How to answer "Tell me about yourself" in an interview
Here’s how to answer "Tell me about yourself" in an interview.
The inquiry "Tell me about yourself" appears simple, yet it's shockingly easy to tumble into talkative tangents.
Some backstory: This Budweiser ad was running around when I moved to Seattle. My roommates would joke that I was the guy in the cowboy hat because, with any basic question, I would answer with my life story. I was also interviewing for multiple jobs at the time. This framework helped me skip the spiel and focus more on spotlighting the specifics.
How to answer "Tell me about yourself" in a single, cohesive paragraph, tell the interviewer...
Who you are.
What you do.
Why you want to work at the company.
An example
Let's give some insanely easy-to-understand example: LeBron James is applying for the position of NBA Analyst at ESPN and is asked to “Tell me about yourself.”
"I'm LeBron, a professional basketball player with over 19 seasons in the NBA, multiple championships, and MVP awards. Off the court, I'm a philanthropist and entrepreneur, running the LeBron James Family Foundation and other ventures like SpringHill Entertainment. I bring an in-depth, holistic understanding of basketball that goes beyond just playing the game. I'm interested in the NBA Analyst role at ESPN because I believe my unique perspective can enrich viewers' understanding of the sport. ESPN sets the standard in sports journalism, and I'm excited about the possibility of contributing to that legacy."