This popular interview question ‘trips a lot of people up,’ says hiring expert—the best way to answer it

“Tell me about yourself.” 

It’s one of the most common — and deceptively difficult — questions you might be asked during a job interview.

Most interviewers use this question as an icebreaker. But responding to such a broad invitation to talk about yourself can feel intimidating. 

“Even though it’s the most common job interview question, it trips a lot of people up,” says Julia Pollak, chief economist at ZipRecruiter. “So many candidates have a ‘deer in headlights’ reaction and cycle through their whole biography.”

Since the “tell me about yourself” question is typically asked at the start of a job interview, your response can set the tone for the rest of the conversation. 

“If you have a long-winded, boring answer, it can bring a quick end to the interview,” says Jeff Hyman, an executive recruiter of 28 years. “You don’t want to launch into a long summary of your life story and resume.”

Instead, think of the icebreaker as an opportunity to make a strong first impression, he says.

Your response to this question should be a short elevator pitch (no longer than 1-2 minutes) highlighting some of your strengths, relevant experience and why you’re excited about this job. 

You also might want to consider mentioning a recent challenge you’ve overcome in your career, and what it taught you, Hyman adds. 

“It sounds counterintuitive, but few candidates will think to do it, so it will grab the interviewer’s attention,” he explains. “When I ask candidates to tell me about themselves, I’m looking for self-awareness and maturity, and talking about challenges with confidence shows me you possess those traits.”

For example: “One of the formative periods of my professional development was my first job out of college. The person who hired me quit soon after I started and it was difficult to adjust to my new boss’s management style at first, but that experience taught me how to be more adaptable and collaborate effectively at work.”

If you’re uncomfortable discussing a setback, Hyman suggests weaving in an example of how you’ve demonstrated leadership at work to impress the interviewer.

For example: “Something I’ve learned about myself recently is that I’m passionate about leading a team and rallying people around a cause. At my last company, I was a co-lead of one of our employee resource groups. I organized volunteer projects alongside some of my colleagues, which was such a gratifying experience.”

Hiring managers also use the “tell me about yourself” question to evaluate your confidence and get a pulse on your goals and priorities, William Vanderbloemen, the CEO of executive search firm Vanderbloemen Search Group, told CNBC Make It last year.

It’s important to tailor your response to the specific job you are interviewing for, Vanderbloemen explained, focusing on the skills and experience that are most relevant. 

For example, if you’re interviewing for a job as a software developer at a growing tech startup, you might say:

“At this point in my career, I’ve learned that I really enjoy working in fast, agile environments. I can’t stand sitting still and doing the same thing every day, even outside of work, I’m always eager to pick up new hobbies. One thing I love about your company is that you are in a phase of hockey-stick-level growth right now. I’m excited to contribute to this growth, adapt on the fly and support other teams’ work however I can.”

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