This month, we break down the question “Tell me about yourself” and give you the tools to answer it. “Tell me about yourself” is called an icebreaker question for a reason! Here are the ways you can steer the interview in your favour by answering this first question.
Why do interviewers ask this question?
Candidates can get frustrated with this question; hasn’t the interviewer read their CV and cover letter? You have spent so long writing a persuasive letter that got you in the room. So, why are they expecting you to repeat yourself?
With this question, interviewers are interested in seeing how you can talk about yourself without the aid of a script. “Tell me about yourself” is a great way to hear what an interviewee feels best represents who they are.
In short, it’s an easy way for recruiters to open an interview. But you should also take the opportunity to prepare a response that will guide the interview’s outset in your favour.
What do interviewers want to hear?
Your interviewer doesn’t want to hear your entire life story to date! They are looking to hear a response that highlights how you might be a good fit for the role. But neither do they want a rerun of the bullet points on your CV. Think instead about the following:
- What is your current role?
- What is your experience level?
- What are your ambitions for your career?
- What steps are you taking to get there (e.g. experience or certifications)?
- What have you done that would be meaningful to the recruiter for this role?
Aim to answer all five of these questions in your response. If this sounds like a lot, don’t worry, you can get through the first two in only a few words. We have a template for you at the end of this article that should help!
How long should my response be?
There is a danger that such an open-ended question, the first of the interview, can lead you to ramble. The best way to stay on track is to practice condensing your response to no more than two minutes. Think of this as a teaser that gives them enough intriguing hooks without revealing everything.
What mistakes do interviewees make when answering this question?
We have already covered what are the biggest issues: Talking for too long, and listing your CV word for word! Another mistake people make is spending too much time on what they have already done, neglecting to tell the interviewer what moves them.
Take the time to show interviewers that you are dedicated to your career path and can effectively demonstrate how this job aligns with that journey.
Should I tailor my answer to the company?
Always tailor your answer! We know that interviewing at multiple companies can be tough. But if you don’t make the effort to tailor your response, you miss out on a trick others will be using.
Leverage point 3 under “What do interviewers want to hear?”. See if you can find reflections of what drives you professionally in the company’s job spec and profile. Do you want more experience working in teams and also see the company emphasises collaborative projects? Make sure you mention this in your answer.
A template to answer the interview question “Tell me about yourself”
Here is a model response to the question “Tell me about yourself” that you can use to help craft your own. We are a London-based recruitment consultancy. We specialise in the finance & banking sectors, so we have written this from the perspective of a candidate seeking to continue their professional career in FinTech.
“I am a risk analyst with experience in fraud detection and building risk controls to keep financial services secure. Over the past four years, I’ve been working on automating risk analysis for my firm. I would love the opportunity to continue finding ways to make financial services more efficient and secure. Finding new ways to secure financial transactions have become especially important in the current climate, where hacks are getting increasingly elaborate. I think this is a pivotal moment to be working in FinTech.
“I see the tools you use align with my skills, and I am looking forward to contribute my expertise in SQL and Python for leveraging fraud detection platforms. I am also currently taking an accredited course in cybersecurity. This course is giving me a deeper understanding of behavioural patterns in fraudulent activity and how to apply that knowledge to my work.”
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We are building our in-depth series on tough-to-answer interview questions. Those we have covered to date include: