Tell Me About Yourself

Posted on March 19, 2024 by Amy Norton, One of Thousands of Career Coaches on Noomii.

“Tell me about yourself” is the most common opening question recruiters will use on the interview circuit today. Typically, it’s a great ice-breaker for them and allows you the opportunity to ease into the interview. If you’ve made it as far as the interview stage, it’s important to remember you’re not the only one. Recruiters may be interviewing as many as 5 or 6 other candidates for the role, so be aware they are looking out for keywords in your answers to find the best fit.

What exactly are the recruiters asking you?

When answering this question – especially under the pressure of an interview scenario – it’s important to know what exactly they’re looking for here. It’s tempting to revert to a general answer, telling them about your hobbies, interests etc, but remember; every question has its purpose. Usually, recruiters are looking for WIIFM, or what’s in it for me? They are looking for someone who fits both the role and the team. The purpose of the interview for you is to highlight why you are the best candidate for the job – this question is a great place to start showcasing this.

Start with the basics – 45 Seconds to 1 Minute

Easy. Start with your name and where you are from. This will allow you to connect with the recruiters on a personal level, then move onto your CV starting with your earliest experience and leading into where you are today. When talking through your CV, speak exclusively to the impact you enjoy making in your roles to date and what you’ve achieved in those roles. This is a great opportunity to pitch yourself and highlight why your previous experience makes you the most suitable candidate for the role.

For Example:

“My name is Joe and I’m from Dublin. As you may have seen from my CV, I began working in Sales in 2017 in my role as a junior representative. I enjoyed making a positive impact on our company’s growth through working with our customers and maintaining great customer relationships. Through my passion for sales, I was able to bring in 5 new leads every month for the company and consistently achieved one of the highest conversion rates on our team.”

Bring it back to the Interview – 30 Seconds

Think of your answer like a pyramid. Once you’ve brought them through your impacts and achievements, the top of the pyramid is where you are today.

“That’s what brings me here today. I was very excited to see this role opening up.”

Now it’s time to tie it all together. Align the impact and experiences you’ve highlighted with the understanding you have of the role, the company and the opportunity you see for yourself within it.

Taken from our previous blog, here is a great example on achieving this:

“I’ve been following Tellers Ltd and their achievements for some time now and was delighted to see they’ve launched their new T-Pad 2020. It’s a testament to their team and their drive for customer satisfaction, even during such challenging times. Teller’s focus on goal orientation, teamwork and above all else the customer mirrors the values I place on the quality of work I always try to deliver, which is why I applied for this role to move into the next stages of my career.”

Close Off Your Answer – 10 Seconds

Once you’ve nailed your answer, close off the question by redirecting the narrative back to the recruiter. For example:

“I hope I’ve answered your question, is there anything you’d like me to go into more detail on?”

“Would you like me to go into further detail on any of the topics I’ve highlighted?”

It’s a great way to finish the segment and excellently closes off one of the most open ended questions you will receive in an interview setting.