How to Answer the “Tell Me about Yourself” Interview Question

The “tell me about yourself” question is one of the most common questions you will ever be asked in an interview and generally one of the questions that eliminates most applicants. In fact, the majority of people interviewing for jobs blow it on this one. When you are going into an interview, the interviewer already knows a lot about you from your resume (where you went to school and where you are working, for example). All interview questions are designed to determine five things: (1) can you do the job, (2) do you want the job, (3) will you fit in, (4) can we manage you, (5) will you stay at the job long term? The “tell me about yourself” interview question is a fantastic opportunity for interviewees to solidify their qualifications. The interviewer is not looking for your life story. You need to keep the interviewer’s attention. Your answers should generally relate to your professional accomplishments and interest in the opportunity. You should always take special care to avoid making your answers too personal. You need to understand the job and its requirements and tailor your answers to this. 

1. Can you do the job? In my career, I have seen numerous people who looked good on paper. However, when I asked them to “Tell me about yourself” it was clear they could not do the job. The “tell me about yourself” interview question is intended to see if you are psychologically, physically and emotionally capable of doing the job. You need to show that you are a good fit.I interviewed a person to work in a warehouse carrying heavy boxes of paper. When asked to talk about himself, he launched into a long story about how he had just recovered from back surgery. Does this sound like the sort of person who could do the job?

• I interviewed another guy once for a financial position who had a gap in his resume. When I asked him about himself, he told me he had recently gotten out of federal prison. Does this sound like the sort of person who could do the job?
• I have interviewed numerous people to be legal recruiters. Many of these people show up and state that they are “tired” from practicing law in a large law firm are “looking for more freedom, less pressure and fewer hours.” Being a good legal recruiter requires a constant commitment to the work and long hours to be really successful. If someone makes comments like this in an interview, there is a problem. The person cannot do the job.

While I hate to say it, many people also show up for interviews and simply act crazy when asked the “tell me about yourself” question. They talk about divorces, child custody battles, overcoming substance abuse problems, lawsuits against former employers and others. While all of this is part of life, someone who is preoccupied with something outside of work is clearly not someone who can do the job. Interviewers simply want to know that you have the ability to do the work at hand. Anything in your answer that implies you cannot do the work is the wrong answer.

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