How to answer “About Yourself” questions in interviews

Answering questions about yourself sounds like the easiest part of an interview, doesn’t it? You’re an expert in the subject; however, a lot can go wrong at this stage.

While discussing yourself can be enjoyable in casual settings, it often becomes challenging during an interview. This is often the first question an interviewer will ask, and your answer will form their first impression of you. A slip-up here can increase your nervousness and derail your flow for the rest of the interview, propelling the interviewer to think you are not a great fit.

Getting the “about you” interview questions right is an important moment. Done well can set yourself up for a smoother, more confident performance. We’ve compiled some advice to help get the most value from this open goal of a question. Explore our tips for crafting the perfect responses to this tricky interview question below:

Answering “about you” questions at a glance

First things first, make sure your answer is structured. A structured response will keep your interviewer engaged in your personal story and ensure you cover the relevant points.

By its nature, the parameters of “tell me about yourself” are broad. Open-ended questions can prompt candidates to overwhelm the interviewer with details. However, the interviewer is looking for some specific information. They want to know about:

1. Your relevant educational and professional background 
2. Key skills and expertise that directly relate to the job title
3. What are you looking for in your next role and why does this role appeal to you

With that in mind, let’s look at how you can and should use each point to promote yourself as a candidate.

1. Giving your educational and professional background

Begin with a brief overview. Only include your years of experience and qualifications that directly relate to the role. Refrain from mentioning a Saturday job you had when you were 15. For example, if you are applying for a Senior Digital Marketing Executive position, your summary might look like this:

“I am a business management graduate with a Masters in Digital Marketing. Since leaving university I have enjoyed a two year marketing career within the sports industry.”

This answer outlines only the educational and career history that could be useful for the role. By being concise and to the point, you keep the interviewer engaged and ready to hear your next point.

2. Outline your key, relevant skills

Time to highlight the expertise you have developed so far in your education and career. Again, you should focus primarily on the qualities that would benefit the role you are interviewing for. For instance:

“During my time in this industry so far, I have been able to apply what I learned during my Master’s, whilst further building on my digital marketing expertise.”

You must also be able to support this part of your answer with measurable examples, such as:

“I believe that my digital marketing skills are best showcased in an email marketing campaign I recently led. It resulted in a 10% increase in conversion rates.”

After this stage of your answer, you should have provided an overview of your relevant educational and professional background, in addition to providing examples of key skills, expertise, and evidence to back it all up.

3. What you are looking for in your next role and why does this role appeal to you

To conclude telling the interviewer “about yourself”, it’s time to clarify your career ambitions and what you want from the role.

It can be tempting to speak too much about the reasons you wish to leave your current employer. Instead, focus on succinctly explaining why you want this new role, at this organization. The golden rule for answering this point is to be positive and focused on the opportunity at hand. For example:

“My previous role and organization helped me develop the digital skills I have today. However, I believe that for the sake of progressing further, it’s now time to move on. I am looking for a more challenging role within a fast-paced global organization. Ideally, a role with plenty of room to grow as a marketing professional. That is why I was so pleased to be invited to interview for this role.”

Watch your language

Now you understand the specific content to cover when answering this question, it’s time to think about the language you use. Keep your words simple and, where possible, use action verbs to better distinguish your skills. Pay attention to action verbs, they infer leadership, drive, and confidence. These are qualities that you want an interviewer to associate with you.

Practice, practice, practice!

With preparation, you will be able to quash nervous verbal tics or negative body language. Practice answering this question in front of the mirror, to a camera, or with someone you trust to give honest feedback.

An example of the perfect answer

Taking each of these golden rules into consideration - an ideal answer to “Tell me about yourself” might sound something like this:

1. “I am a Business Management graduate with a Masters Degree in Digital Marketing. Since leaving university I have enjoyed a two year marketing career within the sports industry.

2. “During my time in this industry so far, I have been able to apply what I learned during my Master’s, whilst further building on my digital marketing expertise. I believe that my digital marketing skills are best showcased in an email marketing campaign I recently led. It resulted in a 10% increase in conversion rates.”

3. “My previous organization helped me develop the digital skills I have today. However, I believe that for the sake of progressing further, it’s now time to move on. I am looking for a more challenging role within a fast-paced global organization. Ideally, a role with plenty of room to grow as a marketing professional. That is why I was so pleased to be invited to interview for this role.”

The question “Tell me about yourself” is deceptively tricky to answer, but definitely possible. Get your interview off to a strong start by planning a relevant, concise and positive answer that shows your interviewer why you are sitting in front of them, and why your skills and experience deem you the best candidate for the job.

Put your interview skills to the test, search and apply for your next role.