When the interviewer asks you, “Tell me about yourself”, you might think it’s pretty simple and easy to answer. But the twist is, it’s not. This question often makes or breaks your interview, and you, despite everything on point, can’t reach the next level.

Consider it an extra question with no significance or just a random filling question. It’s essential in the interview as it gives the best clue to the interviewer about who you are and why you are there.

Most candidates fail to present themselves because they do not give the best possible answer to the interviewer.

Here’s everything you need to know about the Tell Me About Yourself interview question. Everything that will clear your mind is what will work in the situation.

Why Interviewers Ask Tell Me About Yourself? Is It Important?

Before knowing about the answer, imagine yourself as an interviewer. After calling the candidate in, looking at the resume, reading it in a glimpse, having a second look at the candidate’s appearance and passing a smile, what would you do next?

It’s definite. You’ll never want to sit silent; you’ll ask a few questions.

Now, what exactly does the interviewer want? To know you better in the first meeting. Resume, appearance and grades are just some superficial elements that add credibility. 

The significant aspect in your interview that decides who you are and should hire you is the “tell me about yourself question”.

Tells Your Way Of Communication:

As soon as you answer the question, tell me about yourself; you indicate by speaking how you communicate. This question is an open-ended one which shows your ins and outs in an interview.

The more confident you are, the more you make an impression while answering.

Gives Your Interviewer A General Idea:

In an interview to break the ice or start an informal conversation, this question concerns you and how you introduce yourself. The interviewer knows how you present yourself and what you have to say. 

This is just like giving your introduction in a relaxed environment and gradually making up the impression. This tells about yourself.

 The question is crucial as it means everything about you in a very gradual way. You can’t always answer formal questions with relevant and to-the-point answers.

What Should Your “Tell Me About Yourself” Answer Include?

The question is tricky, and the answer must be relevant, comprehensive, well-structured and informative.

You can’t just beat around the bush and expect your interviewer to be impressed. Your answer must be appropriate and organized and should cover essential aspects.

Work Experiences Using Time-frames

You can start by telling about your current position, what you’re doing, and why you are here.

Then, you can briefly mention your past experiences and tell them what you have been doing all these years and what you were learning. 

Lastly, you can mention your future ambitions and what you want to be in the upcoming year in terms of person, money, and fame.

This Makes it easy for them to get you.

Talk About Your Skills:

Your answer to the “Tell me about yourself” question must be comprehensive yet brief. You don’t have to make them sleep or turn away.

You must talk about your skills and passions so that you don’t start praising yourself but structuring your academic and relevant skills.

You have to mention your use of skills, where you got those from, and how you plan to utilize them in the future.

This answer is relevant, simple and effective without making them think you’re just “answering”. Instead, this helps them to know you better and how keen you are.

Mention Your Strengths and Abilities:

You have to present yourself.

This means that every word you speak is an ambassador. It’s essential to mention your strengths and how you solve specific issues regarding your field. Even if they never demand, you should briefly discuss this and tell them about your abilities and capabilities.

This isn’t something about just talking about yourself, it makes an excellent way for them to know you as a professional.

What Should You Avoid While Answering the Tell Me About Yourself Question?

You have to answer this unclear question like a pro. A few mistakes that candidates make can break all the impressions and hype that they’ve made in the resume.

Avoid Answering Too Long:

Your answer must be specific and brief. This never means you can skip details but mention only what’s crucial to the situation.

You will know about the environment and interviewer, and you can make the best decision to choose your speaking time. 

Remember that your time will be manageable if you go into too many details, like mentioning your recent research, academic skills and theoretical knowledge.

Don’t Mention About Your Worst Experiences and Personal Information:

The answer to “tell me about yourself” is for sure about yourself, but this never means you can add personal stories.

It would help if you made it a conversational answer but never too informal by discussing your family, previous job experiences and friends.

Just answer about your skills, your professional experience and your ambitions.

Balance in Mentioning Your Weaknesses:

No one likes to hear something negative. This applies to your interviewer, too. If you mention your weaknesses and mistakes too much, they might realize that you need to be more serious about pursuing them.

Also, this lowers your position and gives them a red flag, and you can be a resin to eliminate from the game.

How To Answer Tell Me About Yourself - Sample Answers

By reviewing these sample answers, you can perfectly craft an answer that makes your position better for interviewers.

Sample answer 1:

“I have worked as a lab technologist at ABS Laboratories for two years. My job consisted of identifying and diagnosing diseases due to viruses. I worked with different viruses and virology experts to analyze possible future diseases.

These days, I’m working as a researcher in the ABC Research lab. I study different herbs to come up with cures for certain diseases. My experience now helps me to suggest possible remedies for diseases related to ENT and allows me to go further in patient care.

I regularly update my knowledge in genetics and virology and keep myself ready for future actions.”

Sample Answer 2:

“In my capacity as the Patient Care Success Manager at MediHealth, I have been at the forefront of leading our dedicated patient care team. My responsibilities have included streamlining patient onboarding procedures, implementing innovative care strategies, orchestrating in-depth case reviews, gathering and analyzing patient feedback, and spearheading service upgrades.

 Additionally, I have played a key role in managing critical patient care escalations. Integral to my role is the sustained collaboration with various departments, including Research & Development, Marketing, Healthcare Support, and Patient Outreach. 

I take pride in noting that under my leadership, patient retention in 2022 reached an unprecedented high, reflecting our commitment to exceptional care and service.

Prior to my current leadership role, I developed a deep and varied skill set through positions in Patient Account Management and Healthcare Support. These roles have provided me with a comprehensive understanding of the intricacies of patient care processes.”

Sample Answer 3:

“As a seasoned professional in Product Marketing Management, I've been instrumental in steering the marketing division of a dynamic SaaS company, overseeing a talented team of eight. This role marks my third successful stint as a Marketing Manager, where my focus has been sharply trained on devising robust go-to-market strategies, spearheading lead generation initiatives, pinpointing avenues for growth, and overseeing the fiscal aspects of marketing campaigns.

My role extends beyond traditional marketing boundaries, encompassing direct collaborations with Sales and Business Development teams. Together, we've tackled critical projects such as pricing strategies, sales funnel enhancements, and exploring efficient distribution channels.

 My crowning achievement, however, lies in the realm of process optimization. I have taken the lead in automating key processes across Sales, Marketing, and Customer Success Management, effectively dismantling operational silos that once hindered seamless interdepartmental collaboration.

This passion for operational excellence and a keen acumen for analytics and revenue accountability are what draw me to the role of a Revenue Operations Manager. My experience has honed my ability to not just understand but also effectively utilize numbers to drive business growth and maintain a high level of team accountability towards revenue goals.”

Practice Your Answer, Know What Will You Answer

To make a first class impression, you need to know clearly what you have to add. The best thing is to practice what you will answer and what you will include.

It’s important for you to research extensively about your experience, jot them down and make a structure in your mind. This structure will help you further in the interview and you won’t be blank. You must sound confident and diligent and for that prior rehearsal is a must.