Telling about yourself interview

What to Say in a College Interview: Responding to ‘Tell Me About Yourself’

Your GPA and SAT don’t tell the full admissions story

Our chancing engine factors in extracurricular activities, demographics, and other holistic details. We’ll let you know what your chances are at your dream schools — and how to improve your chances!

Your GPA and SAT don’t tell the full admissions story

Our chancing engine factors in extracurricular activities, demographics, and other holistic details. We’ll let you know what your chances are at your dream schools — and how to improve your chances!

Your GPA and SAT don’t tell the full admissions story

Our chancing engine factors in extracurricular activities, demographic, and other holistic details.

Your GPA and SAT don’t tell the full admissions story

Our chancing engine factors in extracurricular activities, demographic, and other holistic details. We’ll let you know what your chances are at your dream schools — and how to improve your chances!

Your GPA and SAT don’t tell the full admissions story

Our chancing engine factors in extracurricular activities, demographic, and other holistic details. We’ll let you know what your chances are at your dream schools — and how to improve your chances!

What’s Covered:

Are you worried about your admissions interview? If so, you’re not alone. Many students stress over their admissions interview, and well-prepared students, like you, want to do as much as they can to prepare for the questions they will be asked ahead of time.

Fortunately, there’s one question you can always prepare for—the classic, “tell me about yourself.” Although this question may seem open-ended (and daunting), there is a specific formula you can use to answer this question with ease!

In this post, we’ll outline why this question is important, the topics you should cover in your answer, and a few example responses to inspire your preparation!

Setting the Tone

You should see the “tell me about yourself” prompt as an opportunity to show the interviewer your most important qualities and to describe how you might contribute to the school community. As with any interview you will have over the course of your career, college years and beyond, this prompt is meant to give the interviewer an idea of what qualities you offer that are relevant to the position at hand — in this case, as a member of that college’s matriculating class.

In brief, your answer should be part auto-ethnography, part forecast. Of course, you should talk about yourself and your background, but mostly as a vehicle through which you can deliver an accurate and appealing portrait of yourself as a productive and insightful member of the matriculating class. Stand-alone details and dead-end stories are rarely relevant in answers to this kind of question. That being said, you won’t want to sound like just another drone looking to fulfill their pre-med requirements wherever they can. While it’s good to avoid pointless details, you should work to connect your more unique experiences with your future goals.

Because this may well be the interviewer’s first question, it will set the tone for the rest of the interview. Be ready with a strong, but not overly rehearsed, answer. Keep in mind that this is not an invitation to share your life story or overly personal information with your interviewer; doing so will make you appear unprofessional and unprepared.

Topics to Cover

In your response, you should discuss:

In general, it is a good idea to begin by mentioning the area in which you grew up. Don’t spend too much time discussing the intricacies of your hometown and home life, but mention if you’ve lived there your whole life or moved around a lot, and, if possible, connect it to your interest in the college’s area, size, or campus.

Tell the interviewer about your prospective major, if you have one, or what your main area of interest is and what you hope to study. Also, describe a few personality traits (roughly three), which will allow you to segue into your academic areas of interest and extracurricular activities and why they are important to you. End your answer with why you want to attend that college.

Are your academics and extracurriculars strong enough for the schools you’re interested in? Calculate your admissions chances using our free admissions calculator.

4 Examples of How to Respond

Response #1

“ I grew up in a small town in Connecticut and have lived there my whole life, so I’d really love to experience city life in college. Since I live relatively close to New York, I’ve had the opportunity to visit a few times, and it has so much to offer, especially in terms of the literary scene. I love reading and writing, so I’m planning on majoring in English or journalism. Journalism seems like a good fit because I’m good at noticing details and know how to dig to the core of an issue.

I’m proud of my ability to persevere and overcome challenges. This year I was having a hard time in trig, but I met with the teacher outside of class and committed to studying for two hours a day, and ended up with an A in the class. I’m also really passionate about my interests, especially writing and foreign languages. That’s why I’m a columnist for my school newspaper and the president of the Spanish club.

I also tutor English and Spanish at an after-school program in my town. I’d love to attend NYU because it has such strong English and journalism programs. I’m also interested in foreign languages, and I hear NYU has an amazing study abroad program. Plus, as I mentioned earlier, New York is such an amazing city, especially for an aspiring writer.”

In this response, the interviewee touches on the topics relevant to her interests and qualifications for the school. She discusses her background and connects it to why NYU and the candidate are well fitted to each other, explaining her interests in English, writing, and foreign languages, what she has done to explore them both inside and outside school, and how she can continue to pursue them in college.

She also makes it clear what attributes of NYU appeal to her. Additionally, she reveals some attributes that make her unique and avoids offering cliché personality traits. She provides examples that illustrate these attributes, such as her ability to persevere and overcome obstacles in a challenging course, also demonstrating her ability to turn a negative into a positive.

Response #2

“I was born in Los Angeles, but m oved to New Mexico during elementary school. I frequently visited family in L.A. during my childhood. During my trips to Los Angeles, my aunt would take me to see musicals at the Orpheum Theatre, which sparked my love for drama and theatre arts. Since then, I’ve been in over 30 musicals at my school and local theatre, including my favorite role, Maria in The Sound of Music. I’m planning to major in musical theatre because I’m a talented singer and dancer, and I’m confident in my own skin, both on-stage and off-stage.

I wasn’t always confident, though. Despite my passion for theatre, I was incredibly shy as a child. It took me several years to work up the courage to even audition for a show. I am grateful for how my involvement in theatre has helped me grow into a well-rounded person and skilled communicator. Aside from theatre, I’m really passionate about reading. I started a book club at my high school that meets weekly, and I also run a book blog, where I analyze and review novels I read.

I also work as an instructor for elementary-aged students at a local dance studio. I’d love to attend UCLA because the prestigious Ray Bolger Musical Theater Program will give me the opportunity to grow and develop my skills as an actress. As an avid reader, I’m also extremely interested in UCLA’s Comparative Literature minor. Plus, Los Angeles is the ideal location for an aspiring actress to launch into her career.”

In this response, the interviewee explains why her background is relevant to her interests, goals, and the school. She highlights her major of interest, musical theatre, and explains how her involvement in theatre has helped her develop into a well-rounded, skilled communicator—some of her key personality traits.

She also shares about her academic and extracurricular interests, how she has explored them both in and out of school, and her plans for continuing them in college. Most importantly, she gives relevant reasons for why she’s interested in attending UCLA related to the university’s programs, classes, and location.

Response #3

“I come from three generations of farmers. My family lives on a corn farm in a small town in Nebraska. I always thought I would be a farmer, just like my dad, until my family took a vacation to Hawaii after my freshman year of high school. We went snorkeling almost every day, and I became fascinated with marine life. When we returned home, I started researching marine biology majors, and since then, I’ve been set on studying marine biology at the University of Maine.

Aside from my interest in aquatic life, I’m very observant and good with numbers. I think these qualities will make a marine biology major a good fit for me. Last year, I became scuba certified, and I started bi-weekly diving lessons at the nearest scuba diving school in Nebraska. It’s a 75-minute drive from where I live, so I’m proud of my determination to continue attending the classes, even when they conflict with my busy schedule. I also play on the football and basketball teams, am the student council secretary, and help my dad on the farm on the weekends.

I’d love to attend the University of Maine because it has such a large concentration of professors who specialize in marine sciences who I can learn from, and access to two research centers, the Darling Marine Center and Aquaculture Research Center. And after spending 18 years of my life landlocked in Nebraska, I am excited for the chance to live near the coast!”

In this response, the interviewee explains how his background has impacted his interest in his major, marine biology, and his interest in the university. Aside from sharing that he is observant and good with numbers, this student also shares a personal story that showcases one of his best character qualities, determination.

The student also shares some of his on-campus and off-campus extracurriculars to showcase that he is well-rounded. He ends with a compelling argument for why the University of Maine is a great fit for him, and why he is a great fit for the school.

Response #4

“I grew up in Atlanta, and my family spends every summer at Tybee Island. I love that Savannah offers a small-town feel with plenty of history, art, and culture. It’s a refreshing reprieve from the big city, and it also provides ample opportunity for an aspiring artist.

I’ve been artistic for as long as I can remember, and growing up, I was always painting, sketching, or drawing. When I was young, my dream was to move to Paris after high school to be an artist. I started taking French in eighth grade, and now, I’m nearly fluent. However, as college neared, my pragmatic side convinced me to attend college and get a degree that led to a secure career path. Graphic design seemed like a great option because it would give me an avenue to pursue art while still fulfilling my entrepreneurial spirit.

SCAD’s graphic design program is appealing to me because I would have access to an esteemed network of alumni, learn from industry-leading entrepreneurs, and have the chance to work in the in-house design studio for well-known brands. Plus, I’m also interested in studying abroad at SCAD Lacoste to practice my French and fulfill my dream of creating art in France!”

In this response, the interviewee explains how her background led her to discover both her major, graphic design, and SCAD. The student highlights her qualifications as an artist, while also highlighting the qualities that would make her a great businesswoman—practicality and an entrepreneurial spirit.

The student also highlights why she’s interested in attending SCAD, and highlights how she’s a great candidate for a specialized program the university offers, a study-abroad program in France.

How to Answer the «Tell Me About Yourself» Interview Question

“So, tell me a little about yourself.”

This common interview prompt inspires dread for many internship and first-time job seekers. It’s such a simple phrase, but you have no idea what the interviewer wants to hear. To make matters worse, every job opening today gets an average of 250 applications, and out of that group, only 4–6 people get in front of an interviewer. So if you do manage to score an interview, you’re up against some pretty impressive candidates—at least on paper.

Is this mission impossible? Absolutely not. You just have to be prepared and practice.

Today, we’ll show you how to stand out from the pack by coming up with a great response to that much-feared question: “Tell me about yourself.”

Here’s what we’ll be covering:

All about you: the basics of a great response

A top-notch answer for “Tell me about yourself”:

“Tell me about yourself” sample answers

Before we get into the do’s, don’ts, and nitty gritty, let’s look at some sample responses. Rachel Meyer, Director of Talent Management with Travelers Haven, provides this example of a great answer.

Example 1: Marketing internship

Example 2: Entry-level event planner

And don’t worry if you’re lacking in the experience department. Here’s a good example for sometime with little experience applying to a sales position.

Example 3: Sales representative with little experience

Tips and tricks

Now that you know the basics and have reviewed a few strong examples, let’s start putting together the building blocks for creating your own unique, super-awesome “Tell me…” answer. Here are our top five tips and tricks.

Different wording. Same answer. You know what to do.

Why employers ask, “Tell me about yourself”

By now you understand how to answer, “Tell me about yourself,” but you’re probably still wondering why employers ask it in the first place. Every employer wants to find and hire the perfect candidate. But above all else, they want to avoid making a bad hire.

So, where are we going with this? Employers want to know about you because they want to avoid this costly error. When you respond to, “Tell me about yourself,” you need to show that you’re definitely not that bad hire. And you can do that by connecting your qualifications, talents, and experiences to what you can do for them.

Sarah Dabby, Head of Talent at ClickTime, a rapidly growing SaaS company in San Francisco, sums up the recruiter’s perspective: “A company is posting a job because they have a need. Put the company’s needs first and demonstrate how you can fill that need.”

When formulating any answer, ask yourself, “Am I directly saying how I can help this business?”

What not to say

You understand what to say in the interview, but it’s important to know what not to say and do, too. Here are the most common mistakes candidates make when answering “Tell me about yourself.”

1. Winging it.

As internships and jobs grow increasingly competitive, candidates need to be better prepared for their interviews than ever before. You need a strategy for demonstrating how you’re different from the other candidates but exactly like the company’s ideal candidate. As Mickey Swortzel, Co-Founder of the New Eagle family of businesses in Ann Arbor, MI, states, “You need to think about the message that you leave with the interviewer. What makes you different?”

2. Sharing your autobiography.

When asked to talk about themselves, too many candidates launch into their full life story or re-state their cover letter. Instead, keep it brief and relevant. Meyer notes, “The most common, and biggest, mistake I come across is candidates who talk about themselves in a way that doesn’t relate to the role they’re interviewing for. It tells me they aren’t sure what they’re looking for and aren’t serious about the position.”

3. Oversharing.

We’ve all met people who feel compelled to explain why they couldn’t get along with classmates or former colleagues, or who want to tell you every detail of their personal lives. This type of oversharing is another way people knock themselves out of contention for good positions.

With those egregious errors in mind, let’s take a look at a fairly ordinary “what not to say” response.

This answer is less than stellar for several reasons. It’s a personal bio, rather than a solution to a business challenge, and the interviewee focuses too much on what’s in it for her (i.e., “a fun company that challenges me”). Interviewers want someone who is interested in helping them and their company.

“What if …?” caveats and special situations

For an executive with 25 years of experience, there’s a lot to talk about when it comes to her career and how she’ll help the company. But let’s look at what everyone else can do to ensure they have a strong answer.

1. “I have no experience.”

It’s the common catch-22 for students and new grads looking for internships and first jobs: You can’t get a job without experience, but you can’t get experience without a job. Not to worry; there are several ways to address this challenge.

Rogowski suggests talking about relevant experience outside of the classroom: “If you’re going for a nursing role, talk about volunteering. If it’s IT, talk about hackathons.”

You can also bring in work experience from unrelated entry-level jobs. According to Pew Research, less than 44% of 18- and 19-year-olds now have summer jobs. A proven history of reliability and teamwork—even if it was developed at entry-level or volunteer jobs—separates you from your never-employed competitors.

2. “I’m still in college.”

As a current student or recent graduate, it’s perfectly acceptable to focus on what you learned in college in your “Tell me about yourself” answer. Just don’t lose sight of the fact that a company wants to know what you can do for them. That humanities course that sparked your love of Russian literature? Great for you personally, but probably not of interest to them professionally.

Keep your answers limited to the position. For example, for a finance internship, good themes to hit on include your coursework in corporate finance or banking and/or a description of any experience you have using relevant financial software.

3. “I’m changing fields.”

Not every new graduate is 22 years old. Some people want to change career paths after years (or even decades) in a particular industry and have no idea how to express themselves without giving a full autobiography. If you’re in this situation, you want to incorporate why you decided to make a change.

Meyer recommends that you “walk the interviewer through what inspired the change” and “why this new industry is a better fit for you.” As with internships, employers look for clues that you want their job, not just any job. And one last thing: Career changers sometimes unintentionally disqualify themselves. Even if you left an old field because you were burned out, never say that in an interview.

Whether you stay at your current company or eventually move on, a successful career is built on your ability to “Tell me about yourself” again and again. At this point, you’re ready to go. You can check out our general interview tips to get a feel for what else to expect.

Check out our other interview question articles. Learn how to answer:

12 “TELL ME ABOUT YOURSELF” ANSWERS!

Pass YOUR interview at the first attempt!

Here’s the FULL LIST of the 12 “TELL ME ABOUT YOURSELF” ANSWERS! :

“Thank you for the opportunity to be interviewed for this position today. The skills and qualities I have are all a match for the job description. I am a strong communicator, I have experience of working closely as part of a team, I always take ownership of difficult challenges, and because I am a fast learner, I will be able to quickly add value to your team. I have lots of experience working in roles where the need to take care of customers was the priority and my academic qualifications are suited to this position and industry. I have a strong track record of achievement. In my last role for example, I worked as part of a team that helped the company win a lucrative sales contract and I often received praise from my manager for coming up with ideas to help the business grow. I am the type of employee that will be flexible to help your business when needed, I will embrace change with a positive mindset, and I will always take responsibility for my ongoing professional development.”

“There are two achievements that I am particularly proud of. The first significant achievement is helping my last employer win an important sales contract. This contract helped the company to increase sales by 17%, and it was a great achievement because the team I was a part of worked tirelessly together to put forward the best proposal. The second significant achievement I am proud of is my family. I have a brilliant partner and daughter who I am very proud of. We are all very happy together and healthy and I see this as a really good achievement because if your family are happy and secure, everything else fits into place.”

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Purchase the full package below for just CHF4.99 to download the answer to this and all of the interview questions featured on this page!

Purchase the full package below for just CHF4.99 to download the answer to this and all of the interview questions featured on this page!

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Now INSTANTLY download the 12 suggested ANSWERS to the TOUGH INTERVIEW QUESTION “TELL ME ABOUT YOURSELF” and PASS your interview!

Why it is so important to give a brilliant and confident answer to the interview question ‘tell me about yourself?’

First impressions are everything! If you give a weak answer that lacks quality and confidence the hiring manager is going to be put off from hiring you early on in the interview.

Tell me about yourself will be the first question you must answer, so it is imperative you practice your response before you attend your interview.

How do you STRUCTURE your answer to the interview question tell me about yourself to gain the highest scores achievable?

Our advice is to use the S.E.A.T format.

S.E.A.T stands for Skills and qualities, Experience and or Educational qualifications, Achievements you have gained in your life so far, and the Type of person you will be for their company.

So, when the interviewer asks you the interview question, tell me about yourself, you start your answer and you:

S.E.A.T is such a great structure to use when answering the interview question, tell me about yourself because when you are sitting down in the interview SEAT you can easily remember it!

4 TIPS FOR PASSING YOUR INTERVIEW!

INTERVIEW TIP #1

Treat the interview like a ‘meeting’ with a prospective employer. A job interview is just a meeting to examine your suitability for the role as well as to determine if you want to work for them! Your anxieties and nervousness will drastically decrease once you start treating the interview like a meeting.

INTERVIEW TIP #2

Perform a mock interview before your actual one, practising your answer to the crucial question, ‘tell me about yourself’ again and again until you perfect it. This is excellent advice, as practising your response to this difficult interview question can greatly improve your chances of success. Use the answers on this page as a starting point for developing your own based on your talents, attributes, and experience.

INTERVIEW TIP #3

Put on a smart and formal outfit to wear to your interview. Wearing a suit or professional dress to your job interview, regardless of what anyone else says, will help you make a good first impression. It doesn’t matter what role you’re interviewing for; if you put effort into your look, it shows the hiring manager that you care and are genuinely interested in the position.

INTERVIEW TIP #4

Make sure you use the SEAT format to answer the interview question, ‘tell me about yourself’ that is mentioned on this page. The SEAT format will enable you to be the standout candidate when answering this first interview question. On this page, Richard has provided 12 brilliant answers to the interview question ‘tell me about yourself’ that are guaranteed to impress the hiring manager and give you the edge in your interview!

DOWNLOAD RICHARD MCMUNN’S 12 “TELL ME ABOUT YOURSELF” ANSWERS BELOW!

Can you tell us something about yourself?

Though often the first question in an interview, you should not consider it a mere ice-breaker. In some cases, it can be the only question the principal will ask you. You introduce yourself, say the right things, and they offer you a job. That’s a dream scenario though…

More often than not, you will have to deal with many other questions down the road. But everything starts here, with a question you expect, and can prepare for in advance. What should you focus on while introducing yourself to the hiring committee?

In my opinion, you should not spend fifteen minutes answering the question, narrating in great detail your education and teaching experience. On the contrary, you should focus on a few crucial points—your strengths (more on it later on), and add a detail or two from your personal life (whether you have a family, what you enjoy to do in your spare time, etc). Just to show them that you are in for an open an honest discussion, and have some life outside of work as well.

Let’s have a look at 7 sample answers to the question now. I tried to include answers for both fresh graduates and veteran teachers, adding some unconventional answers to the mix. Do not forget to check also the content below the list of answers, for additional hints on how to impress the interviewing panel, and the school principal.

7 sample answers to “Tell me about yourself” interview question for teachers

* Special tip : Don’t forget that “Tell me about yourself” is actually one of the easiest questions you will face in your interview for a teaching job. Have a look at the new edition of our eBook, Teacher Interview Guide, for multiple brilliant answers to all 40 teacher interview questions, including tricky situational questions. In a few hours from now you can be ready for every question they may possibly throw at you. Thank you for checking it out!

Special Tip no. 2: Want to read this later, or right before the start of your interview? You can download top 3 answers in a simple one page long PDF, print it and practice anytime later:

Best sample answers, PDF

Non-verbal communication is equally important, especially at the start of your interview

The last thing any school principal wants is getting onboard a teacher who doesn’t enjoy their profession anymore, someone full of negativity. I sincerely hope it is not your case. Even if it is, however, or you happen to stand somewhere in the middle, try to sound more optimistic while introducing yourself.

Speak with enthusiasm about your education, experience, and expectations. They should get an impression that you still see teaching as a meaningful profession, and want to make a positive difference in the lives of your students. In a way you should sound pumped-up in this interview. This is a school where you want to work, and you cannot wait to get the most out of your opportunity to interview with the principal (or with anyone else leading the meeting). First impression is made only once. Remember it while introducing yourself.

Show your creativeness with a format of your answer

Most people will start their introduction in the following one: “My name is XYZ, I am XY years old, I’ve studied at ABC University, etc.” And while it isn’t a bad opening, and you can certainly win many points with such–if you elaborate on it with something meaningful, you can also try to approach the question in a more creative way.

Why not introducing yourself with three adjectives only? Or with one short but powerful sentence that conveys the most important message you have to tell? Alternatively you can start with words of praise–something that every leader loves to hear–saying how much it means to you to interview for a job at such a great school. Be creative and stand out from the crowd. In many cases that’s the most important thing to do in the interviews…

Ready to answer this one? Check also 7 sample answers to other tricky teacher interview questions:

It’s an open-ended question which stumps many graduates, but all of us at some point will face the classic job interview question “why don’t you start by telling me a little bit about yourself?”

It seems simple, but when it comes down to it graduates often find themselves wondering, what does the interviewer really want to know and how much should I be ‘telling’?

Planning your answer to this common question is important to ensure you are fully prepared on the day. Write your answer down and practice reading over it a few times, adding any key points as you go.

It is a good idea to ask your parents, a sibling or a friend to test you afterwards and give you tips on areas for improvement. Read our complete guide to graduate Interview Questions where we answer other common interview questions, with examples and video guides!

Scroll straight to the bottom of the page to see a quick, summary video of how to answer!

Why do employers ask «tell me about yourself»?

1. To get up to speed

While the hours spent poring over your graduate CV means you know it like the back of your hand, keep in mind that an employer won’t be so clued up.

Remember, in the time between first reviewing your graduate CV and inviting you to interview, your interviewer has most probably had a hundred and one other things to consider.

It’s your job to focus their attention back to why they invited you to interview in the first place.

2. To get you talking

The key to interview success is not just down what you say, but how you say it. Whatever graduate job you go for, you’ll need to be ready to interact with a range of different people.

This could be anything from presenting new ideas to clients and explaining difficult concepts, to chasing up your colleagues on a project or persuading customers to buy.

3. To understand why you’re the best

Looking for graduate jobs? Search and apply for jobs today, and register to our website to receive job alerts tailored to your search preferences!

Feeling lucky? Enter one of our monthly competitions to win vouchers, cash prizes, and more! From student writing competitions to YouTube vlogging contests.

Can you tell me about yourself sample answer

Seeing an example answer can be helpful when planning your own answers to common interview questions, and although each graduate’s response will be very different to one another, it is useful to have a good idea on how best to structure your response. Here is how a Grad student applying for a Digital Marketing Assistant role might answer the question:

«I’m [first name] from [area], I studied Marketing Communications at Bournemouth University and have recently graduated with a 2.1.

I am keen to pursue a career in digital marketing, having completed my dissertation on ‘The Impact of Digital Marketing on Businesses Today’, for which I analysed the digital marketing strategies of 10 businesses, giving me a sound understanding of key digital marketing tools and the importance of getting your strategy right.

As well as being part of the marketing society at Uni, I also write a blog in my spare time, educating people about ways in which social media can be used effectively. Juggling this with my university work has strengthened my organisation skills, I always plan my week’s work in advance, prioritising tasks to ensure that I work efficiently to complete everything on time.

Last year I gained work experience within a digital marketing agency which reinforced my desire to get a job in this sector. I love maths and have a very analytical mindset so I am keen to build on my SEO and digital analytics knowledge. I think I would really enjoy the job role and I believe I could bring significant value to your team; it’s always easy to market something you’re passionate about!»

What to avoid when answering «what can you tell me about yourself»

Talking about outdated skills and experience

This will demonstrate to the employer that you have continued to progress throughout university, improving your strengths along the way.

Listing information without explaining

This is one of the common mistakes that many graduates make when telling the interviewer about themselves. Don’t just read from your CV, you don’t want to send the employer to sleep! Make sure you explain key points clearly, demonstrating your passion and enthusiasm.

It might be an idea to prepare some notes with bullet points to ensure that you cover the main points, whilst avoiding relaying exactly what the employer already sees in front of them on your CV.

Being too personal

Whilst it is important to build a rapport with the interviewer, they don’t need to know your partner just moved to the area and you want to as well. This might suggest you’re not committed to the job itself.

As this is one of the first questions you are likely to be asked at the interview, try to concentrate on telling them about your work-related skills as opposed to your home life. Share your personality with the interviewer, but not personal details.

Towards the end of the interview, after you have answered some more questions you will be able to make a judgement on how formal or informal the interviewer is. Once you have a better idea of how the interview is going, then you can really let your personality shine!

Talking for the sake of it

When answering this interview question, your response should follow a clear structure. Having your points all over the place suggests you have a muddled brain and doesn’t set you up well for the rest of the interview. Although «Tell me about yourself» might sound open-ended, remember to keep your answer structured and concise.

Take your time when answering and try to stay relaxed. Use some of the techniques outlined in our blog on how to relax before an interview.

Going off point

It is easy to go off topic when answering this interview question. Try to focus on the experience which is directly relevant to the job you’re going for. Don’t lead by saying you’re a shoe maker if you’re sat in an interview for investment banking!

Tip: Win extra points for relating your experiences, both from education and extra-curricular, with things you have learnt about the employer from your research.

Question variations for tell me about yourself

Summary video for «what can you tell me about yourself»

Tip: Change the playback speed in the settings at the bottom right corner, to suit your learning requirements!

Please feel free to embed this video on your website (get in touch for more info), or for more great interview questions videos for graduates, subscribe to the Give A Grad A Go Career Advice YouTube Channel.

Other common job interview questions:

Next up, find out what graduate employers are really asking for in the job description. Ready to put it all into practice? Search the latest jobs over on our Graduate Jobs board.