How do I answer “Tell me about yourself” in an interview?

Interviewers may ask "Tell me about yourself" in various ways, including: “Take me through your CV”, “Tell me a bit about your journey”, “Describe yourself”, or “Tell me a bit about your background”.

Regardless, once we recognise that, this question presents us with an excellent opportunity to cast a great first impression and ease ourselves into the interview.

When answering the question, it's essential to provide a concise yet comprehensive overview of our professional background, skills, and experiences. Too short and we haven’t given an overview of ourselves, too long and the interviewer will cut us off, leading to a non-optimal first impression. Here's a structured approach to crafting our response:

1.     Introduction: Start with a brief introduction of who we are, mentioning foundational, background details like where we are from or our education.

2.     Professional Experience: Highlight our relevant work experience, focusing on roles that are most relevant to the position we’re applying for. Discuss key responsibilities or/and accomplishments developed in one to two of our most suitable roles.

3.     Skills and Qualifications: If not covered in our professional experience, focus on specific skills and qualifications that are relevant to the job description. Items like certifications, technical skills, or unique strengths that set us apart as a candidate.

4.     Future Objectives: Briefly mention our career goals and how they align with the company's background and objectives. Express enthusiasm for the opportunity to contribute to the organisation's success.

5.     Closing Summary: Conclude by summarising how our background makes us a strong fit for the role.

This is just an outline of an approach. It will not work for everyone but remember to keep the response focused, engaging, and tailored to the position we’re applying for. Give an impression of your personality but emphasise our professional positions and qualifications. Avoid providing too many or overly personal details unrelated to the professional nature of the conversation and stay concise to ensure we capture the interviewer's attention effectively.

Lastly, if we can muster a bit of humour related to ourselves, this is a great way of casting a positive impression of our personalities. For example, I would have started this question noting where I am from and then joking about the small size of my home village.

If you would like to see some sample answers, Indeed has a good collection with similar key points.

If you would like help making your interview skills not the reason you aren’t getting offers – get in touch!