It’s normal to choke up when someone asks you to talk about yourself. So when someone asks you to tell them something about yourself, it can feel like you immediately forget who you even are to begin with.
Interviewers asking you to describe yourself in three words is even more nerve-wracking. To fit yourself in a box by only using three words to describe yourself is hard, and you might ask yourself, “What words best describe me and what words do these recruiters want to hear?”
Luckily, there’s nothing to worry about!
Keep reading and check out some sample answers you can use to best describe yourself in three words that will surely impress your interviewers!
Key Takeaways
- The “describe yourself in 3 words” question is asked to find out where your priorities lie and what skills of yours will benefit the employer.
- To answer the question, think about your qualities and how you can use them for the job you have applied for.
- You can consider words that recruiters value the most, like passionate, organized, and goal-oriented.
- Some jobs will require you to answer with job-specific words to describe yourself.
- You shouldn’t answer with words such as amazing or awesome.
Why Do Employers Ask the Interview Question to Describe Yourself in 3 Words?
Employers will ask you to describe yourself in three words because they want to know more about you, your personality, and what makes you unique.
You having to answer using only three words allows employers to know what you value the most about your attributes and how those skills can help benefit their establishment.
Your answer will also tell your employers whether you’re a fast thinker or not.
The answers you give are important to them, as they will check if you would be a good fit for the company according to your description and whether you will fit in with the other coworkers.
How to Answer “Describe Yourself in 3 Words” in a Job Interview
To efficiently describe yourself in three words, you must first think about how you wish to portray yourself to the employer.
Think about what qualities you have, what you are best at, and how you can use those assets to convince the interviewer that you are the right fit for the job.
You should also consider what skills the job you are applying for has listed in the description.
Let’s say that you are applying for a teaching position. In that case, it is important to use words such as communicative, friendly, and patient to describe yourself, as these are qualities that people look for in teachers.
On the other hand, if you are applying to be a lawyer, for example, you could say that you are loyal, competent, and reliable.
Examples of Good Words You Can Use to Describe Yourself
When you describe yourself to the interviewer, it is important to use words that the company and employer will value.
You don’t need to remember 50 words to describe yourself, as you will usually only be asked to do so with three words instead.
The words you can use will vary depending on the job you are applying for.
To help you out, here are the top 10 good words that you can use to describe yourself:
- Passionate. Passion is important to show the recruiters that you love what you do.
- Patient. Patience is a virtue that everyone should have, especially in the workplace.
- Organized. Organizational skills are required in a work environment as they allow you to better prepare for projects and tasks.
- Considerate. Being considerate of your workplace, surroundings, and coworkers is important to create a comfortable working environment.
- Responsible. Taking responsibility while working is necessary in order to show your confidence and readiness to take accountability.
- Flexible. An attribute to consider is the option to be flexible. This lets the employer know that you are okay with any changes that the company needs you to undertake.
- Observant. Being able to observe everything around you is a skill that shows how well you are aware of your surroundings.
- Ambitious. Internal drive is important to keep yourself motivated to finish tasks and projects without losing interest.
- Motivated. Motivation and ambition go hand in hand. Staying motivated is what allows you to keep working.
- Disciplined. Showing that you’re disciplined is a great way to let recruiters know that you’ll never be late with deadlines and that you follow orders correctly.
Job-Specific Words to Describe Yourself
Besides considering how you see yourself, it is great to check what skills and attributes the job you’re applying for is looking for. Depending on the type of job, your answer may differ in order to give the employer what they are looking for in a new employee.
Check out job-specific words you can use to describe yourself in the section below!
Customer-Facing Jobs 
Tech-Related Jobs
Creative Jobs
Sales
Words to Avoid When Describing Yourself
It is important to differentiate between what words you can and can not use to describe yourself. There is a fine line between being confident and being braggy, and you should not cross it during the interview.
Some words you should avoid using when you describe yourself are:
- Amazing
- Awesome
- Humble
- Intelligent
This is because you need to show that you are confident, but not to the point that it seems annoying and makes the employer lose interest in you.
You don’t need to be funny when you describe yourself in three words, as it makes you seem unserious.
Except for this, you shouldn’t use three words that have the same meaning. This would include words like enthusiastic and passionate, motivated and ambitious, or convincing and persuasive, as they portray the same thing.
“Describe Yourself in 3 Words” Interview Question Sample Answers
Now that you have found out what words are best to use in your interview to describe yourself, you will also need to know how to use them.
Some “describe yourself in 3 words” sample questions and answers are:
#1. Enthusiastic, Approachable, and Flexible
A possible option to express yourself in these three words is:
“I consider myself a very enthusiastic person as I am always excited to start new projects and tasks. To finish these tasks as well as possible, it is important to discuss everything with my coworkers or teammates, which I have had no trouble with in the past, so I think I am very approachable. Sometimes these tasks may not be finished when I expected, or I might be asked to finish them sooner, which I have no problem with since I consider myself very flexible.”
#2. Passionate, Curious, and Analytical
To link these words together in an answer, you can say:
“I believe that I am very passionate about this job because it is something I have always wanted to do. This passion has also made me interested in learning about things I didn’t know before. I’m always looking forward to doing research and finding out more. This curiosity has given me the opportunity to become very analytical as well, for me to analyze the new information and use it to both my and the company’s advantage.”
#3. Confident, Organized, and Dedicated
You could say something along the lines of:
“As a very confident person, I believe in myself and my skill set and am willing to properly convey tips and rules while still staying true to myself. My dedication to the job allows me to become very organized to know what tasks to handle without getting caught up with a lot of projects at once.”
#4. Creative, Honest, and Efficient
Consider answering with the following:
“Efficiency is necessary to finish a job well. Quality should be before quantity, and I believe that my efficiency will showcase that. I am a really creative person, as in my previous jobs, I managed to come up with many ideas that benefited the company. All of this was done while still being honest with myself, my coworkers, and the company itself.”
#5. Friendly, Patient, and Engaged
To connect these words together, you could say:
“To get through the problem and find a solution for the customer, it is important to stay patient with them, which is a quality that I believe I own. Patience lets me stay more engaged with the customer, hear them out properly, and give them a solution while remaining friendly with them.”
#6. Detail Oriented, Good-listener, and Communicative
A good way to use these three words to describe yourself would be:
“I take pride in being detail-oriented, as I like to provide excellent customer service while explaining everything the customer might need and require. Communication is key and I take pride in the ability to listen to their issues well to help them with any problem they have with any product or the company.”
Final Thoughts
And that’s a wrap!
Try to tailor your chosen words to the job description and avoid inflating your ego. Staying humble while showing pride is the best combination when describing yourself in three words!
Hopefully, this guide has answered all your questions, and now you are ready to ease through every one of your interviews!
