How to Answer, ‘Tell Me About Yourself,’ in a Job Interview

25 Apr How to Answer, ‘Tell Me About Yourself,’ in a Job Interview

It’s one of the most frequently asked questions in interviews: “Tell me about yourself.” 

On the one hand, that means you can prepare to be asked that question and practice answers to be ready to tell a good story about yourself. 

On the other hand, what kind of information is best shared in an interview when this question is presented? It can stop someone in their tracks, even if it’s expected, because how often are we asked to give a summary of your personality to a stranger? 

Take a deep breath. It’s going to be ok: Here’s some advice on how to handle this question when it inevitably comes up. 

• Speak in present tense statements.  Talk about where you are today: What’s your current position, what you like about the job, what you’ve learned, any achievements of which you’re particularly proud and something that surprised you about the position. By providing a summary of your current place of employment, you’re providing insight into your abilities and daily tasks while easing into the conversation and getting warmed up. 

• Or, talk about where you’ve come from. How did you get here? Where did you go to school (at any level)? How did you become interested in this line of work? What inspired you to apply for this job? If you’ve been working for a while, talk about your career path, what you’ve learned from previous positions and what you’re hoping to learn should you be selected for this job. Paint a picture of your professional life that shows yesterday, today and tomorrow. 

• Talk about your passions. You’re a full person with interests outside the world of work. Talk about those interests! What books do you like to read, or what games do you like to play? Do you enjoy spending weekends with your family going on adventures or teaching your nieces and nephews new TikTok dances? On the surface it might not seem like this is directly connected to work, but it can hint to the hiring manager about different aspects of the position in which you might excel: creative thinking, attention to detail, a strong sense of commitment and a willingness to learn and try new things. 

• Whatever you discuss, keep it to the point. This is a warm-up question, to get you comfortable and increase your confidence, but it doesn’t need to be a full recitation of every interest you’ve ever had, or every task you’ve completed at every job, or all of your favorite things. Think about which approach you want to take before the interview starts and prepare some highlights. 

• Remember to tie your answer, if possible, to the job at hand. You want to find ways to connect your interests, your life and your work experience to the job for which you’re interviewing. It can be in small ways, but slowly and gradually start building your case for why you’re the one they want to hire — in fact, you’re the best possible person for the job because of how well it fits into your strengths and interests. However, you need to get there, create a path that leads directly from your experiences to their doorstep. 

From interview to interview, you can think about what felt comfortable, what made you confident and what anecdotes were well received by the interviewer. You’ll learn to tailor your answers to the company and position and might decide to mix things up from time to time, but at least you’ll know how to answer the question without stalling or suddenly forgetting all about your life. 

If you’re looking for a new opportunity and need some assistance, call LeadingEdge Personnel. We have great partner companies looking for hard-working people just like you and they’d like to get to know more about you. Call LeadingEdge today and let’s get to work!