While the question “tell me a fun fact about yourself” allows you to share something (anything) about yourself, there are some answers you’ll want to avoid.
“There Isn’t Anything Especially Interesting About Me.”
First of all, this isn’t true. Confidence is vital in the interview—even if you have to fake it. This answer undermines your confidence and self-worth.
There’s something unique about all of us. Secondly, being able to hold a conversation and talk about yourself is vital when working with potential employers, clients, or coworkers. Your story, path, and life are interesting—share it with others!
Self-Deprecating Jokes or Negative Self-Talk
There’s no need to undermine yourself or your accomplishments, especially during a job interview. How might this behavior play out when answering “tell me a fun fact about yourself?”
Let’s say you lead up to your answer by saying something like “This might be weird, but…” or “I know this isn’t really fun, but…” This is negative self-talk.
If you think your fact is fun and it says something about who you are, say it with confidence.
Information That is Too Personal
Be sure to avoid facts that reveal personal information about yourself. If it is illegal for interviewers to ask about this information, you should avoid it as well. That’s right, you can keep your secrets and personal information to yourself.
Refrain from sharing a fact that could be used to discriminate against you in the hiring process. This includes stating your marital or parental status, your age, or your sexual identity, to name a few.
Unprofessional Moments or Anecdotes
While this question is supposed to be fun, remember that you’re in a professional setting interviewing for a job. Sharing what you did last weekend may not be appropriate or relevant in this case. You can also save your alcoholic drink of choice for a virtual happy hour—and you definitely don’t need to share the stupid thing you did when you were drunk on Saturday night. Keep it PG.
