their values, keywords, and key phrases that they use to describe their people and who they are as a company. Then ask yourself which of those align, which resonate with you, and even those you aspire to, and why you believe they can help you get there. Then, without copying them, choose those three words or phrases which you feel sincerely reflect who you are, and which would appeal to them.

      Use professional adjectives to set yourself apart from others, which you feel define who you are, your character, principles, and values. Avoid generic descriptives that they may hear from other candidates. Consider exploring your thesaurus to select descriptives that encapsulate who you are while aligning yourself with their values and cultural language.

      Written by Kevin Downey on March 17th, 2024

      How to Prep

      Highlight your strengths by choosing actionable words. For example, instead of telling them you are a strong communicator, show them by using words such as persuasive, empathetic, diplomatic, emotionally intelligent, and an active listener. Or, instead of saying you are a team player, say you are collaborative, a mentor, or supportive, and avoid generic terms like reliable or honest. Follow instructions by providing your three most actionable words, but feel free to elaborate a little on each word chosen. Yet, as you elaborate, take the same approach of communicating as much as you can in as few words as possible. This will showcase your strong communication skills. Practice beforehand to ensure your message is clear, concise, and delivered with confidence.

      Written by Kevin Downey on March 17th, 2024

      1st Experienced Example

      "If I had just three words to describe myself, I would say that I am positive, enthusiastic, and available. I have a great can-do attitude and positively impact morale. This plays into my enthusiasm, and I often set the pace, because I love doing the work I do and have a lot of energy. And by available, I mean I am reliable, adaptable, I rise to every occasion, and will always make time for you in any way I can."

      Written by Kevin Downey on March 17th, 2024

      Admin Example

      "The words that best describe me would be attentive, savvy, and creative. I am a great listener, always make sure you feel understood and heard, and have a keen eye, always paying attention to the finer details. By savvy, I mean I am quick on my feet, act fast, and am decisive. And by creative, I mean that I think outside of the box, am resourceful, and innovative as well."

      Written by Kevin Downey on March 17th, 2024

      Manager Example

      "Great question! I would say I am best described as a leader, confident, and patient. By patient, I mean I am emotionally intelligent and great at mentoring and guiding each member of my team. Which is a large contributor to my leadership acumen. And loving what I do, and always being quick to hold myself accountable and learn from my mistakes, taking ownership of my every commitment, I am therefore confident in my abilities."

      Written by Kevin Downey on March 17th, 2024

      Marketing Example

      "Just three words to describe me are a challenge! I would say that I am happy, helpful, and transparent. By transparent, I mean I am very honest, have a lot of integrity, and am quick to share the vision and big picture with anyone who has an interest. In this way, I am helpful, since everyone on our team is a stakeholder and if they don't understand the impact of their work, you are doing them a disservice by not equipping them with the tools and knowledge to do their job. And when all these pieces come together, which they more frequently do on my watch, I am very happy at work."

      Written by Kevin Downey on March 17th, 2024

      Retail Example

      "If I could describe myself in just three words I would say, learner, humorous, and reliable. I am always looking for opportunities to grow. Every bit of feedback, every mistake made, is a learning opportunity. If I see someone doing something better than me, I want to learn and improve. I also find humor in everything, and as a result, I am quick to laugh, never take myself too seriously, and am fun to be around. And lastly, I am reliable. I am always on time, always available to help, and always a reliable, go-to resource of information. You can count on me."

      Written by Kevin Downey on March 17th, 2024

      Sales Example

      "Three words that best describe me are ambitious, jovial, and dependable. I am driven and anxious to be presented with new challenges. I am very happy-go-lucky, and never down. My friends at work call me their ray of sunshine. And, I am dependable. I never say no. If you ask for my help, I always say, Sure, how can I help?"

      Written by Kevin Downey on March 17th, 2024

      Teacher Example

      "As an educator, it is important to be understanding, patient, and kind. I believe these three words describe me to a tee."

      Written by Kevin Downey on March 17th, 2024

      2nd Experienced Example

      "I am very diplomatic. I am collaborative. And I am a mentor. And by diplomatic, I mean I have strong communication skills, I am persuasive, empathetic, emotionally intelligent, and an active listener. When I say I am collaborative, I would say I thrive in a team environment and love learning from a wide variety of perspectives and learning from them. I thrive on the camaraderie that results from that. And by being a mentor, I mean I have excellent coaching skills, which both my communication skills and teamwork feed into. If I am able to help someone on my team accomplish their goals, I am a happy person."

      Written by Kevin Downey on March 17th, 2024

      3rd Experienced Example

      "I would describe myself as driven, creative, and adaptable. I'm driven to achieve set goals and constantly push myself to learn and improve. My creativity allows me to approach problems from new angles and find innovative solutions. Finally, I'm highly adaptable and comfortable working in dynamic environments, allowing me to quickly adjust to new situations and challenges."

      Written by Kevin Downey on March 14th, 2024

      Anonymous Interview Answers with Professional Feedback

      Anonymous Answer

      "Gregarious, tenacious, and caring."

      Rachelle's Feedback

      Nice! These words are not overused and are descriptive enough to give a full picture to the interviewer.
      Show More Answers