So, tell me about yourself: How Erving Goffman and symbolic interactionism help us answer a difficult job interview question

Abstract

Applying the theories of Erving Goffman and symbolic interactionism, the author of this essay demonstrates how everyday experiences – such as a job interview and a train ride – can be understood through an interesting theoretical lens. This essay is structured around the trick version of a classic job interview question “tell me about yourself”. Three possible answers are then further analyzed using Erving Goffman and symbolic interactionism.