The Hardest Interview Question to Answer: “Tell Me About Yourself”

“Tell me about yourself.” It’s not exactly a question, and it sounds simple enough—right?

Try it right now. Tell me about yourself.

Are you tongue tied...searching for words… rambling… cringing at your own answer? You’re not alone. This prompt stumps nearly everyone I work with—from executives to entry-level candidates. It’s one of the most common questions in both networking and interviewing, yet almost no one prepares a response. This is why I consider it the hardest interview question to answer.

Many people start with where they were born and then walk me chronologically through their résumé. As a hiring manager, by the time they finish, I’ve learned nothing new because I’ve already read their résumé. Now I’m bored. To make matters worse, the discomfort around this question often causes people to stumble through their answer, which can make people look like they lack confidence. If you can’t answer this simple question clearly and concisely, the conversation gets off to a rocky start.

The good news? The solution is simple.

Follow these four steps to craft your response to “Tell me about yourself.”

1.      Reflect on these components:

• What can you do for an organization?

• What skills do you apply in that work?

• What makes you unique or different?

• How have your past experiences prepared you for success in your next role?

2.      Speak your answers out loud and use a voice-to-text tool to capture them.

3.      Edit this first draft for clarity and brevity.

4.      Practice with a friend or colleague and get feedback.

You probably won’t use your draft verbatim, but the exercise provides a strong foundation you can adapt for multiple situations—not only interviews, but also networking conversations, your résumé, and your LinkedIn profile.

Bottom line: Think of yourself as a product. Know how to articulate your value—both in writing and verbally—at any moment. Turn the hardest interview question into a brilliant answer that will have you standing above the competition.