The Hidden Questions Behind, “Tell Me About Yourself?”

You may assume that the frequent first question of interviews, “Tell me about yourself,” is merely an ice breaker to relax you as you begin the interview process. While it may help you do just that, it is also very often the “real” first question of the interview. And as such, it presents a great opportunity for you to get the interview off to a great start.

But, then how do you answer that question?

“Tell me about yourself” is a great way to briefly talk about your interests, and also to show some confidence – most people are quite good at talking about themselves! But, interviewers often ask this question to mask these “real” questions:

  1. Does this candidate take our job seriously? A flippant answer to this first question can show (whether intentionally or not) whether you are serious about joining the organization, or whether your interview is just another stop on your way to “a” job (in other words – any job). To assuage this concern and answer this “hidden” question, you may want to consider a one-sentence intro about who you are, followed by a short intro into how that has factored into your career. Whether or not a question seems career-oriented, always err on the side of caution – ALL questions are about your career.
  2. Is this person’s resume accurate? With a question that seems to put you at ease, you may very well slip up and mention something that was either omitted from your resume, or contradicts something on your resume. The lesson here: think carefully about every aspect of your responses before answering. A thoughtful pause (but not an unbearably silent length of time!) is not likely to lose you the job. A verbal gaffe very well may.
  3. Will this candidate give me protected information? This is (hopefully) the least likely scenario out of the questions we’ve discussed, but it is a possibility. Some unscrupulous employers will ask this question with hopes that a candidate will voluntarily offer up protected information, including marital status, parental status, or religion. Although unlikely, it is good to keep this concern in mind when answering the question.
  4. Will this candidate fit in here? How a candidate describes him or herself can give the interviewer great insight into a candidate’s personality. This, in turn, can help an interviewer determine whether or not you would be a good cultural fit for the company. There is not too much you can do here to help sway an interviewer in your favor – sometimes candidates just aren’t a good cultural fit. But, present yourself as an amiable–yet professional–candidate, and you may very well be a good fit.

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