How to answer "Tell me about yourself" (with examples)

It's the most common interview opening, and the one most people ramble through. The interviewer isn't asking for your life story. They want a short, relevant summary that explains why you're in the room.

Use present, past, future

• Present: what you do now and one result you're proud of.
• Past: the experience that led you here.
• Future: why this role is the right next step.

An example

"I'm a customer success specialist at a fintech, where I look after 120 business accounts and cut churn by 15% last year. Before that I spent two years in retail banking, which is where I learned to explain financial products simply. I'm now looking to grow into account management, and this role's focus on SME clients is exactly where I want to build."

Keep it under two minutes

Practise it out loud until it sounds natural, not memorised. End on the role you're interviewing for, so the conversation moves forward from there.

What to leave out

Personal details, salary expectations and anything negative about a past employer. Save the detail for the questions that follow.