How to answer "Tell me about yourself" in an interview

"Tell me about yourself" is usually the first question, and it isn't an invitation to recite your life story. The interviewer wants a short, relevant summary of who you are professionally and why you're a fit for this job. Think of it as a trailer, not the whole film.

A simple structure: present, past, future

• Present: what you do now, and one or two things you're good at or proud of.
• Past: the relevant experience that got you here. Pick the highlights that matter for this job.
• Future: what you're looking for next, and why this role and company fit.

An example

"I'm a marketing executive at a software company, where I run our email and content programmes. Over the past three years I've taken our monthly newsletter from an afterthought to a channel that regularly drives sign-ups, and I enjoy working with data to decide what to test next. Before that, I started in a small agency, where I learned to write quickly for different clients. I'm now looking for a role with more ownership of the full funnel, which is why this position caught my attention."

That's about 30 seconds. It's specific, and it ends by pointing to the job.

Tailor it to the role

Read the job description before you answer. Choose the parts of your background that are closest to what they need, and leave the rest out. The same person can give two different versions of this answer for two different jobs, and both are honest.

What to leave out

• Your whole career history, starting from school.
• Personal details that aren't relevant, like your family or hobbies (a short human touch at the end is fine).
• Negative comments about a previous employer.
• Reading your resume back word for word.

If you're a graduate or switching careers

With little experience, use your studies, projects, internships, and activities for the past. If you're changing careers, spend your "past" on what carries over, and use the "future" to explain why you're moving. Keep it forward-looking.

Aim for about a minute

Between 45 seconds and 90 seconds is a good target. Practise it aloud a few times so it sounds like you talking, not like a script.