Best way to answer ‘tell me about yourself’ interview question

In an interview, you’re always going to be asked about yourself. It’s one of the most common interview questions. It’s an opportunity for you to highlight all your best points and why you’re right for the role. Of all the interview questions, this is the one you should look forward to most.

But don’t walk in blind. Don’t try to wing it. Plan your answer carefully during your interview preparation.

How to answer ‘tell me about yourself’ in an interview

Keep it relevant to the role

This question isn’t an invitation to talk about your childhood, friends and family. Everything in your answer should be connected to the role. Talk about your past work experience, key skills and ambitions.

Summarise your most important experience

In your answer, you should give an overview of your career experience. But remember to keep it relevant. If you’re interviewing for an IT role, you don’t need to tell them about your bartender role back in college. Here are a few things to highlight in this part of your answer:

• How many years’ experience you have
• What relevant job roles you’ve had
• What industries you’ve worked in
• What you love most about your role

Talk about most recent relevant role

Include relevant hobbies

You can talk about your hobbies and interests in your answer… so long as they’re relevant to the role. So if you’re interviewing for a car sales role, it’s totally relevant to tell the interviewer you’ve been obsessed with cars since you were a kid. Although it’s a hobby, having that passion will make you a much better car salesperson.

Talk about your biggest achievements

As we said, this question is a chance to brag about yourself. So use this moment to talk about your greatest achievements. Where have you excelled? What are you really proud of? The best answers will include some facts and figures to bring your experience to life. 

Explain why you’re interested in the role

You want the hiring manager to know you’re passionate about the role. So it’s worth telling them what caught your eye about it. Many candidates will fail to show their enthusiasm. To them, it will be just another job interview. So make sure you make the interviewer feel special.

Example answer to ‘Tell us about yourself’ for a job as a carer

“I’ve always been a maternal person. I grew up with 2 younger siblings so I’ve always had that natural inclination to care for others. I’ve always known my work would be helping others in some way. I started my career as a carer in 2020 and I’ve been with the same company, Amber Care, ever since. I’ve worked with a variety of vulnerable people from elderly to terminally ill to hospital discharges. I really enjoy making their lives easier and forming connections with them. Although I’ve really enjoyed my time working for Amber Care, I’d like to work for a company that can offer more training and development. And I know your company has a great reputation for providing ongoing development for its carers.”

Your time to shine

In interviews, it’s important you seize any opportunities to shine. Don’t be shy. The interviewers want to hear how great you are. They want to hear what you have to offer. And it would be a shame for you to lose out on a job because you didn’t show enough passion. So really go for it! Don’t leave any doubt in their mind that you’re the best person for the job!

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