Answering the Tell Me About Yourself Job Interview Question

One of the most common questions, and often one of the first ones asked in an interview is “Tell me about yourself” or a similarly-phrased question.  The tell me about yourself job interview question is meant to help get the conversation started and put both the interviewer and candidate at ease.  But it’s an open-ended question, which can be overwhelming for job seekers since they often aren’t sure what information interviewers are looking for.  To help you with the tell me about yourself job interview question, here are some tips on how to answer it:

Tips for Answering the Tell Me About Yourself Job Interview Question

• Keeping in mind the requirements listed in the job description, come up with some of the most important points about your skills and experience that show you are an excellent fit for the job.
• Keep your answer brief initially. You can always go into more detail about your skills and experience later in the interview.  Also, when answering the tell me about yourself job interview question, hold off on explaining your personal interests and hobbies, at least initially.
• Be sure to express what interests you about the company and the job. Interviewers are looking for someone that is not only qualified, but is passionate about the role in question.
• Take this opportunity to show off some of the professional accomplishments you are most proud of. Show what you are bringing to the company and why they would be lucky to have you on their team.
• Don’t mention anything too personal or controversial. This includes topics such as religion, politics, your family life and other personal struggles that could turn off the interviewer.
• If you are currently employed, avoid mentioning anything negative about your current employer. An example of an appropriate answer for why you are leaving your current job is “I have learned so much in my current role, and want to continue to expand my skills and grow in a new role such as this one.”
• When you mention a certain skill, follow it up with a brief example of how you showed this skill in your past work experience. An example is “I have a knack for leadership, having managed a team of 20 customer service agents.  Under my direction, these agents were able to reduce the company’s customer response time by 30%.”

Tell Me About Yourself Job Interview Question Sample Answer

To help you get a better idea of what an appropriate response is, here is a tell me about yourself job interview question sample answer:

“I have over ten years’ experience as an insurance salesperson, at both smaller family-owned companies and some of the leading brokerages in the country.  At the last company I worked for, I reached top sales numbers in record time, getting 500 customers to switch to our insurance company in a matter of two months.  I am very personable, have a great rapport with customers, and get high satisfaction from introducing them to a product that will save them money and make their lives easier.  I was drawn to the special accommodations your company makes for customers, the customer-centric culture you promote among your staff, and reputation you have for success with your products. I feel my skills and experience would be an excellent match for this role, and allow me to contribute to your company’s continued success.”