How to Answer “Tell Me About Yourself” in a Job Interview

“Tell me about yourself.”

It’s usually the first question in a job interview, and it can cause job seekers a lot of anxiety. With awareness, preparation, and practice, candidates can learn to navigate this question with confidence, turning a potential stressor into an opportunity to shine.

In this article, we’ll explore why candidates find the common interview question stressful, why it’s important to prepare your answers in advance, and how to craft a concise, compelling narrative to set the tone for the rest of the interview.

Why the Question Causes Stress

Were your palms sweaty just thinking about an interviewer asking you to tell them about yourself? Here are four simple reasons why you may find yourself stressing over a response:

1. There’s No Direction. The question “Tell me about yourself” is incredibly open-ended, which means it doesn’t provide clear direction on what the interviewer is looking for. This ambiguity can leave candidates unsure of where to start and what to focus on in an answer.
2. You Might Be Overthinking It. The quest to give the “perfect” answer can lead some candidates to overthink their response, increasing stress and potentially causing them to freeze up in a state of analysis paralysis.
3. You Struggle with Self Promotion. Many candidates—particularly women—find it challenging to talk about their achievements without feeling like they are bragging or taking a sleezy sales tactic. Trying to figure out the right balance between confidence and humility can be incredibly stress-inducing.
4. It's Hard to Keep it Brief. How do you distill a lifetime of career achievements into a single, succinct answer? More experienced candidates may struggle with oversharing their entire career path rather than distilling their responses into a compelling, short story.

Preparation is Crucial for Success

While it may be tempting to improvise your response when sitting across from the interviewer, it’s important to prepare in advance so you can put your best foot forward. Remember, this is the first impression you’ll make on your potential boss, and it can be a lasting one. The way you respond to “Tell me about yourself” can lay the groundwork and set the tone for the rest of the interview. 

Here are five other reasons it’s important to craft a well-prepared answer and ensure you start the interview on a strong note:

1. It Demonstrates your Interest. A prepared answer indicates that you care about getting the job, you take the interview seriously and you are invested in presenting yourself in the best possible light.
2. It Showcases your Communication Skills. Many management and leadership roles require excellent communication skills. A prepared and well-structured answer shows you’re able to convey information clearly and concisely, which is an essential skill for any leader.
3. It Can Put You at Ease. Knowing exactly how you want to answer this question reduces interview anxiety and boosts your confidence. Confident candidates signal they have what it takes to solve the company’s most pressing problems.
4. It Lets You Control the Narrative. Preparation puts you in control of your career story, allowing you to guide the interview in a direction that plays to your strengths. This helps position you as the ideal candidate for the role.
5. It Helps You Tailor Your Response.  By preparing your opening interview statement in advance, you can customize it to highlight the aspects of your experience and skills that are most relevant to the position. You can incorporate how your values and vision align with the company’s culture, showcasing that you are a good fit for the team and organization.

How to Craft A Compelling Response

The question, “Tell me about yourself,” is a great opportunity to share a high-level overview of: 

• What you do now and your relevant professional background 
• Your unique differentiators, strengths that have helped you succeed, and key achievements. 
• Why you’re interested in this position at this particular company (include your passion and shared values)

How long should the response be? While there’s no set stopwatch or time limit, it’s best to keep your answer brief—no longer than a minute—to kick off a two-way discussion where you’ll have plenty of opportunity to share more about yourself later in the interview. Think of it like the appetizer to your main course.

This is not the time to launch into a 20-minute monologue about your life history. Nerves sometimes cause candidates to talk nonstop and ramble, leaving very little time for other questions and discussion. That type of response can send an unintended message that you lack good communications skills by signaling you’re more interested in speaking than listening, interacting or learning about the company. Instead, the goal is to leave the hiring manager with a few key takeaways about who you are, and convey interest in learning more. 

Some hiring managers love to hear about personal interests as a way to learn more about your personality, and some want to get down to business. Include a tidbit about your personal interests if you’re comfortable with it, but make it the garnish to the appetizer about your professional pursuits. 

Here’s an example response to the interview question “Tell me about yourself”: 

“I’m a digital marketer with 15 years of experience in the high tech industry, and I excel at growing startup brands to become household names. I’m currently at X company, where I lead our digital marketing strategy — from social media engagement to website development to email marketing — and I started my career on the agency side managing multiple clients in consumer electronics.

I’m known as the go-to problem solver during a crisis, I love motivating my team members, and I’m a perpetual learner, which is essential to stay on top of trends in the rapidly-moving digital space. These qualities helped me lead the team to win 3 industry awards last year, and we’ve grown our social community by 300 percent. 

I was excited to see an opening at X company, because I share your mission to make consumer tech accessible to all. Thanks for having me in, and I’m really interested to learn more about your needs for this role and share how I can make an impact.” 

Conclusion

While it may seem stressful at first, it’s important to prepare a customized, concise opening statement for each job interview. Preparing your answer for the “Tell me about yourself” question is not just about crafting a response; it’s about setting a positive tone, showcasing your relevance, demonstrating communication skills, and ultimately, positioning yourself as the ideal candidate for the position. 

Take the time to prepare, and let your first impression be a lasting one.