How to answer the “tell me about yourself” question in an interview
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Interviews are daunting for most but when the commonly asked “tell me about yourself” interview question is asked, this can throw you off. And this tends to be one of the very first questions posed to the interviewee, therefore will influence first impressions.
As this question is open ended, it’s trickly to know how to ace this question without waffling and sharing your life story. The stress of knowing what and how to say it can potentially throw you off and cause you to tank the interview. Fear not. In this article, we’ll share solid tips on how to answer the “tell me about yourself” question in an interview.
Once you’ve read this article, take a look at Example answers to the “tell me about yourself” interview question, for inspiration.
Why interviewers ask “tell me about yourself”
Before we dive into providing you with advice on how to craft your answer, let’s take a moment to understand why interviewers actually ask you this question.
To break the ice: Interviewers use this question to ease you into the conversation. Interviews are pretty daunting for most, so they try to break the ice by giving you a chance to share a bit about yourself before delving into more specific topics.
To test your communication skills: Regardless of the role, effective communication is crucial. They ask open-ended questions like this to reveal your ability to express yourself clearly and succinctly.
To see if you’ll be a good cultural fit: What you say and how you say it will give some insight into your character. The interviewer will use this to see whether you’ll be a good team fit and align with the company’s values. If they prioritize diversity, innovation, or sustainability, weave those themes into your response.
How is “tell me about yourself” is asked by interviewers
It’s worth noting that there are multiple ways how an
interviewer may ask this question, but it’s pretty much the same question.
Knowing this should help prepare you. Here are some variations of this
question:
“I have your CV/resume here in front of me. Could you walk me through this?”
“I have your CV/resume in front of me, but tell me about your journey”.
“What brings you to applying for this job?”
“Tell me a little bit about your background.”
What to include in your answer to “tell me about yourself” interview question
Ensure that you speak clearly, confidently and effectively, smile, attempt to mirror the interviewer’s body language where it’s positive and include the following in your answer:
1. Brief overview of your professional work experience
2. The present, i.e. your current role, briefly what you do and a recent achievement, keeping it very brief. If you’re currently out of work, mention you last role and what you’ve been doing since. You don’t need to justify why you had time out of employment or go in detail.
3. Your future aspirations, aligning this with the job specification you’re interviewing for. Briefly answer the “why”.
4. Reference to why you’re interviewing at the company for the role you’re interested in attempting to briefly tie in the research from the point above into this. This will prove that you’ve come to the interview prepared on what the role is and the company that you wish to work for.
Ending it with point 4 will naturally let the interviewer know why you’re there. Do allow the interviewer to ask questions while you’re go through points 1-4.
Six tips on how to answer "tell me about yourself" question
1. Read the room
When faced with an interview question or engaged in any conversation, it’s crucial to tailor your response to the audience. The ubiquitous “tell me about yourself” query may arise at various stages of a job interview, from initial phone screens to the ultimate round. However, this doesn’t mean you should deliver the same cookie-cutter answer every time.
Consider the audience you’re speaking with. If it’s a recruiter, they may not delve into the nitty-gritty technical details of your experience. Unless asked, focus on the big picture. Highlight your overall skills, experiences, and alignment with the company’s values.
If you’re speaking with your prospective boss, do feel free to get into your technical expertise. Discuss specific projects, technologies, and how your expertise directly contributes to team success.
If you’re speaking with senior leadership of the company you’re interviewing at, such as C-suite executives, emphasize how your abilities align with the company’s mission. Showcase how you can drive the organization forward.
Remember, context matters. Adapt your narrative to resonate with your audience and make a lasting impression.
2. Be professional
Keep your private personal matters out of the interview as much as possible. Avoid sharing personal details about your family and any unique hobbies as much as possible, even though this may be acceptable in certain cultures. It’s an interview so there will be time to share such matters once (hopefully) you get the role. It’s important to keep a professional tone throughout. Having said this, it’s important to be authentic to your personality and you can be friendly while being professional
Your answer should focus on your professional background, skills, and how they align with the job requirements.
3. Be positive
Depending on the real reason as to why you’re wishing to leave your last role, don’t badmouth your last/current employer or the role. You’re being judged during your interview so ensure a positive spin is put on any challenges your interviewer may already be aware of.
4. Don't ramble and go into unnecessary details, unless asked for
Be concise as much as possible. It’s so easy to talk a lot when nervous to fill in silence gaps or pauses in conversation. Always pause for a moment before answering the question. It shows you’re gathering your thoughts and that you think before you speak.
5. Be reasonably enthusiastic
Showing reasonable enthusiasm demonstrates you’re passionate about the role you’re interviewing for. Showing too little enthusiasm is likely to come across as you’re disinterested and won’t be keen to take on the role. On the other hand, showing too much enthusiasm may come across as a slightly cringy and can be interpreted as disingenuous. You’ll be able to determine what the right level of enthusiasm is required for the interview based on the interviewer’s approach and body language.
6. Memorize key points beforehand but don’t sound overly rehearsed
Coming across as authentic will be key in relaying any rehearsed points you may have memorized. Therefore, pause before answering any questions by the interviewer to show that you’re thinking on the spot.