Tell Me About Yourself - The PERFECT ANSWER to This Interview Question

“Tell me about yourself” – this is usually the first question you will hear in an interview.

Giving a good answer means that you will create a strong, positive impression on the interviewer.

In this video, I will give you a three-step formula to give the perfect answer to this

question every time.

So let’s talk about it.

So you go into the interview room, shake hands with the interviewer (or interviewers, if

there’s more than one person), and you sit down.

And then comes the question – “Tell me about yourself.”

How do you begin?

Well, the best way to start your answer is with a 1-sentence introduction.

This sentence should summarize who you are.

For example, if I were applying for a teaching job, I would say “I am an English teacher

and teacher trainer with 7 years' experience in the ESL industry.”

ESL means English as a Second Language.

Notice that this sentence tells you that I am an English teacher, I’m also a teacher

trainer (meaning that I train other teachers), and that I have 7 years’ experience in the

field.

So it’s a good summary of me as the candidate for the job.

Now, if you just graduated from college, and you’re applying for your first job, you

can say: “I am a recent graduate with a BBA in Operations Management” for example.

So, this is the introduction.

After this, you should say three to five sentences about your achievements.

These sentences should show why you are a good fit for this job.

This part is where you impress the interviewer.

If I were a candidate, I would talk about my successes as a teacher: I would say that

I specialize in teaching business English to professionals.

I’d mention the fact that I have trained executives from multinational corporations.

I’d then say that the success of my training programs have made these clients repeat customers

– meaning that they have come back to my company for more training.

Finally I would mention that I do teacher training, helping English teachers to deliver

better lessons in their classrooms.

These are my strong points.

When you prepare your answer, think of three to five points about your achievements.

If you are a recent graduate, mention your accomplishments in college (like your projects),

and your other academic successes.

Now, at this point, the interviewer must be impressed with you.

They will have gained a good deal of respect for your skills.

But, they might be thinking – well, you’ve done all this and you sound like a real professional,

but why do you want to come and work here – in this company?

So, your closing statement should be your answer for why you want this job.

And here, it’s never good to say “I hate my boss” or “all my coworkers are plotting

against me” or something else that’s negative about your present job.

Instead, if you’re changing jobs, you should make it sound positive.

I might say “I’m very happy in my current job, but I’m looking for a more challenging

role.

One where I can use my skills in a managerial position.

That’s why I want this job.”

Or, if I were a recent graduate, I would say “I am looking for a job where I can put

my education and skills to use, where I will be challenged to grow and learn, and contribute

to the success of the company.”

And with this closing statement, you end your answer.

OK, now that you know the formula, let me show you my complete answer as an example.

Imagine that I’m applying to be a senior English teacher at a language school.

I go in for the interview, and the interviewer says “Tell me about yourself”.

Here’s my answer: I am an English teacher and teacher trainer with 7 years' experience

in the ESL industry.

I specialize in teaching business English to professionals and have trained executives

from a number of multinational corporations.

My training programs for these companies have focused on making their executives better

communicators, particularly in working with their overseas colleagues and customers.

Thanks to the success of these programs, many corporate clients have become repeat customers

for the company I work for.

Aside from teaching business English, I have also delivered workshops for teachers, aiming

to help them teach English with a more practical, communicative, skills-based approach.

Needless to say, I’m very happy in my current job, it’s extremely fulfilling, but I’m

looking for a more challenging managerial role where I can apply my teaching expertise,

and that’s why I’m here today.

So remember the formula – start with a strong introduction, then talk about 3-5 of your

achievements, and finally, end with a statement on why you want this job.

Before we close this lesson, just a couple of quick tips: When you answer this question,

it’s not good to talk about your family or your hobbies or other interests.

Because all that information is not important to the interviewer – he or she is only trying

to decide whether you are a good candidate for the job.

And if they want to know about your personal life, they can ask you later in the interview.

Second, in some interviews, instead of the question “tell me about yourself”, your

interviewer might say “walk me through your resume” or “walk me through your background”.

This means the interviewer is asking you to start with your first job or your education

and then go through your experience, ending with your current role.

In that case, spend just a little bit of time talking about each job, still focusing on

your achievements, what difference you made to the companies you worked for, and what

skills you acquired there.

Spend the most time talking about your accomplishments in your current job (or your more recent educational

qualification if you’re a recent graduate).

Alright, remember that the key to giving the perfect answer is to focus on your achievements,

keep your answer relevant, speak naturally, and conduct yourself like a professional.

If you can do this, I’m sure you will be very successful in your job search.

If you have any questions at all, feel free to ask me in the comments section below.

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Happy learning and I will see you in another lesson soon.