“What would you like to know about us?”
When someone asks us a question, we rarely ask them to clarify exactly what it is they
want to know. Have you ever watched someone give a five-minute answer to the wrong
question—to a question they thought they heard but which wasn't actually asked? It's
painful.
Always clarify what the other person is looking for. If someone says, “Tell me about
yourself,” you could start with your birth—and talk for hours. Or, you could ask them
what part of your background
would most interest them, and start there.
When to use the question
When you are asked a general question that could
potentially require a long
answer.
When time is short and you want to be sure that your very brief answer will be
right on target.
Alternative versions of the question
“What part of my background interests you?”
“What aspect of that situation would you like me to focus on?”
“Before I answer that—have you had any experience with our organization in the
past?”
“What if I started by describing a couple of examples of recent work we've done
for clients like you?”
Follow-up questions
“Does that answer your question?”
“Is there anything else you'd like me to talk about?”
