How to Answer “Tell Me About Yourself” With Examples
If you’re unsure how to give a compelling “tell me about yourself” answer, we’re here to show you.
We’ll walk you through what employers are looking for, how to craft a solid answer (with tips), and several sample answers for different experience levels.
Out of all interview questions, one of the most dreaded is also the most simple: “Tell me about yourself.”
Usually one of the first questions you’ll encounter in an interview, it seems straightforward enough – not nearly as intimidating as something like, “Tell me about a time you failed.”
But, if you’re not properly prepared for this question, it can trip you up.
In this blog, we will:
- Explain what interviewers are really seeking when they ask, “Tell me about yourself.”
- Guide you on how to craft a compelling answer to this common question.
- Share insightful tips to help you deliver a confident and impactful response.
- Provide several sample answers to inspire and refine your approach.
Why do employers ask the “tell me about yourself” interview question?
“So tell me about yourself” is a classic interview opening question for a reason. It’s an easy ice breaker that gives the interviewer an opportunity to transition from introductory small talk, like during your self-introduction, to more serious interview questions.
While your interviewer wants to get to know you, remember that the goal of the interview is to see if you’re a good fit for the role, and that’s what you want to demonstrate.
It’s okay to add a personal touch, but be careful not to divulge too much of your personal history.
How to answer the question “tell me about yourself”
It can be difficult to know what to say in an interview about yourself, and where to start.
The best way to answer “Tell me about yourself” is to construct a narrative centered around your professional life.
Your answer should include the basic elements of how you got started, your current career situation, and your future goals.
To make it easy, follow these three steps to build your “tell me about yourself” answer:
1. Start with a (relevant) experience that shaped you
Keep your answer concise by starting with a defining moment in your career—something that explains why you’re here today. It could be a class that sparked your interest, a job that shaped your path, or a project that fueled your passion. This makes your story engaging and to the point.
Beginning with a formative experience:
” When I started university, I had planned to become a business analyst, however I found myself continually drawn to marketing classes, and developed a strong interest in consumer behavior, marketing research, and advertising strategy. I ended up pursuing a Master’s degree in Marketing from the University of Stanford, and graduating with distinction.”
This is a great beginning because it sums up how the candidate developed an interest in the field, hits on some keywords, and highlights their academic qualifications.
2. Illustrate how that experience led you to the present
In the second part of your answer, give a brief overview of your career progression from that formative experience to where you are currently.
Along the way, be sure to highlight your key achievements and professional accomplishments, because these will help make you look more qualified.
Describe your current or most recent role, highlighting any particularly relevant experience you’ve gained. Then, discuss why you’re looking for a new opportunity.
Connecting your experience to your current career
“After graduating, I worked as a Marketing Intern for the Chicago Cubs, where I gained experience creating promotional materials, executing digital marketing campaigns, and conducting market research. I launched a social media campaign that increased our engagement by 19%.
Currently, I work as a Marketing Research Analyst at Apex Consumer Goods, where I lead consumer research projects. I use qualitative and quantitative research to analyze consumer value and sales points and present research reports to support decision-making in product development and brand marketing. My research contributed to the decision to launch a new product in collaboration with the Red Sox, leading to $2 million in sales.”
This answer works well because it highlights the candidate’s relevant experience and qualifications as well as some key professional accomplishments.
Additionally, by using hard numbers to quantify their achievements, this candidate shows the interviewer what benefit they can bring to the company.
3. Describe your professional goals
In the next part of your answer, explain some of your professional goals going forward.
In particular, you should demonstrate how your goals to grow professionally align with the position and company goals. This will help the interviewer see you as a strong candidate right from the beginning of your interview.
Showing how this new role ties in with your projected career growth is especially important if you find yourself needing to justify why you’re leaving your current job.
Here’s an example of how to connect your larger professional goals with your desire to get the job:
Concluding with your future goals
” I’m applying for the Market Research Consultant position for the Chicago Bulls to blend my love of market research with my passion for sports, and basketball in particular. My goal is to help drive brand awareness and sales through thorough and extensive market research that makes strategizing easy.”
In this answer, the candidate provides a clear professional goal and showcases their interest in the position, letting the interviewer know that they’ll be a dedicated employee.
“Tell me about yourself” example answers
It always helps to have some examples to refer to so you know how to structure your own answer.
Take a look at these three “Tell me about yourself” sample answers:
1. The experienced candidate answer
I gained several years of experience in UI/UX design, development, enterprise UX, and user experience at Nova Design. I thrived working alongside clients to make their vision a reality, which is why I pursued a position at Horizon Collective, where I was able to oversee client projects and help emerging companies build their brands by developing cohesive designs.
In the last two years, I have designed brand campaigns for several companies that have risen to notable success in their niche markets. In the process of collaborating with companies across so many industries, I’ve discovered my passion for helping tech start-ups find their identity through design, which is why I’m applying to a Senior Graphic Design position at Vertex.
In this next phase of my career, I want to leverage the skills I have gained to delve deeper into branding and creating effective digital strategies to grow start-ups that can change the world.
2. The recent graduate answer
I knew I wanted to work in the travel industry from a young age, when my family took a Mediterranean cruise and stayed in Athens. The adventure left such an impression on me that I decided I wanted to dedicate my life to exploring the world’s most beautiful places and helping others do the same.
At university, I studied Hospitality Management and later earned a Master’s degree in Travel and Tourism Management. Each summer, I worked as a tour guide in my hometown of Savannah, where I designed and launched the city’s first walking ghost tour. It quickly gained popularity and generated an additional $3,000 in profits during the first summer. Engaging with customers on these tours allowed me to develop strong communication skills, and I’m very comfortable speaking with new people.
I believe my communication, organizational, and planning skills—combined with my passion for travel and adventure—make me an ideal fit for your travel agency. I’m excited about the opportunity to grow my knowledge of the industry while building meaningful relationships with clients and customers.
3. The career change answer
I’ve been a retail sales associate at Urban Wheels for several years, where I’ve gained extensive product knowledge and daily experience engaging with the skating community. My passion for skating, combined with the opportunity to test out new products as they arrived, inspired me to launch the kickflipdaily channel on TikTok. It took off quickly, and now it has grown to over 400,000 followers.
Building on the success of TikTok, I expanded into Instagram and YouTube, growing large followings on both platforms. The experience I’ve gained in content creation and audience engagement has been invaluable. I’m excited to bring this expertise and my passion for skating to drive the marketing success of Grindstone’s social media team.
Success spotlight: Nadine secured a job offer the day after her coaching session!
Here’s what she shared about her experience:
Nadine’s story underscores the power of preparation and the difference our coaching can make.
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