Title:Sharing Fun Facts About Yourself: 22 Examples & Ideas
Author:Hannah Morgan
Date:June 2024
Source:Career Sherpa - Reprinted with permission
Asking to share some fun facts about yourself is a common icebreaker that's used during job interviews.
But the quality of your answer still matters.
This guide will help you come up with some ideas for crafting a response that starts the interview on a good note.
Ideas for Sharing Fun Facts About You
Knowing what to say when an interviewer asks for fun facts about yourself can be tricky. You've likely rehearsed common interview questions for your job, putting yourself in that professional mindset. But fun facts are a common way to break the ice, so being prepared for this will help you put your personality on full display and give the interviewer time to get to know you.
But what should you talk about? Here are several ideas to inspire your answer.
- Share an Unusual Hobby You Have
- Talk About a Quirky Skill You Have
- Mention a Unique Travel Experience
- Share your Top Bucket List Travel Destination
- Talk About Your Experience Growing Up in an Interesting Place
- Share Your Favorite Type of Cuisine or a Unique Dish You Love
- Mention Any Unusual Allergies You Have
- Share a Famous Person You'd Love to Have a Conversation With
- Talk About What You'd Do If You Won the Lottery
- Share an Embarrassing Moment That You Can Laugh About Now
- Mention a Cause or Charity You're Passionate About
- Tell a Funny Story About a Pet
- Speak About a Unique Collection You Have
- Tell a Story About a Crazy Weather Even You Were Caught In
- Share a Fun Fact About Your Family Heritage or Ancestry
- Go Into Detail About a Sport or Game You Excel at
- Share a Personal Accomplishment You're Proud of
- Mention a TV Show, Movie, or Book You Love
- Unveil Your "Anti-Bucket List"
- List Some Unique Jobs You've Had in the Past
- Give Your Opinion on the Best City You've Ever Visited
Tips for Answering This Interview Question
As you can see, there are many creative ideas for setting yourself apart from other candidates while giving the interviewer some fun facts about yourself. Don't be afraid to think outside the box and develop more ideas yourself.
But before you go into your interview, give your response some thought. While this question is more relaxed than others you'll answer, it still holds weight. How you respond can make or break your chances of moving forward in the hiring process, so you must develop a solid answer that leaves a memorable and positive impact.
Here are a few tips to help you do just that.
Read the Room
One of the most important tips we can give you is to read the room.
Sharing fun or interesting facts about yourself is a great opportunity to show your wit. A somewhat humorous response can break the tension and get a laugh out of the interviewer. Fun responses can often showcase your communication skills while telling interviewers you'll be a joy to work with.
However, those types of responses aren't always appropriate. It all depends on the interviewer's mood and the vibes of the meeting. The truth is that some interviewers take the process very seriously and prefer to keep things as professional as possible.
A more humorous approach to this question might work against you in those cases. Read the room and pay attention to your interviewer's demeanor. If they seem to treat this conversation more seriously, you might want to rethink your response.
Before your interview, it's a good idea to prepare a backup response. Have your standard fun fact response ready, but also consider preparing a more professional and work-focused one. For example, you can reflect on your work experience and discuss something unique, such as how many years you've been in this industry or big events you're proud of.
That backup answer will ensure you're not scrambling for ideas or creating an unwanted tonal shift during your meeting. Most interviewers don't mind a more lighthearted response unrelated to your career. But if you have a more serious interviewer, being well-prepared with a backup response makes all the difference.
A good rule of thumb is: the more senior the person you are interviewing with, the more serious your answer should be.
Focus on Showcasing Your Personality
This question is about showing off your personality, so don't hesitate to be creative. Of course, you should always remain professional. But interviewers want to see who you are. They're looking to learn more about who you are as a person, so stiff answers aren't ideal.
In many cases, an interesting answer may spark a more involved conversation before your interviewer gets into the serious questions. You may even find unique ways to connect with the person you're talking to, creating a great first impression that can take you far.
Tell the interviewer who you are, keep things light and show your personality.
Be Genuine
Honesty and authenticity can take you far in your career. Don't make the mistake of thinking that this question is a license to invent something! Be honest and show your authentic self.
Some think that the best approach to this request is to show interviewers who you think they want you to be. However, interviewers can detect inauthenticity from a mile away. You don't want to come off as a people-pleaser.
Stick to true fun facts and stories. You never know when your interviewer will ask for more details; the last thing you want is to get caught in a lie. Be genuine. There's no point in sharing made-up lies.
Don't Overthink Your Answer
Try not to overthink your answer. It's important to give your responses to all interview questions ample thought, and this one is no different. But things can backfire if you overthink something as simple as sharing fun facts about yourself.
Remember what this question is all about. It's to showcase your personality and make you more comfortable with the interview process. You can't do any of that if you're stressing over what you say.
While there are ways to get things wrong (we'll get into that soon), there's no real right or wrong answer here! You're talking about yourself, so don't stress over giving the "perfect" answer.
Keep It Professional
Of course, maintain professionalism at all times. Telling an interviewer some fun facts about yourself opens the door for a more relaxed conversation. It's a great way to break the ice, relieve tension, and have a more personable discussion with the interviewer.
However, that doesn't mean you can abandon professional decorum! There's still a right and wrong place for certain discussions and anecdotes. A job interview is not the place to throw caution to the wind. Avoid topics related to alcohol, drugs, arrests, guns or other criminal activities.
You're still trying to land a job. Be professional while still showcasing your personality.
Find Ways to Relate Your Response to Your Job
If possible, find creative ways to connect your response back to the job you're trying to land. This isn't a requirement—most interviewers aren't expecting that. Trying too hard to connect the job to your response may also come off as inauthentic.
But if you have a genuine fun fact that you can relate to the job, go for it! Doing so may make your response more memorable and cement your qualifications for the job.
For example, if you're interviewing for a leadership position, you can discuss unique times when you led a team to victory. For example, talk about your time as a drum major for your college marching band or as a captain for a competitive cheerleading team.
Those are fun facts that go double-duty. It's a glimpse into your past and personality and another opportunity to show why you deserve the job!
What You Shouldn't Say When Answering
Now that you have some inspiration for what you should say, let's review some potential mistakes. There's substantial flexibility when it comes to fun facts about yourself. It's a more relaxed moment in your interview, and you can get creative with what you say.
However, there are some instances when your response could harm your chances of moving forward or getting a job offer. Avoid these mistakes!
Avoid Anything Negative
Remember that you're still in a job interview. One of the biggest mistakes you can make with any question is shedding any negative light on your candidacy. Don't say anything that could indicate potential issues with your performance in this job.
For example, don't tell a crazy story about when you skipped work to go on a crazy bender! That would only raise red flags.
Steer Clear of Anything Too Personal
This question is not an invitation to get too deep or personal. Keep things light and fun. Avoid anything overly emotional or too personal to divulge to a stranger.
It's easy to reveal too much, and doing so can make interviewers question whether you're the right fit for the job.
Don't Veer Into Inappropriateness
Light, family-friendly humor is great. However, adult or crude humor is not.
Keep things appropriate and PG. There's no need to share details about your favorite alcoholic beverage, stupid mistakes you made in college, etc.
Don't Say "I Don't Know"
Finally, don't skirt this question by saying you don't have anything interesting to share. That's a quick way to kill the mood and turn the interviewer off.
There's something unique and fun about everyone. Even if you have to dig deep, always focus on sharing your personality. Saying, "Nothing is interesting about me," shows you lack confidence and likely have poor communication skills.
Conclusion
Telling an interviewer some fun facts about yourself is a great opportunity to break the ice and help them learn more about you. While this question might not seem as serious or important as others, it's still worth preparing for.
Use this resource to come up with some ideas you can use the next time you're asked. You'll be glad you did!
