Prepare for a Tell Me About Yourself Question

One of the most frequently asked questions at the beginning of an interview is usually ‘tell me about yourself’’. Although this may seem like a simple and straight forward question, for many it can be quite a daunting one due to its vagueness. Not only this, but it is often your first chance to impress and get the interview off to a good start. In this article, we will be giving you some useful tips to help you craft the perfect answer to this question and the reasons behind why this question is so commonly asked in an interview.

What are interviewers looking for?

First of all, why do interviewers ask this question? Well, it is a great way for them to determine how relevant your skills and experience are for the job position in an open-ended manner. They are looking for a way to get to know you better on a professional level while easing you into the interview process and setting the tone for the rest of the interview. It is important to remember that although this question is open to interpretation, you should discuss your professional life rather than delve into your personal information such as marital/family or financial status.

How should you structure your answer?

In terms of how you should go about answering this question, there is an effective structure known as the ‘elevator pitch’. This will help guide you in forming your response and allow you to sell yourself in an engaging way to the interviewer. The reason why they work so well in an interview is that they help to show what makes you or your expertise unique while being clear and concise. They can be tricky to get right, so make sure you spend time practising your answer before the interview whilst still sounding natural.

What shouldn’t you do?

One of the main things you should not be tempted to do when answering this question is to recite your resume. The interviewer already has a pretty good idea of what you wrote on there and wants to find out about you in more detail. It is also important to remember not to ramble on too long, you should practice your answer and make sure it is less than around 30 seconds. With careful preparation and targeting your answer to the company you are applying for, you should be able to demonstrate a quality answer that will make a good first impression, setting you up well for a successful interview.