How to answer tell me about yourself?

You are most likely to be asked the question “Tell me about yourself” during the screening or first round of interviews by the HR department of a company. 

This question is asked basically to judge self-confidence and capacity to bring out points why you should be considered for a particular job. 

Your answer to this question can be a make-or-break factor. If you successfully introduce yourself, discussing your strengths, past achievements, career track record, and recognition—you’d be better able to convince your employer for the job.

Surprisingly, this two-word open-ended question can be tricky to answer. 

There’s no one-line short answer to it. You have to give your introduction in the best possible manner to increase your chance of getting selected for the job. The use of the right choice of words, honesty, and focus on your core areas can be helpful while dealing with such a type of question.

However, HR managers are known for their expertise in handling multiple candidates. They are skilled enough to not ask the same question which has been already asked to other candidates. 

Depending on your profile and CV, an HR manager can ask you the same question in a different manner.

In the subsequent sections, we’ll take a look at some of the most interesting HR interview questions and answers.

HR Questions and Answers At Interviews: A Perspective

In the introductory sections, you saw how difficult it is to answer and introduce yourself. It can be even more confusing when HR managers skillfully ask you to tell them about yourself. There is no absolute answer to it and that’s why HRs ask it to gauge your thinking process, communication skills, and patience.

Articulation and etiquette are the two basic traits that you should keep in mind while appearing for a job interview. At the time of answering HR’s questions, the HR manager will silently map your skills.

Here, you must note that you have to carefully answer each question without any exaggeration.

“Tell Me About Yourself” is now an integral part of any interview session between HR managers and their prospective employees. Through this question, the HR manager will check your eloquence and honesty.

You can check this YouTube Video to fully prepare for this question in your next interview. How well you narrate about yourself in a logical and systematic manner helps the interviewer understand your level of maturity for the job.

For a single post, multiple candidates apply. That’s why HR managers use various tricks and assessment methods to judge your capability for the job.

How Does An HR Manager Judge Your Suitability for the Job?

• Your mental ability to tell about yourself without any self-bragging. 
• If you have any attitudes, which the employer may not like, it will come out naturally during self-description.   
• If you are self-confident, you’ll never spin words or speak anything out of the context at the time of the interview.
• To understand how serious and responsive you are about the said job.  

Experienced candidates have relatively more things to say about themselves than freshers. But fresher candidates should know how to answer tell me about yourself with no experience. 

How to Answer Tell Me About Yourself With No Experience

Here, you have to consider a couple of points while answering it:

Be Honest: It’s a lot easier if you are honest as you don’t have to remember anything. You can clearly explain your perspective to the employer without any ambiguity. On the other hand, if you try to conceal or exaggerate anything, you may end up disappointing your interviewer more and losing any chance of being selected.

Be Concise: Your employer is not asking you questions to get long answers. Like you, they may need to assess more candidates who have come up for the interview. Throughout the interview, try to keep your answers concise and up to the point.

Your answers should be to the point and must focus on the relevant application to the job profile for which you are applying. Any irrelevant answers or false information can lead to your disqualification.

As a fresher, you can answer this question more confidently as follows:

Introduce Yourself Better

Knowing how to introduce yourself can take the initial pressure off your shoulders. It’s always better to begin with your current situation, and then you can gradually speak a few words about your educational background. 

For example, if you’ve recently graduated from your university, you can speak about your exam, how you came to know about the job, what you are expecting to learn here, and so on.

Explain About Your Accomplishment

In the introductory part, you can also explain your accomplishment to the HR managers. Here, you can speak about your co-curricular activities and awards or recognitions that you got(if any). You can also describe some of the recent projects or any internship work you recently completed.

The idea is, to be honest, and straightforward throughout the process. 

Examples on how to answer “Tell me about yourself”

Now, we’ll take a look at some examples to help you tackle similar questions better.

Example #1 for Fresher Graduates

I recently completed my graduation in Economics from my university with first-class marks. In my academic life, I learned a lot of things. Throughout the course, I maintained a good academic record and performance. I’ve also participated in multiple contests for which I also won awards.

Though I don’t have any real-life work experience, I’m ready to work hard and prove my worth to the company.

Example #2 For Experienced Graduates

I’ve been in the finance industry for over four years. During this period, I’ve managed multiple responsibilities, including group project management. I recently worked as a senior resource for a large MNC. Unfortunately, the company closed its operation last year, and I have been searching for a job since then. I am currently looking for a job in the fintech segment to prove my potential as a valuable resource for the company.

Example #3: For Experienced Candidates Looking for a Job Change

I’ve spent the last four years developing my skills as a sales officer for _____(your previous company name). I’ve been aptly rewarded for my performance during this period. The company also promoted me for my exceptional performance on the work front. I love managing teams and get inspired by team spirit. Though I enjoy my current role, I feel I can do much more in a challenging job profile for which you recently advertised in an online recruitment portal. This position really intrigues me and I am looking forward to excel in it.

Wrapping Up

Selecting the right person for the right job is the main concern for the HR department in all offices and companies. They use different intellectual tools to map the qualities and professionalism of the person being interviewed. 

Tell Me About Yourself is one such essential tool to map the skills of a future employee and also understand how honest the candidate is about describing their qualities to demonstrate their suitability for the job. 

It is against this backdrop that questions like tell me about yourself, what else can you do differently, and where do you see yourself five years from now, have become an integral part of the HR practice in all companies and organizations during interviews. 

Don’t forget that introducing yourself is far more difficult than it seems from the outside. Several skilled and talented candidates often end up getting rejected because of inappropriate answers. That’s why you need to be thoroughly prepared a day or two in advance from the day of your interview.