Navigating a job interview often feels like a balancing act between humility and self-promotion. On the one hand, you want to showcase your strengths, but on the other, you don’t want to come off as arrogant or tooting your own horn. So when an interviewer asks: “How would you describe yourself?” or “How would your boss and coworkers describe you?” it can get tricky to respond.
What they’re looking for here is to get a sense of your interpersonal skills and overall personality traits. They want to see how you would fit in with current employees and the overall culture of the company.
At the end of the day, the interview is your opportunity to sway the jury—job seekers who can market themselves effectively are the ones that make an impression and ultimately get the job. So what should you do?
Thankfully, there’s a brand of interview questions that can (kind of) bridge this gap. When an interviewer asks you a question like, “How would your boss or coworkers describe you?” it’s your chance to use what others have said about you to talk about your own positive traits.
Tapping into the perspectives of your professional circle offers a multifaceted view of your professional persona. Harnessing feedback from performance reviews, gathering insights from peer interactions, or recalling impactful instances shared by supervisors and colleagues can make you shine in an interview setting. Sounds simple enough, right? But there are a few ways to do it and important things to keep in mind.
1. Quote a performance review
The easiest way to answer “How would your boss describe you?” is to paraphrase a recent positive performance review. By referencing specifically where you’re getting your information, it’ll be easier to describe yourself as “trustworthy, dedicated, and creative” without cringing.
You’ll also want to give some big-picture context about your role and responsibilities to fill in the gaps around your answer. Note: If your company does 360 reviews or otherwise includes peer feedback, you may also be able to use this strategy if you’re asked how your coworkers would describe you.
Example answers for referencing official performance reviews:
- “In my most recent performance review in April, my direct supervisor described me as someone who takes initiative and doesn’t shy away from hard problems. My role involves a lot of on-site implementation, and when things go wrong, I always do what I can to fix it first—rather than punting the problem back to the team immediately. I know she appreciates that about me.”
- “In my past performance reviews, my bosses have always highlighted how good I am at accounting for different individual preferences and building in contingencies if things go wrong. In my current job, I’m in charge of scheduling travel for several executives, and they’re always impressed that I know which plane seats they each prefer and always know which airline has the next flight to their destination in case they’re running behind schedule.”
2. Cite LinkedIn recommendations from former colleagues
Don’t have access to old performance reviews? Not to worry. You can also tap into professional reviews from websites like LinkedIn, as another valuable resource for insights from former colleagues or collaborators. Of course you’ll want to make sure that your former colleagues are comfortable writing you one first. As always, make sure to provide context on who the reviewer is and when/how you worked with them before citing the example.
Example answers for referencing LinkedIn recommendations:
- “In a recent LinkedIn review from my former colleague at Google, he described me as someone who is always striving to push projects to a higher quality level, and that I write with a strong authorial voice that elevates my work among my peers.”
- “My Linkedin recommendations describe me as someone who has a strong ability to project manage, collaborate with others, and thrive in a culture of ambiguity, which are all traits listed for this role in your job description.”
3. Tell a story and share the takeaways
Another way to answer this question is to start off with a story and conclude it with how your boss or coworkers would describe you. Since the inquiry is pretty open-ended, this is a great opportunity for you to share an experience or skill you know the hiring manager is looking for but haven’t had the chance to bring up yet.
Example answers that tell stories:
- “I think that my boss and coworkers would both describe me as a patient problem solver. I’m often the one they go to when they’re dealing with a particularly angry customer. For example, I once walked into the building and was immediately flagged down by a colleague who brought me to where my supervisor was being yelled at by a customer. My supervisor looked so happy to see me as I started to speak with the customer. Even though it took about 10 minutes of calmly going over his options and explaining the benefits of each, I was able to sell them an additional product that solved his issue and he left happy.”
- “One thing I’ve noticed is that I’m always the one people turn to for recommendations on how to handle a new event or program—the latest fundraiser that I just told you about would be one. I have a lot of institutional knowledge, which helps, but I think the reason people come to me is because I work through what a new program might look like very methodically. If you were to ask my colleagues, I’m confident they’d describe me as logical, organized, and meticulous.”
4. Name three positive traits with short examples for each
Coming up with stories can be tricky when you’re asked on the spot (which is why you should always have a few of them prepared). If you just can’t think of anything, here’s another approach. Try to think of three positive traits you bring to your work or workplace. Then, mention a short example after each. Your interviewer might even phrase this question as, “How would your boss describe you in three words?” or similar.
Example answers that name three traits:
- “I don’t want to speak for anyone else, but I’m pretty confident my colleagues would describe me as thoughtful—I’m the one in the office who remembers everyone’s birthdays—and hardworking, since I can always be relied on to get a big project over the finish line. My boss in particular would say I’m very knowledgeable about audience development—he often taps me to help out when someone on the team is having trouble engaging the audience for one of their products. That’s also why I kept taking on more and more responsibilities in that domain.”
- “I think my boss would describe me as engaging—last year, I got the highest ratings of all the trainers in our department—and a fast learner, since I’m usually one of the first people to be ready to deliver a new training program. She might also call me detail-oriented—I was always the one to point out grammar mistakes in our new presentation slides and now she makes it a point to send me the slides to check for issues before sharing them with the group.”
5. Highlight team dynamics
Instead of rattling off a list of adjectives about yourself, discuss how you contribute to team cohesion and productivity in your current role.
Example answer that highlights team dynamics:
- “My colleagues would describe me as someone who fosters a collaborative environment. I often initiate team-building exercises or facilitate open discussions during meetings to ensure everyone feels heard and valued.”
6. Emphasize leadership traits
Even if you're not in a managerial role, emphasize your leadership skills. This will make you stand out to employers without sounding like showing off or bragging necessarily, depending on how you word it.
Example answer that emphasizes leadership traits:
- “My coworkers see me as someone who takes initiative and leads by example. I’ve been entrusted with leading small teams during tight deadlines, showcasing my ability to motivate and guide others effectively.”
Presenting yourself in varied lights demonstrates versatility and a comprehensive understanding of your professional identity, providing a well-rounded picture to potential employers. Next time you get this question, you should be smiling because of what a great opportunity it presents to tell the interviewer pretty much anything you want about yourself, framed in a way that makes it easier for you to talk about. That’s what I call a win-win.
