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How to Answer, 'Tell Me About Yourself,' in a Job Interview
What you should not say
- Starting with something personal like family or hobbies, or launching into your life story.
- Sharing the problems with your current job.
- Summarizing your resume, point-by-point. Assume that your interviewers read your resume before inviting you in for the interview.
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“Tell me about yourself”
... is one of the interview questions that most intimidates job seekers and one that most interviewers assume will be easy. It sounds straightforward — but as every job seeker knows, it’s not that simple.
What your interviewer is looking for
"Tell me about yourself" doesn’t mean “give me your complete history from birth until today.” It doesn’t even mean “walk me through your work history.” It means “give me a brief overview of who you are as a professional.”
Interviewers who ask this question are generally looking to get a broad overview of how you see yourself, as a sort of introduction or an icebreaker before starting to dive into the specifics.
"Tell me about yourself" - recommended answer
- Summarize where you are in your career, note anything distinctive about how you approach your work and end with a bit about what you’re looking for next.
- Your answer only needs to be about 1 minute long.
- Don’t drag yourself. This isn’t the time to explain you were fired from your last job or to confess your difficulties finding the right career path.
- Keep your focus professional, not personal.
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The reason for the question
Interviewers ask questions like "tell me about yourself " to determine if you're qualified to do the work and if you will fit in with the team.
How to Answer the Question
It might be a good idea to share something about yourself that is doesn't relate directly to your career.
For example, interests like running might represent that you are healthy and energetic. Pursuits like being an avid reader might showcase your intellectual leaning. Volunteer work will demonstrate your commitment to the welfare of your community.
The “present-past-future” formula
This is a simple formula to construct your response.
- Start with a short overview of where you are now (which could include your current job along with a reference to a personal hobby or passion).
- Reference how you got to where you are (you could mention education, or an important experience, internship or volunteer experience).
- Finish by describing a probable goal for the future.
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Why Interviewers Ask It
This introductory question serves as an icebreaker to lend an easy flow to the conversation. It helps the recruiter to get to know you in terms of hard and soft skills.
It’s a great opportunity to demonstrate that you can communicate clearly and effectively.
How to build your response
- Present: Talk a little bit about what your current role is, the scope of it, and possibly a recent achievement.
- Past: Tell the interviewer how you got there and/or mention a past experience that’s relevant to the job and company you’re applying for.
- Future: Continue with what you’re looking to do next and why you’re interested in this job.
Tailor Your Answer
Interviewers want to know how your answer about yourself is relevant to the position and company you’re applying for.
This is an opportunity to articulate why you’re interested and how your objective fulfills their goals. In order to do that, spend some time researching the company. If your answers resonate with them, it shows that you really understand the role.