It’s often the first question you’ll face in an interview: “Tell me about yourself.” This might sound straightforward, but many candidates find it a bit daunting. Where do you start? What do I say? What’s relevant? What do they want to hear? How much is too much?
Don’t worry, take a breath as with a little preparation, you’ll be able to answer this question confidently and leave a strong first impression. In this blog, we’ll break down how to approach this common interview question and make sure you stand out for all the right reasons.
Keep your answer concise, ideally in and around two minutes.
Why Do Interviewers Ask This Question?
Before diving into how to answer, a little background on the origins or why interviewers ask this question in the first place. It’s not just an icebreaker, even if it serves that purpose too. Hiring managers are looking for insight into your communication style, confidence, and how well you summarise your experiences. The aim of which is to gauge how you’ll present yourself in the workplace and ultimately how your background aligns with the role you’re currently interviewing for.
What to Include in Your Answer
When it comes to the “tell me about yourself” question, approach it as a short elevator pitch. You want to cover three main areas in my opinion: your background, your skills and experience, and of course why you’re excited about this opportunity.
1. Start with Your Professional Background
Offer a brief overview of your professional journey. Highlight key roles, and accomplishments, and make sure any experiences you mention align with the position you’re interviewing for. Focus on relevancy – you don’t need to go into detail about every job you’ve ever had.
For example:
“I have five years of experience in digital marketing, during that time I focused primarily on developing strategies to increase brand awareness and customer engagement. Recently, I’ve worked with a SaaS company, helping to grow online traffic by 30% over the last year.”
This introduces your expertise and experience while showing you’re capable of delivering results without going overboard with details.
2. Showcase Your Skills
Next up, tying in the key skills you’ve developed that make you a strong fit for the role. Make sure to highlight the skills that the employer values most, which you’ll be able to identify in the job description.
For instance:
“Throughout my career in digital marketing, I’ve honed my skills in SEO, content creation, and social media management. This equipped me with the skills to lead several projects from start to finish, working closely with cross-functional teams to meet business goals.”
With this example, you’re showing not just what you’ve done but also how those experiences have shaped your abilities – all while keeping it relevant to the job.
3. Wrap Up with Your Motivation
Wrap things up with explaining why you’re excited about this opportunity and how it fits into your long-term career goals. Employers want to know and value why you’re interested in their company, so take a moment to highlight what attracted you to the role.
For example:
“I’m really excited about this role because it will allow me to continue growing and developing in the SaaS space, while also taking on fresh challenges in a larger, more dynamic team. I admire your company’s focus on innovation, and I’m eager to bring my skills to help drive your next phase of growth.”
This shows the interviewer that you’ve done your homework and that you’re genuinely interested in what their company has to offer.
Things to Avoid
While it’s important to cover the right points, there are also a few things I would avoid when answering this question:
- Too Much Personal Information: Stick to professional topics. It’s fine to mention a hobby or interest to build rapport later in the conversation, however, the “tell me about yourself” question is not the place for an in-depth discussion about your personal life.
- Rehashing Your CV: Don’t just recite your CV word for word. The hiring manager/interviewer has already ready read your CV. Instead, take advantage of this opportunity to tell your story in a way that highlights your strengths and connects the dots for the interviewer.
- Rambling: Keep your answer concise, ideally in and around two minutes. You risk losing the interviewer’s attention if you go on too long.
Final Thoughts
The “tell me about yourself” question is your chance to set the tone for the interview and leave a great first impression. By focusing on your professional background, highlighting your key skills, and explaining your motivation for applying, you’ll answer this question confidently and effectively.
With a bit of practice before the interview, you’ll be confident when this question is asked and see it as a great opportunity to show why you’re the perfect fit for the job, right from the start
Finally, if you’re looking for assistance in finding your dream job, PE Global are here to help. We’ll guide you through the entire job-finding process. So, please get in touch or email queries@peglobal.net.
