Who Are Your Heroes?
When interviewers ask, “Who are your heroes?” they are not trying to take a walk with you down memory lane. What they are really inquiring about are your influences. The type of hero that you discuss can paint you in a certain light, so it is important that you formulate your answer to this question wisely.
Points to Emphasize
In properly answering questions about your heroes, there are a few points that you should emphasize.
- Clearly describe your heroes and your relation to them.
- Explain why they are your heroes.
- Share how they have influenced your life, decisions, career path, etc.
- Make a correlation between your heroes and the job you are applying for.
- Give a clear and concise answer and show a genuine connection.
Mistakes You Should Avoid
Properly answering this question can be tricky. Here are a few mistakes to avoid.
- Do not cut your answer short by just stating a name.
- Do not go into too great of detail about your heroes and explanations.
- Stay away from sharing a laundry list of heroes; give one or two and share their correlating characteristics.
- Do not focus on several characteristics that cannot be related to the position.
It is critical that you find a balance between the influence of your hero and how their characteristics relate to the job.
Sample Answer
A strong sample answer might sound like this:
My heroes are my grandmother and grandfather. They helped my mother raise me and were great role models. My grandmother was very organized and detail-oriented, always keeping the house clean and welcoming, and my grandfather was a hard-working, dedicated employee who would pride himself in giving his all and completing any task he set out to do. I try to exemplify those same characteristics in all aspects of my life, and I would love the opportunity to do so in this position.
Make sure that your answer is concise with strong support, and link it to the position. You will not only properly answer the question, but could gain the respect of the interviewer.
