How to Answer the Tricky “Tell Me About Yourself” Interview Question

It sounds like an innocent request.

“Tell me about yourself.”

However, your response to this in an interview could be bad enough to sink your chances of landing that job you’ve been after.

The difficult thing about telling an interviewer about yourself is it’s a very open question. Should you talk only about your career and professional objectives? Should you include a few personal details about your family and hobbies? Or should you “keep it real” and talk about your latest party weekend or personal drama?

It probably goes without saying that you should share too much personal information, as a hiring manager might see a “red flag” in your response. For instance, if you come off as young and restless, you interviewer might think you don’t want to stay with her or his company for very long.

Like everything else you say in the interview, your response to this question should be carefully calibrated to increase your chances of landing the job. That means brainstorming, writing and practicing a response to this seemingly innocent request.

Think about your “ideal response”

From the potential employer’s point-of-view, what is your most attractive quality? Is it your unique skill set? Is it your experience? Is it how you might fit into the company’s culture?

Once you’ve figured out what the company wants in you, work backwards to develop a response that drives that quality home. For instance, if the company is looking for a self-starter, let your interview know about your latest projects or long-term goals you are working toward.

Develop a script

It might seem a bit odd to write out “lines” that you are going to say, but doing so is a proven method for delivering an effective message later on. Start your response by talking about you past successes. Go on to talk about how you’ve gain skills and abilities in working toward those successes. Conclude by discussing how you’re looking to build on those successes with this particular company you are interviewing with.

Rehearse your message

Once again, it may feel odd to practice interview lines, but this preparation can pay off later. Rehearse with your script until you have a sense of confidence around what you want to stress in your response. Your script will help you remain on the right track, but you shouldn’t commit it to memory verbatim. You don’t want to sound rigid and rehearsed. It should come off as natural and in a normal speaking manner.

Even if you’re not asked this kind of question to start the interview, this planning process will enable you to focus on what you can provide a potential employer. Thinking about these personal details can also help you respond to other questions that might come up. The more you are able to talk about what you bring to the table, the better chance you will have at selling your services.

At Career Concepts, we work with job seekers to help the master every part of the hiring process. If you are looking for some assistance, please contact us today.