Don't get stumped by this interview question

"Tell us about yourself"

Most interviews are going to start with some version of this question:

“Tell us about yourself”

It’s a crappy interview question but still very common. Most people struggle with it and for good reason. What does the interviewer actually want to hear? What should you say?

Here’s what most people do:

• Say where they’re from

• Share personal information

• Ramble about their interests and experiences

• Give a chronological history lesson on their resume

How you start the interview is critical. It’s where you set the tone and begin to show your value to the interview team. If you miss the mark at the start, you’ll make a poor impression and lose their interest.

In today’s blog I’ll give you a framework for how to introduce yourself at the beginning of an interview. You should be able to cover all of these items in 2 minutes or less (with practice):

✅ Brief description of your experience

✅ Why you’re on the market

✅ How you found the opportunity and why you’re interested

✅ Why you’re qualified

____________________________________________________________________________

✅ Brief description of your experience

Right off the bat you want to establish your value by giving a high-level picture of your experience. This should be a concise, focused statement.

Example:

“I’ve been a full-cycle Recruiter for the past 7 years. I love what I do! I have diverse industry experience that includes federal government, nuclear energy, software engineering, sales, and cybersecurity. This experience has given me a diversified perspective that helps me tailor my recruitment approach to the unique requirements of each industry."

I have global experience and have placed candidates throughout North America, UK, Germany, Saudi Arabia, UAE, and Australia. I understand what it takes to be successful in different markets.

My primary focus as a Recruiter is to create an exceptional client and candidate experience. I believe that building strong relationships is key for the best results. I’m also strong in sourcing, project management/process, recruitment tools, and data analysis.

✅ Why you’re on the market

Your motivation for the job search is a big deal. You should have a good answer for why you’re looking. It could be simple as “I’m a new grad looking for my first role” or “I was just laid off”.

Example:

“While I’ve really enjoyed my current role, I feel that I’ve reached a plateau and I’m eager to take on new challenges. I’m hoping to broaden my experience by recruiting for roles that I’ve never had the chance to work on or be part of a team that offers technology I’m not familiar with. I understand that career growth is a non-stop process and I’m hoping this position can continue to add to my experience.”

✅ How you found the opportunity and why you’re interested

This information is super important to an employer. If they can tell you didn’t do your research or you’re applying to random jobs, they will move on from you. You want to provide a solid reason as to why this role matches up with what you want in your career.

Example:

“I’ve actually been following your company really closely and I’ve been super impressed with your product and impact in this space. My goal is to work for a top tier company and I consider this one of those opportunities. I’ve had the chance to connect with some of your employees and I appreciate how your culture puts an emphasis on employee growth, collaboration, and work-life-balance.”

✅ Why you’re qualified

Here’s where you can really shine. You don’t want to take up too much time selling yourself. A brief explanation of how you’re the best match for this role will make you stand out. I always like to call out 1-2 things from the job posting and speak to those directly.

Example:

“Lastly, I wanted to mention that I feel that my experience matches up really well with this role. That’s one of the big reasons I applied. In your job ad you mentioned the importance of being able to adapt to several hiring initiatives and changing priorities. Having spent over 2 years at a startup, I know exactly how to continuously support a business that is constantly growing and making changes. For that reason I think I could do really well here.”

Closing

Once you’ve given your two minute intro, feel free to ask them if they have any questions about what you said.

“I’m sure we’ll cover a lot during the interview today but do you have any questions about anything I’ve talked about so far?”

Practice delivering your intro enough to where you can at least stay in line with the structure. Again, don’t fall into robot mode and recite an exact pitch. Remember to be yourself and have a conversation.

Good luck at your next interview!