How to Answer “Tell Me About Yourself” In an Interview
By Marta Gongos Answering the age-old “Tell me about yourself” interview question seems easy enough—who knows yourself better than you? But this is where most people mess up the job interview. Learn to confidently answer it stress-free by following our blog guide. The next time you hear “Tell me about yourself” you’ll know what to say to land a job.
Why the “Tell Me About Yourself” Interview Question Exists
Hiring managers ask this interview question to break the ice and ease the applicant into the conversation. Your response serves as the starting point for them to build on with their follow-up inquiries.
Read more: 11 Soft Skills Interview Questions Recruiters Should Ask
Other Variations of This Question
In some cases, hiring managers ask similar questions with the same purpose, such as:
- “Can you walk me through your resume?”
- “I’d love it if you tell me more about your background.”
- “Tell me something not on your resume.”
- “Describe yourself.”
- “Can you expound on your professional experience?”
When you hear any of these, answer the same way you would the classic “tell me about yourself” interview question.
Answering “Tell Me About Yourself” in 3 Steps
What should you include when answering this question? Your present, past, and future information. It’s a working format that’ll give the interviewer what they need to continue the interview.
Here’s a brief overview of what you should highlight.
1. Present: Start With a Powerful Brief Introduction
Set the tone by introducing your name, who you are, and what you do to grab the interviewer’s attention. Keep this part short but sweet enough to add relevant information that will keep them engaged and interested. This can include your current job role and what you do outside work—let your personality shine!
Here’s a “Tell me about yourself” example answer:
“My name is Amanda Crawford, and I’m a Social Media Manager at XYZ Company. I handle three clients and am responsible for managing their TikTok, Instagram, etc. During my three years here, I’ve managed to boost their online presence by 30%.”
2. Past: Highlight Your Professional Experience
Next, give the interviewer a background on how you got to where and who you are today. List past jobs and cite accomplishments demonstrating your strengths. For instance, mention how you improved employee engagement when you launched Project ABC.
If you want to touch on soft skills, recount the time you helped your team become more collaborative. The same logic applies when you want to focus on technical skills related to the job you’re applying for. Here’s a sample answer:
“I have a background in communications and took an internship with a marketing agency to learn new skills. I mainly shadowed employees and learned a lot about digital marketing, encouraging me to explore this field.“
Read more: How to Answer Situational Questions In An Interview
3. Future: Sell Your Pitch
End by looping back to the position and explaining why you’re the ideal candidate based on your background and skills. For reference, here’s a “Tell me about yourself” sample answer:
“I enjoy seeing data-based results in my work as a social media manager, and it helped me hone my analytical skills and organizational skills. However, I want to bring my expertise to the next level by taking on new challenges.”
“Tell Me About Yourself” Example Answers
Here’s a breakdown:
| Timeline | Description | “Tell Me About Yourself” Example Answers |
| Present | Begin by summarizing your job title, skills, hobbies, and passion. | “My name is Amanda Crawford, and I’m a Social Media Manager at XYZ Company. I handle three clients and am responsible for managing their TikTok, Instagram, etc. During my three years here, I managed to boost their online presence by 30%.” |
| Past | Share your journey and background with the interviewer, covering your education, previous roles, and more. | “I have a background in communications and took an internship with a marketing agency to learn new skills. I mainly shadowed employees and learned a lot about digital marketing, encouraging me to explore this field.“ |
| Future | End the answer by stating your goals—bonus points if you align with the employer! | “I enjoy my work as a social media manager, and it helped hone my analytical skills and organizational skills. However, I want to bring my expertise to the next level by taking on new challenges.” |
Image Source: Canva
Ace Your Interview with These Effective Tips
Enhance your interview preparation by including these tips. They’ll assist in getting you into the right mindset and feeling at ease on the interview day:
- Keep responses professional by sticking to the specific interview questions and relevant details; minimize sharing personal information whenever feasible.
- Avoid summarizing what’s written in your resume. Instead, elaborate on those points to showcase your social and communication skills.
- Create multiple “tell me more about yourself” example answers with different angles, which will be helpful when you’re applying for multiple positions.
- Practice with your friends. Avoid memorizing your “tell me about yourself” sample answer script, you might end up sounding robotic.
- Understand your experiences and what you can bring to the table so you can easily adjust answers to impress interviewers.
Image Source: Canva
Land Job Interviews Quickly With Ad Culture
Learning how to answer “Tell me about yourself” in an interview is one thing, applying the answers is another. The only way to see how well you fare is applying and going on interviews—which is where we can help.
Submit your resume to Ad Culture and broaden your chances of getting interviews from recruiters. Companies rely on us to find talented candidates to fill their ranks. We can help you look for the right position and organization for you to put your example answers to use. Get started by messaging us today!
