“How would your friends describe you?” is an interview question.
During a job interview, a hiring manager may ask you how your friends would describe you. Your answer can help the interviewer figure out what a third party would think about your soft skills and personality. If you know what to say when an interviewer asks you how a friend would describe you, you can make a good impression. This article gives examples of how to answer the interview question, “How would your friends describe you?”
Why do people in charge of hiring want to know how your friends would describe you?
“How would your friends describe you?” employers ask. to see how much you know about yourself. They also use this question to find out how your soft skills fit with the company’s values and the work that employees do. This question helps the person being interviewed feel real because it makes them think about how their peers see them instead of how they see themselves.
How to answer the question, “What do your friends say about you?”
When an interviewer asks you to describe yourself from the point of view of your friends, here’s what you should say:
1. Think about what you say when you’re with your friends.
As you think about your answer, think about how you talk to your friends. You might think about how you show traits like honesty and leadership in different social situations. Because this question is so open-ended, you can talk about friends from your personal life or from jobs you’ve had in the past.
If you don’t know where to start, you can look at how your work has been judged in the past. Even if your performance reviews were written by a boss, it’s likely that they were based on what your old coworkers said about you. You can also think about how you got along with your former coworkers every day to get an idea of how they would describe your habits, behavior, and personality. It’s important to be as honest as possible so that a hiring manager can get a good idea of who you are and how you act.
2. Choose two or three things about yourself that you like.
If a hiring manager asks you this, list at least two qualities. This shows that you are aware of the different parts of who you are and how you come across. Try your best to choose qualities that everyone will like. For example, most hiring managers will want to hire someone who is honest and dependable.
3. Find out about the job and the company
Research the company and the job to make sure your answer shows that you have the right skills. You should try to describe traits that fit the job description and the culture of the workplace. For example, if you want a job as a children’s magician, you could use the words “funny” and “outgoing” to answer the interview question.
4. Tell a story and make it personal.
Don’t forget to make your answer personal as you work on it. Be happy and professional in the way you talk. You could tell a hiring manager a story, if it makes sense, to explain why you used the words you did.
How would your friends describe you?
Here are four examples of what your friends might say about you if an employer asks:
Example 1
“Friends would probably say that I’m responsible and interested. A few months ago, a few of my friends and I went camping. My friends didn’t care where we went, so I looked up different places to camp and asked some of my family members where they thought we should go.”
“I went to a place I had never been. During the week-long trip, I was in charge of many of the activities, such as hiking, swimming, and canoeing. Before we left, I made sure we had everything we needed by packing all of our gear.”
Example 2
“My friends would say I’m friendly and full of life. One time, I helped a friend who had just given birth. Her doctor told her she had to stay in bed for at least two weeks. I helped her by going to her house every day after work until she could get back to her normal schedule. I made dinner, walked her dogs, and did some light housework.”
Example 3
“My friends would say I am smart, charming, and sure of myself. I remember going to a work conference where a talk was being given by one of my good friends and coworkers. I noticed that she didn’t have her folder with her speaker’s notes on her about 30 minutes before she was supposed to give her presentation. When I asked her where it was, she said she couldn’t find it because she had lost it.”
“She wasn’t sure if she could make the speech without her notes. I told her everything would be fine, even though we didn’t have much time left before she had to go on stage. Backstage, in a quiet room, I helped her write new notes.”
Example 4
“My friends say I’m creative and optimistic. I love taking on new challenges and am always looking for ways to solve problems, even if I don’t have a lot of tools. I remember going to Spain with a few friends one time. One of my friends bought tickets for the wrong train, so it took us longer to get back to our hotel than we had planned.”
“I had a good attitude even though things weren’t going well. I asked a local where the best places to eat were in Spanish, which I already knew. I found a restaurant, ordered food for everyone, and made sure everyone had a good time.”
