How to Answer to “Tell Me About Yourself” in an Interview

How to Answer to "Tell Me About Yourself" in an Interview

We know open-ended questions like this one can be nerve-wracking in an interview setting.

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Examples of the Best Answers The best answers to this request are honest, brief, and confidently delivered. Your goal is to share something interesting about yourself that illuminates who you are as a person and an employee. Come prepared with a few things to share and be sure to tie them to the skills and qualities that are most valuable in this job. When I’m not working, I like to spend time exploring with my dogs. I take them hiking, visiting historical sites, or even just walking around town. A surprising number of people are drawn to dogs, and I always enjoy talking with who I meet. I feel that communication is one of the most important aspects of my professional life as well. When talking with people, being able to guide the conversation in a particular direction is one of the ways I’ve been successful in different situations at the office. Why It Works: In addition to sharing a seemingly unrelated fact (“she likes dogs!”) this answer also establishes that the candidate enjoys talking with people and understands the importance of communication – a valued skill in many roles. I participate in charity walks several times a year. Recently, I did the Walk for Hunger and I have a few events planned for the summer and fall, as well. I walk for exercise with friends after work and on the weekends. I enjoy the fresh air, learning new routes, and connecting with new people. I also like the fundraising aspect, which has come in handy in my job. I’ve learned how to connect with people to increase their commitment to the cause. Why It Works: This answer ties the candidate’s hobbies back to skills that are useful on the job and demonstrates that they’re responsible, community-minded person. Also, hobbies that involve fitness activities demonstrate energy and a commitment to health. The past few years, I’ve gotten really into geocaching. I love the challenge of finding caches and spending time outdoors with friends. I like using my problem-solving skills to find the ones that are really well-hidden. Learning how people hide things – and where people are likely to look – has helped me tremendously in my design work. It’s all about learning to see things through someone else’s eyes. Why It Works: This answer demonstrates an ability to learn from experience and work as a team, as well as an adventurous spirit. Tips for Giving the Best Answer Transition to professional from personal. After sharing a few interesting personal aspects of your background, you can pivot to mentioning some key professional skills that would help you to add value if you were hired for your target job. Consider using phrases like "In addition to those interests and passions, my professional life is a huge part of who I am, so I'd like to talk a bit about some of the strengths that I would bring to this job." Share your expertise. Be ready to share three or four of the personal qualities, skills, and/or areas of expertise which would help you to excel in the job for which you are interviewing. Ultimately, you will want to mention several other strengths before the interview is over. Make a list of your strengths before you go into the interview, so you know what you will share. Look at the job description and match it with your skills. Then make sure you talk about the top few skills which make you an ideal candidate for the job. Be careful not to overwhelm the interviewer. After mentioning three or four strengths, you might mention that you have several other assets that you would like to discuss as the interview unfolds. At first, you should only mention the asset and allude only briefly to some proof of how you have tapped it to your advantage. For example, you might say that you love to give presentations and that this has helped you to generate lots of leads at sales dinners for prospective clients. Later in the interview, you will want to be more specific and detailed in discussing situations, interventions, or results flowing from your strengths. Be honest. It might be tempting to claim interest in hobbies or activities that seem like they’d appeal to the interviewer, but if you stretch the truth, it will become apparent pretty quickly. Get caught in a lie, and the interview will be over before it gets started. Worse, you could get hired and wind up spending years pretending that you’re an aspiring triathlete or competitive Scrabble player. What Not to Say Don’t share too much or too little information. The interviewer doesn't want to know everything about you, but disclosing too little can make him or her wonder why you aren't more open. Avoid potentially contentious subjects such as political or religious leanings, unless you are absolutely positive that your opinions would be well-received by your interviewer. Don’t talk about a hobby that might seem to be more important to you than your career. No employer wants to take a chance on hiring someone who will miss a lot of work or ask for extensive vacation time to pursue their passions outside of work. Avoid sharing personal information about your family. There is no need to discuss spouses, partners, children, or any other strictly personal information. Possible Follow-Up Questions What is your greatest strength? – Best Answers What is your greatest weakness? – Best Answers What motivates you? – Best Answers What are your goals for the future? – Best Answers Why do you want this job? – Best Answers Key Takeaways BE HONEST: Don’t claim hobbies and interests that aren’t your passions. TIE YOUR ANSWER TO THE JOB: Use your response to demonstrate skills and qualities that are valuable in the role. AVOID CONTROVERSY: Don’t talk about politics, religion, or anything that could cause offense. DON’T GET TOO PERSONAL: You don’t need to share information about your family or personal life.