In your response, do the following:
1. Mention past experiences and proven successes as they relate to the position.
Begin by rereading the job description. Take note of the required skills that you have, and identify recent stories that demonstrate them . Ideally, you should draw primarily from recent professional experience; however, volunteer work can also support your narrative while demonstrating a commitment to your community.
2. Consider how your current job relates to the job you’re applying for.
Is it a more senior role? If so, explain how you are taking on more responsibilities in your current position. If you are making a lateral transition to a role with different skills, describe how your current skills translate into the new position.
3. Focus on strengths and abilities that you can support with examples.
When you start building the script of each example, focus on details and outcomes that you can quantify if possible. For example, stating that you “improved customer service” is less impactful than “increased customer service response rates each quarter by 10–15%.” If you don’t have the exact information, estimate a realistic value.
4. Highlight your personality to break the ice.
Since the “Tell me about yourself” interview question is about getting to know you, it’s a good idea to share your personality with your interviewer—but not personal details. You may want to briefly mention hobbies that demonstrate intellectual development and/or community engagement (e.g., reading, music, sports league, volunteering) or those that showcase personal discipline and achievement (e.g., learning a new skill, training for a half marathon). Discussing personal interests is a good way to wrap up your response while maintaining a professional tone.
5. Format your response.
For your response to be clear and concise, you’ll want to make sure you organize your answer following a format or formula. There are two common formulas you may consider:
Present, Past, FuturePast, Present, Future
Both of these formulas work for your response, but you may choose one over the other based on the roles from your experience that are most relevant to the position you're interviewing for. For example, if your most recent role highlights many of the skills and qualifications that are required for the role you’re interviewing with, you may want to lead with the present. However, if you're making a career transition and your past experience is more closely related to the role than your current position, you may want to lead with your past.
