Experienced Candidate Interview Answer: "Tell Me About Yourself"

The interview question that derails even the strongest candidates: “Tell me about yourself.” Most people blow it by reciting their resume. I’ve watched it happen hundreds of times. The best candidates? They skip the job-by-job rundown and tell a short, clear story that makes me want to hire them. Here’s what interviewers are really looking for: • Do you understand what matters in this role? • Can you communicate it simply and confidently? Forget the advice to “start at the beginning.” You’ll lose your interviewer in 30 seconds. Use this 3-part framework instead: 1️⃣ Who you are professionally → “I’m a [title] who specializes in [specific strength or value].” 2️⃣ A proof point that matters → “Most recently, I [achieved X / solved Y / led Z].” 3️⃣ Why this role → “I’m excited about this opportunity because [connection to their needs].” Example: ❌ “I’ve worked in ops for 10 years across different industries doing process improvement…” ✅ “𝗜’𝗺 𝗮𝗻 operations leader 𝘄𝗵𝗼 transforms broken systems into efficient workflows. 𝗟𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝗾𝘂𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗲𝗿, 𝗜 streamlined our procurement process, cutting cycle time by 35% and saving $500K. 𝗜’𝗺 𝗱𝗿𝗮𝘄𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗿𝗼𝗹𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝗰𝗮𝘂𝘀𝗲 you need that same operational discipline as you scale.” Clear. Relevant. Hire-worthy. That’s how you show you’re already thinking like the person they need.

"Tell me about yourself." Product managers with an unusual path to the job often panic at this question. Here's how I help them overcome this fear. You don't have to be ashamed about your past. I talk all the time to people who are worried about some aspect of their career and how it will show up on their resume. But by the end of our conversation they are actually excited about their path through product management. Why? Because I help them see the meanders and detours in their careers as the source of their power. And what got them where they are today. All those steps are important and meaningful. The challenge isn't hiding it. The challenge is surfacing it in a way that shows how it contributed to your value. For example, I was talking with an experienced software product manager who had delivered huge amounts of value over his career. He was worried that his training - years ago - as a mechanical engineer (i.e., NOT a software person) would make him seem unqualified for software jobs during his current search. His first jobs - again, years ago - had been building physical products. First as an engineer and then as a product manager for physical products. I reminded him of key facts: - First, he can't change his past. - He had big wins in those early days. He can talk about them in the context of how they made him the impactful software product manager he is today. - In fact, I'd turn this around. Hardware product management experience is a *desirable* differentiator for a software product manager. The discipline you need to get hardware products to market is far higher than most software product managers have ever had to develop. It's valuable to a hiring manager to have a PM on staff who knows how to run a product ship that's disciplined enough to get hardware products out the door. Even in the software world. I helped him turn around his perception of his path. It's not a handicap, it's a positive differentiator. His response? "That's brilliant! I think you've just done the job." Don't hide your past or be ashamed. Show how it connects with where you are now, how it informed your progress, and how it contributes to your value proposition. Need help surfacing your hidden strengths? Let’s talk.

After 15+ yrs interviewing and hiring at Fortune 500 companies, here's what I know: The difference between good and great candidates isn't talent. It's preparation. Here are the 12 must-prepare questions I've asked or seen being asked in interviews (and how to nail them): 💥 "Tell me about yourself" → Not your life story. Your career movie trailer: Hook, highlights, where you're headed (2 mins max). 💥 "What makes you different?" → Pick 3 strengths that solve their problems (I'll teach you how to find these). 💥 "Your biggest weakness?" → Be real. I've heard every "perfectionist" story. Show self-awareness and growth instead. 💥 "Why us?" → If you can't articulate this clearly, you're not ready. Research isn't optional. 💥 "Tell me about a challenge" → Use the STAR method: Situation, Task, Action, Result. Keep it recent and relevant. 💥"How do you handle mistakes?" → Everyone fails. Winners show ownership and learning. 💥 "Managing multiple priorities?" → Concrete example + your system. Show me your mind works strategically. 💥 "Dealing with conflict?" → Focus on resolution, not drama. Emotional intelligence wins here. 💥 "Ethical decisions?" → Values matter more than outcomes. Pick a story that shows your compass. 💥 "Why leave your current role?" → Growth story, not escape story. Never bash your employer. 💥 "Missing a deadline?" → Ownership + Learning + Prevention. Three-part answer. 💥 "Your greatest strength?" → Match their needs. The job description is your cheat sheet. 🔥 Pro Secret: Record yourself answering these. You'll hear what needs work. The goal isn't memorization. It's authentic confidence. Save this cheat sheet. Your next interview could be tomorrow. 🔁 REPOST to help someone else get hired. 👤 FOLLOW for more practical job search content that works.

This is exactly what I do to impress my interviewers in the first five minutes of all my interviews 👇 In most of your interviews you’ll be asked the same question in the first 5 minutes: “tell me about yourself” (can also be asked as “walk me through your resume”) Your interviewers are interested in knowing WHY you are a good fit for the role and the culture of the company Most candidates I’ve interviewed and coached make the same mistakes: ❌ Explain more about their companies and responsibilities than skills they learned relevant to the interview ❌ Make a very long introduction of more than 5 minutes ❌ Add STAR stories in their intro (taking more time) My “tell me about yourself” follows these principles: ✅ Structured and concise ✅ RELEVANT to the job I’m interviewing for I use a simple and repeatable structure - each job/transition I make is like a Lego block that stacks onto each other. In other words, everything is connected Framework: 🟠 Introduction 🔵 Job and company (skills learned) 🟢 Transition to next job/school 🔵 other Job and company 🟢 Transition… 🔵🟢🔵🟢… 🟡 Why do I want to work with them? —— 🟠 Introduction: this is where I connect who am I with why I’m excited about the company. For example, if I were interviewing with a company like Reddit and communities were important in my life, I would share that: “Hi! My name is Diego and communities have always been important in my life because….” Wrap up quickly and transition to the next part. 🔵 Job and company: I usually start from my first job. As time passes, I spend less time talking about my first couple of jobs to the point where I could mention in general two or three things I learned and move on to more recent jobs. Think of stacking legos where the height represents the amount of time you speak about them. At the bottom (early career) you’ll have flat pieces and as you stack them (more recent jobs) you’ll grab taller pieces. The most important thing about each job you mention is that you need to talk about skills that you learn that are RELEVANT to the job you interview for. When I was an aspiring PM I would say something like this: “I used to work in a Business Intelligence consulting firm where I learned about working with customers, work with engineers, (skill 3), (skill4)….” 🟢 Transitions: tie your transitions to a reason that shows growth. For example, maybe you moved from one job to the next because you wanted to learn about a new industry or a new skill that shows you are a good fit for the role. For example: “after X years of doing this job, I realized that I wanted to learn more about Y industry (or grow in Z other position/skills), so I joined X2” —— Make sure that your story is ~3 minutes at the most and remember to make it as relevant as possible to the job you are interviewing for! What are your best tips for interviewing? 🚀 need help getting your first or next PM job? Check my comment below!

"So, tell us about yourself..." Are you squirming just reading that? I've coached 1000s of people through interview preparation. This question makes everyone nervous. The answer will make or break your interview. And even people with great experience get it wrong. What you need is a formula that will: ↳ Boost your confidence 💪 ↳ Make a great first impression ✨ Here's the exact formula that has helped my clients land great jobs: 1️⃣ Context: Start with an attention grabbing statement. ↳ It should tie directly to the role ↳ It should be about who you are Examples: ✅ For as long as I can remember I have loved puzzles. That led to a passion for math and how things are built. Engineering was an obvious choice for me... ✅ When I noticed that people turn to me when something needs organizing, it inspired me to look into project management. It's been a great fit... 🚨Common trap: Starting with where you went to school, your major, a job chronology. 2️⃣ Background: Transition to reference your experience. ↳ Include one or two recent roles emphasizing top skills ↳ Summarize similiar experiences Examples (You will say more based on your background): ✅ Currently, I'm working on the plant floor overseeing production and quality assurance, and prior to that I was on the design team. ✅ Since getting my PMP, I've advanced to a senior project manager for a commercial real estate company. 🚨Common trap: Giving too much detail, leaving out measurable achievements. 3️⃣ Connection: Draw the connection between your skills and this role. ↳ Focus on the key skills the role requires ↳ Share research and insights to highlight why you are a good fit. Examples: (You will say more based on your experience) ✅ My favorite part of my current job is the robotics. In fact, that's what attracted me to this role. I've been interested in applying my skills in that direction. ✅ While I have loved my work in commerical real estate, I've always had a personal interest in health and wellness. Your products align with my values and I would love to apply my skills to your work. 🚨Common trap: Not tying your skills directly to their top priority needs. Not showing you understand the demands of the role. 4️⃣ Pivot: Clearly hand the conversation back to the interviewer with enthusiasm. ↳ Express gratitude ↳ Invite them to ask you questions Examples: ✅ I'm very glad to be here today. I'm excited to learn more about the opportunity and answer your questions. 🚨Common trap: "So, yeah," as an ending that lands with a thud. Context > Background > Connection > Pivot That's the winning formula! 💡Pro-tip: The key to a great answer is practicing! Record yourself on video, and WATCH it Lather, rinse, repeat, until you can say this in your sleep! ➤ For a detailed guide to crafting a great Tell Me About Yourself answer Send me a DM with "TMAY" in the subject. ♻️Repost to share this with others who are in the interview process! 🔔Follow Sarah Baker Andrus for more interview tips

How I answer “Tell me about yourself” as a Data Analyst It’s always the first question in interviews. And honestly it used to trip me up every time. Do I tell my life story? Or list every job I’ve had? Recite my resume? I tried so many versions in my interviews. Watched YouTube tutorials. Rewrote my answer over and over. Here’s how I finally learned to keep it clear 1. Start with who you are “I’m a data analyst with 3 years of experience turning raw data into insights that help teams make decisions.” 2. Share your core skills “I work mainly with SQL, Power BI, and Python, and I love building dashboards that actually solve business problems.” 3. Give a quick example “In my last role, I automated reporting that saved over 10 hours a week and improved forecasting accuracy.” 4. End with why you’re here “I’m excited about this role because I want to work on more advanced analytics projects and help drive better decisions.” Tailor it to the company and job. No rambling. Just a clear story of who you are and what you bring. If you’re prepping for interviews, I hope this helps a little. #dataanalytics #jobsearch

I recently spoke to a candidate who didn't know how to answer the "Tell me about yourself" question in the interview 😫 And below were here reasons: 👉 Fear of sounding cocky 👉 Belief that she was "just doing her job" 👉 She honestly didn't know how to start Sounds familiar? Her reasons are more common than you think. And they were my reasons too until I became a recruiter 👀 So, here's an easy framework to follow when answering the "Tell me about yourself" portion in your interview ✔ Present: Start with your current role and highlight what you're doing now that's relevant to the position you applied for. ✔Past: Briefly discuss your previous experience and background and mention key components in the role to the position you're applying for. ✔ Future: Confirm your excitement about the position you're interviewing for and how they fit into your career aspirations. This framework helps you provide a concise and clear narrative that shows why you are a fit for the position. And most importantly, it gives you confidence when talking to the recruiter and hiring manager. Sometimes a little help with structure can make all the difference when giving a confident and tailored response to that question. 👏

I've coached 300+ job seekers on interviewing, here's what I've noticed they get wrong: 1. Most people overcomplicate their interviews 2. Most people over-research for their interviews 3. Most people under prepare for their interviews There are only 3 main components you need to prep for. Let's break down the most important one: "Tell me about yourself" Here's a formula for how to answer: 🎯 1. WHAT YOU'VE DONE Keep this short & to your most recent experience ➡ "I've been a project manager for 8 years. Most recently I worked at Acme where built our project system from the ground up." 🎯 2. WHY YOU'RE LOOKING (the "challenge") Describe something lacking in the role (even if you've been laid off) ➡ "While I've loved my time there, because we're such a small team I feel like I've mastered my role and I'm not learning much anymore." 🎯 3. WHY THEM Explain why this company in particular solves "the challenge" ➡"It seems like you guys are working on some really big projects. I recently saw your campaign on the super widget. Was that a big initiative? How did you put that together?" (notice we always end on a question to hand the ball back to the interviewer) ☝ Use this framework for your "tell me about yourself" answer and you'll see a MUCH better success rate with your interviews. P.S. I'm hosting a free interview workshop this week, if you'd like to learn more techniques like this sign up below 👇 _

Do you struggle with this interview conversation starter:  🎤 "So, Tell Me About Yourself." In my experience leading executive searches, rambling is one of the danger zones candidates enter at the beginning of a conversation because they haven’t prepared to answer this typical starter question. This can be particularly difficult to answer when you have twenty or thirty years of experience to explain! And how about those twists and turns versus a career with a straight line? Can you relate? ✋ I’ve honed a framework to help people tease out the relevant themes and patterns of their career so they can communicate what I call their career “throughline.” These themes and patterns define your professional journey, help you understand how to answer “Tell me about yourself,” and help your listener gain comfort with you and “get you” immediately. Doing this important preparation takes time, but it makes all the difference. Here’s how to uncover and articulate your unique value proposition: 🎈 Step 1: Collect your work history (resumes, LinkedIn profile information, past performance reviews, awards, recognitions, and testimonials) in one place. 🎈 Step 2: Reflect on your career journey. Ask yourself how your upbringing, early life, and educational choices influenced your professional direction. Then ask yourself, what motivated your career transitions? Were there recurring reasons for moving on? These insights can reveal your career's underlying themes and help you create your narrative. 🎈 Step 3: Organize key points to create your “throughline.” I recommend just one or two ideas for your early career and a few more for your mid-career. For executives, most of what you will explain is your “recent work” in the last five years or so because this is what will likely be most relevant to your job search now. Organizing your career story with this framework will help you confidently answer the "Tell me about yourself" question and highlight the unique value you bring to the table. Like many candidates I have interviewed, you may struggle to answer this question. This is why I built a framework to coach them to develop their unique value proposition (UVP) and get to the heart of their story immediately. ❓ So I ask – what is your career “throughline?” #jobs #careers #management