"Tell me About Yourself"

Are you prepared to make a perfect first impression? A lot of candidates miss this opportunity by talking too much, or too generically, about themselves. Today we're going to help you prepare for a successful self-introduction that will set you up for a smooth interview, every time.

"Tell me about yourself" is mostly used at the beginning of an interview, asking you to introduce yourself. Because the question is so open, you have to be well prepared in order to answer it properly. A lot of people share non-relevant information, speak for too long or even get lost along the way.

The purpose of this self-introduction is to a) make the interviewer confident that they’re talking to an outstanding candidate, and b) make them curious to hear more and ask follow-up questions later.

Your introduction should be a top-level summary of the key highlights of your CV. Make sure what's on your CV and what you're saying is 100% consistent!

Your opportunity

Given this is a very open question, a lot of people get lost, but the good news is that you can prepare what you want to say.

This is an opportunity for you to mention the key things you want to highlight later in the conversation, i.e. your strengths and key accomplishments.

At this point, there’s no need to tell stories, but to say the things that will make the interviewer want to know more about, later.

So, How to best answer this question?

It's very simple: use your Professional Value Proposition (PVP) to introduce yourself, followed by mentioning your current role and a short connection to the position you’re applying for. That's it. Depending on the role and the company, add something personal, but make sure this is not becoming the focus of the conversation.

PVP = Your Professional Value Proposition = Your Professional Brand

Your PVP is a sort of "elevator pitch", a condensed version of what you want to highlight about yourself, pointing out your professional background, your experience, your strengths and accomplishments. It's worth spending some time thinking about your strengths and accomplishments, as these are going to help you stand-out throughout the interview.

Current role: "I currently work at ((current company)) where I'm in charge of ((current job))" This part can be inserted where it fits best based on your situation, usually before mentioning your strengths.

Link to job you're applying for: "In my next role, I'd like to ((career goal)) 【make sure this is in line with the job you're applying for!】

...so, let's pull it all together:

See more examples below for some inspiration.

PRACTICE

Make sure you practice this with a few people before going to an interview. Choose your own* wording to make it feel natural, but keep the structure as outlined above. By practicing this, it will flow naturally, and you can easily adjust it anytime.

*don't choose words that you wouldn't use naturally, else it will sound 'scripted'. Speaking naturally is an important part of building trust, so please use words that reflect your best level of English, but not above that level.

more examples

IT Manager

“I am an IT management professional with more than 8 years of experience in project management, system implementation, and IT infrastructure installation. I work at ABC company, currently in charge of running a company-wide Windows-migration. My strengths include adapting to change and setting priorities in demanding environments. I have been successful in bridging local operations and corporate IT management while supporting 400 employees and 15 servers in three facilities. I consider myself a problem solver and enjoy mentoring and coaching others. In my next role, I am interested in strengthening my IT managerial skills. “

Consumer Goods Professional

"I am an innovative product development professional with deep experience in developing quality, low-cost consumer goods for leading global corporations . My strengths include launching new products to market and conducting consumer research to drive actionable product insights . I currently work at ABC company where I have achieved the successful launch of 30+ products on-time and reduced production costs 24% and I am interested in building upon my expertise rolling out new products worldwide in my next role."

Scientific Professional

"I am a senior clinical pharmacist professional with deep experience in both hospital and retail environments . My strengths include improving patient outcomes while meeting efficiency goals and ensuring quality control . In my current position as XYZ at ABC company, I have achieved success in understanding the needs of a business as well as the needs of customers which has contributed to meeting and exceeding business unit objectives. In my next role, I am interested in building my pharmacy operational knowledge and leadership."

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