Mastering the ‘Tell Me About Yourself’ Question in Interviews
By James Platt, Careers and Employability Officer, LSST Birmingham
“Tell me about yourself”, a question that seems so simple, but can carry so much weight and, whether rightly or wrongly, impact your interview so heavily. It’s not just a casual icebreaker; it’s a strategic question that can make or break your interview. For LSST students embarking on their professional journeys, mastering this question is of great importance. Why? Because it’s not merely about reciting off your work history or detailing your degree modules—it’s about seizing the opportunity to showcase your value, leave an excellent impression, and steer the conversation in your favour.
The “Tell me about yourself” question isn’t just a formality; it’s the opening move in a high-stakes game of professional chess. Your response sets the tone for the entire interview, shaping the interviewer’s perception of your candidacy and laying the foundation for further discussion. It’s your chance to grab their attention, establish rapport, and strategically position yourself as the ideal candidate for the role. If you answer this question correctly, the interview may decide there and then that the job is yours, research has shown that most hiring managers decide on candidates within the first 5 minutes, so you have to make this first question count.
How to formulate your answer
Beyond its role as an introduction, “Tell me about yourself” establishes the tone and direction of the interview. Your response provides the interviewer with a glimpse into your professional background, communication style, and personality. It’s your opportunity to make a strong first impression and frame the rest of the conversation in your favour.
In essence, the question is your moment to shine—to showcase your strengths, experiences, and aspirations concisely. It’s a chance to demonstrate your suitability for the role and differentiate yourself from other candidates. As such, mastering this question is essential for your success.
In crafting your response to the “Tell me about yourself” question, the opening lines are your opportunity to make a memorable first impression. Begin by providing a concise overview of your professional journey, focusing on key milestones, experiences, and achievements relevant to the position you’re applying for. Highlighting your expertise and accomplishments sets a strong foundation for the rest of your response.
Tailor your answer to align with the specific requirements and responsibilities outlined in the job description. Emphasise the skills, qualifications, and experiences that demonstrate your suitability for the role and showcase your understanding of what the position entails.
Identify the core competencies and strengths that make you a valuable candidate for the position. Showcase skills such as leadership, teamwork, problem-solving, communication, and adaptability. Provide specific examples or experiences that demonstrate how you have effectively utilised these competencies in past roles or academic projects.
Where you could go wrong
There are many ways you can go wrong on this question without realising it. Some candidates will take the question as an informal one and start talking all about their family and personal life. Others will go too formal and simply give the hiring manager a read-through of their CV. You need to strike a balance somewhere in the middle a lot of the time. Some people will go on far too long and keep waffling, others will go far too short and not give anything away. It is a delicate balancing act and you can often use rapport and tone to distinguish how long and how formal the hiring manager wants to answer to be.
Sometimes there are exceptions and variations of the question, one that is fairly common is “Tell me about your life outside of work”, this is to get a deeper sense of who you are as a person and your personality. But try and be different if it comes to this question. The number of times someone has just said to me “I listen to music” or “I hang out with family and friends” would be in the hundreds. Make yourself stand out, and be interesting, people want to work with interesting people. Anything you can say that isn’t ordinary and will stick in your interviewer’s mind is a good thing.
If possible, try researching your interviewers beforehand and see if you have anything in common. LinkedIn is your best friend here, take a look at what they interact with and post, maybe they recently went on a skiing holiday and you also love skiing, that’s an immediate rapport builder if you bring it up in the “Tell me about yourself” answer. Don’t go overboard though and start talking with them as if you know them personally, it’s a very fine line with this tactic, so use it with caution.
Think ahead
Briefly outline your short and long-term career goals and aspirations. Explain how these goals align with the trajectory of the position and the organisation. Emphasise your enthusiasm for the opportunity to contribute to the company’s mission and vision while advancing your professional development.
By aligning your skills with the job requirements and articulating your long-term career aspirations, you demonstrate to the interviewer that you not only possess the necessary qualifications but also have a clear vision for how you can contribute to the organisation’s success in the long run. This strategic alignment reinforces your candidacy and sets you apart as a proactive and forward-thinking candidate.
In summary
> The “Tell me about yourself” question holds immense weight in interviews, setting the tone and influencing the interviewer’s perception of your candidacy.
> Mastering this question is crucial for LSST students, as it’s an opportunity to showcase value, make a strong impression, and steer the conversation in your favour.
> Crafting a concise and relevant introduction is key, highlighting professional milestones and achievements relevant to the position.
> Tailoring your response to align with job requirements and emphasising core competencies ensures suitability and understanding of the role.
> Expressing long-term career aspirations that align with the organisation’s mission demonstrates proactive thinking and reinforces candidacy.
Book in with your LSST Careers Officer now to practice answering this question and others to help you ace your next interview!