According to LinkedIn 63% of employers will start a job interview with the question: Tell me about yourself.
In another study (also by LinkedIn) 59% of employers will make a hiring decision within the first 10 minutes of a job interview.
Based on these interview statistics, it is evident that making a good first impression is crucial for the ultimate success of your interview. Knowing how to answer this question effectively can make or break your chances.
Why do employers ask the “tell me about yourself” question?
It is designed to be a bit of an icebreaker and to get the interview wheels in motion, however there is a little more to it than that. It also provides employers with the opportunity to build a first impression, gauge confidence and communication skills.
A good answer is essential to your overall chances
Think of your interview as a 100-meter sprint race, a strong start is critical as it’s here you’ll generate the power and acceleration to get out of the blocks and into your stride.
A strong start can give you a significant advantage over the competition as you can establish an early lead and control the pace of the race.
Job interviews are no different, getting off to a good start conditions the mindset of your interviewers for the duration of your meeting. The Job interview confirmation bias* reaffirms this…
Interview success and a strong answer to the “tell me about yourself” question go hand-in-hand.
A STRONG opening to your job interview will move the confirmation bias marker to the right, conditioning the mindset of the interviewer to look for reasons TO HIRE YOU.
A WEAK start to an interview will move the confirmation bias marker to the left, conditioning the mindset of the interviewer to look for reasons NOT TO HIRE YOU.
* Confirmation bias is a cognitive bias where people tend to favor information that confirms their preexisting beliefs, while ignoring or discounting information that contradicts them. It can be seen as a powerful influence when shaping decisions, and it can be problematic in situations where objective evaluation is required, such as in job interviews or other hiring processes. If an interviewer has beliefs and assumptions about a candidate, they may be more likely to seek out information that confirms those beliefs, while overlooking or discounting evidence that contradicts them.
Answering the “tell me about yourself” question…
To effectively answer this question you’ll need to give a balanced reply which covers these three areas in this order…
WARMTH - You’ll need a personable opener with positive body language.
COMPETENCE - You’ll need to deliver reassurance on your skills and capabilities.
ASSURANCE - You’ll need to instill confidence that this is the perfect role for you.
1. WARMTH
When meeting someone for the first time especially in a professional setting it’s important to express a warm, open and positive body language. It’s the first step towards instilling confidence.
Smile
Shoulders Back
Maintain Eye Contact
Relax
Once your body language is set, say hello again and thank your interviewers.
2. COMPETENCE
Next step is to give a balanced overview that covers your employment history and a recent professional achievement with relatable numbers.
Example Answer:
With over 10 years of experience gained within senior marketing roles at FTSE 100 companies I'm a creative and dynamic industry professional who can get results.
Within each of my last three positions I have implemented successful marketing strategies that have exceeded business expectations and delivered exceptional growth.
For example at my last position I was tasked with improving social media engagement with the objective of driving lead generation and ongoing acquisition, through the procurement of new tools and processes lead generation for the sales team increased 250% in 2 years.
I'm comfortable with industry tools such as Google Analytics, MS Teams and Salesforce, but best of all I love to collaborate with like minded people to come up with new ideas and prototype strategies.
—-
In less than a minute the above answer has demonstrated a lot:
AUTHORITY: 10 years of experience, FTSE100
HARD SKILLS: Tools like Google Analytics, MS Teams and Salesforce
SOFT SKILLS: Creativity, Team Working,
RELATABLE DELIVERABLES: Sales leads increased 250% in 2 years.
You’re aiming for an answer which is no longer than a minute or two at most. The key here is to only reveal a glimpse of what you are truly capable of, you want your interviewers to be curious, engaged and wanting to find out more.
It's also important to keep things relevant, only mention skills, experience and achievements that relate to the position you are applying for. In-fact this is good advice to follow for the duration of your job interview, each answer you provide will reinforce your suitability and relevancy for the role.
3. ASSURANCE
The final part to answering the question is to demonstrate that you are genuinely interested in the position and to offer up some reassurances that the time invested in the interview will be well spent.
Example Answer:
I was alerted to your vacancy by a friend, I have been looking out for a position like this for a while and in the first instance it seems to tick all the right boxes. I've also done a little research and can certainly see areas where I can add value, I also love some of your employee initiatives, you appear to be an employer who takes care of its staff.
The aim here is to build a connection, drive intrigue and demonstrate keeness. In this short sentence you’ve highlighted:
YOU’RE SELECTIVE: Sentences like “I’ve been looking for a role like this for a while” will delight employers and show you are a careful candidate seeking out the right position and not just seeking to take the first role that comes along.
YOU’VE DONE YOUR RESEARCH: Employers are often flattered when you can demonstrate some facts about their business. It shows desire, attention to detail and strong interview preparation skills.
YOU’RE INTERESTING: Use sentences such as "I can see areas where I can add value" to drive intrigue and a deeper understanding of what you could be capable of.
YOU’RE IN FOR THE LONG HAUL: Recruiting new staff is often an expensive and time consuming exercise, therefore employers value loyalty and longevity highly. By demonstrating an interest and alignment for employee initiatives and culture it reinforces the idea that you are seeking a long term position.
An alternative approach to answering the “tell me about yourself” question…
Remember back at the start we said that 59% of employers will make a hiring decision within the first 10 minutes of a job interview. The interview presentation approach gives you the opportunity to impress for the full opening 10 minutes of your job interview.
An interview presentation is a highly engaging and interesting alternative method for answering some of the toughest and most important interview questions. It captures the full attention of your audience and demonstrates preparation, creativity, confidence and much more.
Example Answer:
I’d love to tell you about myself in more detail, if it’s OK I’ve prepared a short presentation that covers a little bit about me, my experience and why I think I could be a good match for the role. Is it OK to run through it with you?
Your next step is to walk your interviewers through a 5 to 10 minute interview presentation, below is an example of what can be achieved using an interview presentation template…
So there we have it, all the information you need to effectively answer the most commonly used opening interview question “tell me about yourself”. Good luck!
Further reading:
How to answer 23 of the toughest interview questions out there!
How to answer the interview question: “Why should we hire you”?