How to Answer “Tell Me About Yourself” in a Job Interview

If there’s only one question I can almost guarantee you’ll be asked in your next job interview it’s: “Tell me about yourself.”

So many interview questions go in and out of style (I think the “strengths and weaknesses” question is on its way out). But “Tell me about yourself” doesn’t seem to be going anywhere anytime soon.

It’s not about if you’ll ever get asked “Tell me about yourself”, it’s about when.

Here’s what you need to know to answer “Tell me about yourself” in a job interview

How to Answer “Tell Me About Yourself” in a Job Interview

Use the Present-Past-Future formula

The Present-Past-Future formula encourages you to answer the question in the following order:

1. Present: What you’re currently doing (current role and relevant activities)
2. Past: What you’ve done previously (past job experience and skills gained)
3. Future: What you’d like to do next (future goals and career aspirations)

The key to successfully answering this question is to tell a story that’s relevant and concise. In general, you should aim to answer this question within 30 seconds to 2 minutes.

Since discovering this formula, I’ve used it in multiple job interviews and it has helped me stay on track with my answer and not forget any important points.

Connect your answer to the job in question

Employers ask this question to learn how you could be a good fit for the role. That’s why it’s important to always connect your answer back to the job description and the company’s vision.

For example: if you’re applying for a social media role at an architecture firm, they probably don’t need to know that your favourite animal is a giraffe!

Instead, you should ask yourself:

• What existing skills do I have that could be useful for this role?
• What previous experiences have I had that would help me in this role?
• What are the traits I have that would make me a good candidate?

Remember: your answer should be within 30 seconds to 2 minutes, so make sure to only include things about yourself that are useful for the employer to know.

Comms&Me Tip: Before an interview, download a copy of the job description and take note of the skills/experience you already have in common with the job description. In the interview, when asked “Tell me about yourself”, make sure to mention those common skills in your answer!

Don’t just recite your CV

A mistake some people make when answering “Tell me about yourself” is that they simply repeat their entire CV/résumé.

This may seem like the easiest way to answer this question, but this strategy may do more harm than good.

There are multiple reasons why I don’t recommend reciting your CV:

1. The employer already has a copy of your résumé, they don’t need you to be an audiobook narrator for it.
2. This is your biggest chance in the interview to fully express yourself and your skills. Most other interview questions are very pointed and specific, and they may not allow you to talk about your experience as much as you’d like. 
3. Repeating everything on your résumé can come across as robotic and disingenuous. If you’re in communication, this is a perfect opportunity to develop your answer and use your storytelling skills!

Should you be mentioning certain work experiences and skills already listed in your CV/résumé? YES. 

Should you be listing off every experience, task, and skill on your CV/résumé without thinking about what’s most important to mention in the small amount of time you have? NO.

Practice your answer

If you’re not already practicing for all different types of questions before an interview, then take this as your reminder!

But, especially “Tell me about yourself” should be practiced, because as I said, it’s highly likely you’ll get asked it in an interview.

When practicing your answer, make sure to develop answer that’s relevant and concise.

Comms&Me Tip: Set a timer to see how long it takes you to answer “Tell me about yourself”. If you’re anything like me, your answer may be way too long, or you might realize you should add more. Remember to keep your answer within 30 seconds to 2 minutes!

Do you feel ready now to answer “Tell me about yourself” in an interview?

Comment below if you have any tips for answering this common job interview question.Looking for more interview prep advice? Check out the 9 Interview Questions Communications Job Seekers Get Asked (+ How to Answer Them).