"Tell me about yourself" is one of the most common interview questions. It is typically asked at the beginning of an interview. It may seem like a simple question, but it can be challenging to answer concisely and effectively. How can you summarize your whole life in 30-60 seconds?
In my recent job search, this was the first question in every single interview. All of my interviews were video interviews for remote positions. I think this was a great way to give the interview a minute to get me talking while they gathered their thoughts and questions. I am sure the interviewers were quickly assessing whether or not I was a good fit based on my answer.
I had very good luck getting interviews off my online applications. Sometimes I had interview requests from companies that I wasn’t super interested in. So, I tried a few variations of my story to see how they were received and how confident I felt. I wanted to share my lessons learned with you.
Here are some tips to help you prepare for this question and ace your next interview. The key to a successful interview is preparation. Yes, many job seekers wing it. If you are well-prepared, you will go into the interview process with much more confidence. This is your chance to make a great first impression.
After you crush the “Tell me about yourself question,” you go into the rest of the interview feeling much more self-assured.
1. What makes you different or better?
The first thing you need to do is think about what makes you different and better than all the other candidates out there. Why should someone hire you over all the other people who apply? Which of your past experiences are most important to this job? In marketing, we call this your value proposition.
If you are in high school, the other students also have high GPAs and a list of clubs, activities, and sports on their resume.
If you are in college, you are competing with people with similar internships or related part-time jobs.
If you are already working full-time, there will be candidates with college degrees, management experience, or industry experience.
So, how do you compete? What sets you apart? Why are you a better fit for the job? You will have to craft a story to tell. This may take some time to figure out your main points. You better do it now rather than on the spot during the interview.
2. Begin with “Thank you.”
Before you go into your prepared story, take time to thank the interviewer.
First, I want to thank you for taking the time to meet with me today. I am so excited about this position with your company! It sounds like a great match for my skills and it also offers me room for growth…
Thank you so much for making time to meet with me. I am really excited about this position and want to learn more about the role…
First of all, thank you so much for reaching out about this role. I am eager to learn more about the role and the company and how I can contribute to your growth.
3. Study the job description.
You have a lifetime of experiences that you can draw from but only one to two minutes to answer the “Tell me about yourself” question. In addition to your personal value proposition, you want to link the elements in your story to the job description, the required soft skills and hard skills, and even the company culture.
These opening comments are your opportunity to tie your school or work experience to the job in a way that catches the hiring manager's interest. They may even have a checklist of skills they are looking for. You can check a few off in your opening remarks.
Identify three or four key skills, tasks, or responsibilities in the job description and find related work experience in your current role and your previous experience.
It’s also ok to share personal details that might be related to the job. Your volunteer work as a youth minister applies to a summer job as a camp counselor. Your passion for health and fitness could relate to a job in a vitamin supplement store.
Research the company’s core values. You might include several of those in your answer. If a company has teamwork as a core value, you can spotlight your time as a competitive athlete in high school or college. Your commitment to saving the planet would make you a great candidate for Patagonia.
You can create an outline or a simple formula for your “tell me about yourself” story and leave room to change a few details, relevant skills, or story components depending on each job description.
4. Choose your starting point.
This may vary depending on where you are in school or your career and how much of your background you want to share.
Most job seekers tend to start in the present with their current position and work backward chronologically.
In my current job as a sales representative for ABC company selling widgets, I am responsible for daily call activity, and meeting monthly and quarterly sales goals. I want to expand my role into the B2B space where the sale is more consultative. That is why this role on your sales team stood out to me.
Some job candidates return to childhood with a personal story demonstrating a long-standing interest in a specific field.
I’ve loved sales since I was a Girl Scout selling cookies and then in high school selling pizzas so our team could raise money to go to state! I enjoy interacting with all kinds of personalities and buying styles. It’s like each person is a pop quiz in selling!
If you are in college or a recent graduate, you can reference your degree, major, or related coursework.
I recently graduated with a finance degree from ABC University. I chose that field because I have always loved numbers. I was the treasurer of the student council in high school and the treasurer for my fraternity/sorority where I managed a budget of $X. I think my experience as a finance intern will directly relate to this role of financial analyst.
5. Highlight impressive metrics or awards.
One way to impress your potential employer and to differentiate yourself from other candidates is to mention any accomplishments that can be supported by metrics.
I saved the company $XX,000 by negotiating a better deal with our vendor.
I increased our social media impressions by X% once we started posting twice a day and better utilizing popular hashtags.
I am really proud of my customer service scores. My company conducts surveys to random customers after our calls, and I have the highest score of my team at 4.96 out of 5.
Another way to gain the interviewer’s interest at the start of the interview is to mention any awards you have won.
These could apply to you as a person where you are nominated by your peers or manager like employee of the month, star performer, most improved performer, etc.
You could win an award for your work via a third-party professional organization where you submit an award application.
Some companies offer incentive awards for reaching measurable goals like personal sales goals and top-performer programs.
6. Mention your career goals.
A great way to transition out of your past school or work experience in your story is to explain how this role fits the next step in your career. What are your future goals and how does this particular role fit in? What new challenges are you looking for?
I worked as a server at TGIFridays for three years during high school. I really enjoyed the lively atmosphere, the camaraderie among the team, and the breadth of the menu items. I learned a lot about restaurant operations and the importance of delivering a positive guest experience. I’d like to continue my hospitality career by moving into the fine dining experience.
7. What sets me apart…
A friend of mine shared this advice from a career counselor. I used this phrase to wrap up my story with a nice ending. It’s a great opportunity to reinforce why you are the best candidate for the job.
Go back to the first item I mentioned. What makes you different or better? It’s probably a combination of things from your personal life and work history.
What sets me apart from other candidates is my proven work ethic from my experience working for a landscaping company. You know how brutal St. Louis summers can be. I worked 10-12 hours daily and am prepared to work that hard for you.
8. Write your story.
If you want to be prepared for this interview question, you should write it down. Reading this blog and thinking about it in your head is not good enough.
Create a document with an outline that includes your basic story components. Write out several sample answers that you can change in and out depending on the job.
Thank you for your time today…
I’ve spent the last few years…
I’m really proud of…
Something that sets me apart…
If your interview is online via video and you have multiple monitors, have this document up so you can sneak a peek during the interview.
9. Tell me about yourself vs. elevator pitch.
In my opinion, these two things are very similar. They both tell your unique story. The biggest difference is when each is used.
“Tell me about yourself” is typically in a job interview. The hiring manager has a job description with a list of specific skills or experiences they are looking to find. So, ideally, this version of your story relates directly to the job description.
Your elevator pitch might come up in conversation as you meet people in real life and talk to teachers and professionals. In this case, there is no specific job description. A well-thought-out response can demonstrate strong communication skills and make a strong first impression.
Preparing your answer to the "Tell me about yourself" question is an excellent use of your time, even if you are not actively interviewing. It's a great conversation starter when you meet new business connections. Your answer will change as you grow, learn new things, and change jobs. Good luck!
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