"Tell Me About Yourself" Here's How To Answer This Interview Question Like A Pro!

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Are you all prepped up for the interview? Brimming with the hope of getting a job, admission, etc. thinking that nothing can stop you now? Then the interviewer asks his first question of the day- 'Tell me about yourself?' and you break into a cold sweat because you don't know how to answer. You scramble to form a proper response because you want the interview process to be a success. But how?

To begin with, you must understand that various forms of introducing yourself questions are one of the most common conversation starters for any interview. In fact, you will probably be faced with this open-ended question throughout your career. And if you want to leave a good impression on the hiring manager/ interviewer, you must give a good answer to clear the job interview. To assist you in approaching this common interview question with ease, we will discuss insights into why the interviewer asks these questions, a few variations, a simple formula to frame an answer, and more. So read on. 

What do interviewers want to know when they ask- 'Tell me about yourself'

Note that there is no exact answer to this question and that it's completely subjective, but there is still something the recruiter is looking for. And your first step in providing the right answer to this (and any other) question is to first find that reason out. In this case, the interviewer must have already gone through your resume and they must have a general idea about your current role, previous experience, educational background, etc. 

So what do they really want to know by asking for a self introduction? Here are a few possibilities: 

• For many interviewers, this job interview question is a way to ease the interviewee into the conversation. But this doesn't mean you can give random answers.  
• For some, your answer to this question will help them see how you perceive and how aware you are of yourself. 
• The purpose of this self introduction could also be to assess your personality traits, values, thought process, and other softer skills.
• The traits you display through your answer will help them adjudge if you will fit into the company culture, and are a suitable candidate for the company or not.
• That's not all, they are also looking for something that will help them figure out their next question or a follow-up question so don't go overboard. 

Exercise quick judgment during the interview to find out what the interviewer is asking for, and frame your answer accordingly. Remember that a powerful self-introduction will leave a lasting impression.

'Tell me about yourself', 'Introduce Yourself'- A Few Variations

 With the why of the question out of the way, let's have a look at the various shapes and forms in which you might encounter this critical self introduction question in interviews. 

• Tell me about your journey so far
• Walk me through your resume
• What does a normal day in your life look like
• Tell me about your passions
• What are your future goals
• What were some challenges in your past professional experience and how did you handle them

There could be some other variations as well, the end goal of the interviewer remains to see if you are an ideal candidate for the job profile or not. Now let's have a look at how to give an impactful self introduction during the interview/ job interview. 

3 Steps to Answer 'Tell me about yourself'

Some common questions that might pop into your mind when figuring out how to introduce yourself, could be-

Should I mention my professional achievements? Or my previous work experience, or my technical skills? Or a bit from my personal life maybe? Has he not seen my resume already?

But wait right there, and don't fret! Before you go overboard with worry, we’re here to walk you through a simple 3-step structure that will help make your answer stronger. The structure is:

• Present- Begin your answer by talking about your present professional life, your job role, responsibilities, deliverables, etc. in brief.
• Past- From your present, segue into your past professional profile aspects that are relevant to that particular job. The idea here is to let the hiring manager/ interviewer know how you got to where you are. 
• Future- Then move on to describing your aspirations and future goals. 

The idea behind these steps is to touch upon all stages of life and highlight the most important things in a concise answer. You can also tweak the structure as per your own professional and personal strengths. For example, if there is a peculiar or important story that brought you into the respective sector, it might be a smart idea, to begin with, that past story and then move on to the present and the future. Or if there is a particular job/ internship experience that you credit for your success, you may start with that. The idea is to not go overboard or make your entire answer about a single thing.

Also always remember no matter how you frame your answer, tie it back to the company requirements and job profile you are applying for. 

Tips to Give Introduction in Interviews

Now that you are equipped with the knowledge of how to introduce yourself in interviews, here are some additional tips to help you leave a good impression:

• If you have an elevator pitch don't shy away from incorporating it in your answer when you introduce yourself. 
• Frame a few sample answers, practice them in front of others and go for the one that best fits your situation.
• Your resume compiles all the information about your educational qualifications, professional experiences, current company info, etc. So don't get caught up in mentioning these basic details. Instead, keep your introduction concise and summarize the highlights/ lessons learned.
• The person taking the interview is an experienced professional, who will be judging your interpersonal skills, language skills, and other soft skills required for the job role. So make sure to highlight these through the self introduction or other answers.
• Body language is another important aspect that can tell a lot about a person. So keep your confident body language, sit straight, and don't slouch.
•  Also maintain eye contact with the interviewer throughout the job interview, especially when answering questions.
• The way you dress says a lot about you, so stick with the dress code that fits the company culture and the respective profile. For example, if you are sitting for a financial consultant interview go for the proper formal attire. 
• If at any time during the interview/ hiring process you feel overwhelmed then take a deep breath and calm down. It is better to take a minute to formulate your answer even mid-interview, rather than saying something that doesn't make sense.
• Last but not the least, be true to yourself. Don't pretend to be something you are not.

These tips and the structure mentioned above must help you frame an impactful response to the question- 'tell me about yourself'.

Things to Avoid during Self-Introduction

There are a few common interview mistakes that you must avoid making, they are:

• Many people memorize the entire answer which makes it look mechanical during the interview. Instead, just stick with the broad outline so that you don't miss out on mentioning something important. And if are being true to yourself in the answer, you won't have too much trouble rebuilding the exact answer outline you prepared. 
• You will have a limited time allotted to showcase how fit you are for the job opportunity. So use the time wisely, and keep your answer to the point and short. Don't go sharing entire life stories. 
• Don't overshoot and or be overconfident with your answers. You must be able to back everything you say. 

Sample Answers for "Tell Me About Yourself"

• back everything you say. 

Sample Answers for "Tell me About Yourself"

Self Introduction Sample 1:

Good morning, I am Ritika Jha and I put up in West Delhi with my family. I am a certified professional having pursued BTech in Computer Science Engineering with a specialization in Cybersecurity and  Digital Forensics from VIT Bhopal. I have been passionate about Computer Sciences specifically cybersecurity, since my school days and have participated in many thrilling competitions which have been brilliant learning experiences. Talking about hobbies and interests, I love playing lawn tennis and have won many inter-school and inter-state tournaments. I am an active person with a penchant for exploring new avenues and learning new things to keep growing in life.

Self Introduction Sample 2:

Hello, as you know, my name is Kritika Goyal, and I am originally from Jodhpur but was raised in Delhi. I reside in North Delhi with a family of 4 members. I have always been passionate about teaching, so I compiled a BEl Ed from the University of Delhi. From there I went on to work as an Assistant Teacher at the Sriram School, Ashok Vihar, for an internship during my final year. This experience taught me a lot and assured me that I was meant for this. After graduation, I started working as an Elementary Teacher with ABC Public School, while pursuing a diploma in Child Pedagogy. I was able to all that learned here to my job, which led me to perform my job proficiently and also learn through experience. As for my interests and hobbies, I am a keen dancer and crafter. I find both these therapeutic and it helps in releasing stress! I also like to catch up on reading in my free time.

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