Tell me about yourself......

How to answer “Tell me about yourself” in an interview - from a professional recruiter

When you’ve followed EPQ’s CV and Cover letter advice, it’s likely you’ve gotten yourself through the interview stage of the recruitment process. AKA the next hurdle, that is arguably the most nerve-wracking.

It’s no secret that interviews are a daunting process, and although the ‘in-person’ aspect is, in most cases, long gone, that doesn’t change the formatting of the inevitable questions. Research states that the most painful question of them all, worldwide, is actually one of the most simple at face value...

“So.. tell me about yourself”

It might seem like an easy win—after all, you know all about yourself, you’re you! But, responding to this invitation to talk about you in the context of a job interview can feel stressful and complicated.

“It’s challenging because it is broad, open-ended,” Theresa Merrill, famous career coach, points out. You might be thinking: Um, what do you want to find out? Shall I start from birth and go from there?

Well, no. The interviewer doesn’t need to know that you were breach and didn’t say your first words until you were 2 and a half. They don’t need to know what street you grew up on or the name of your first pet. But, they do need to know you’re what you’re up to at current (job wise), your experience and your plans for the future.

We’ve mapped out an easy recipe to tackling the inevitable interview question:
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• Present: Talk a little bit about what your current role is, your responsibilities, and a recent achievement or goal reached within,

• Past: Tell the interviewer how you got there and/or mention previous experience that’s relevant to the job and company you’re applying for.
• Future: Go into what you’re looking to do next and why you’re interested in this gig. Oh, and why you think you’d be a great fit!

Of course, this isn’t the ‘be all or end all’ response the this question, and you can tweak as you see fit. Although, we recommend you begin your answer with the phrase “I’ve always been the type of person that..” 

For example: “I’ve always been the type of person that shines in making a customer journey exceptionable. For example at current my role is front of house manager...”

This will not only mention your current role, but also give the recruiter an idea of your character.

To end, it’s recommended to link back to the job, “so that’s why I’m here, because I know my passion for customer service can be successfully shown and executed”

This structure shall coherently mention your experience, character and intentions, and it shall be clear to the recruiter what steps you’ve taken to be with them today! Curating a perfect, converting answer that’ll be sure to make you memorable.