How Do I Answer The "Tell Us About Yourself" Interview Question?

Almost every interview starts with the classic ‘Tell us about yourself.’ It’s meant to put you at ease — yet for most job seekers, it does the exact opposite.

There’s no single “right” way to answer this interview question, but whatever you say should feel genuine and comfortable.

Rather than reciting your career history — which the interviewer can already see on your CV - focus on telling your story. An elevator pitch is one way to do this. Think of it as a concise, 60–90 second summary of who you are, what you do, the value you bring and as an introduction that showcases your strengths in the time it would take to ride an elevator with someone you’ve never met.

So how do you make sure your answer to the "Tell us about yourself" interview question has real impact? Through thorough pre-interview preparation. No two roles are identical - job titles may look the same, but every organisation has its own priorities and expectations. While parts of your response may stay consistent, you want it to feel tailored for each interview - and that begins with careful reading of the job advert and position description (if provided) to understand the role requirements. Preparation done, these pointers can help you put together a confident response.

1. Start with a core message about who you are. For instance - "I'm an experienced accountant with a focus on small business" or "I'm a business development manager who thrives in helping companies take a greater market share". That sets the scene which you can expand on by giving a very brief overview of your career.
   

2. Weave some of your relevant strengths or skills into your response. For example, if the role has an emphasis on leadership or mentoring and that's something you've excelled at recently, you might say "in my recent role at ABC company, I really enjoyed mentoring a team and seeing each person grow". There’s no need to over-elaborate as you'll get an opportunity to give more detail on your experience later in the interview, plus you don't want to provide a long list of why the company should pick you over others. Simply sharing what you’ve genuinely enjoyed in past roles, along with the motivations behind your career moves, naturally brings your most relevant skills and experience to the surface.
   

3. Include something about yourself that brings your CV to life and gives the interviewer a sense of who you are beyond the bullet points. For example, if you've emigrated to New Zealand, you could share what motivated your move. If you're a returning Kiwi, what's brought you back now and what did you learn and/or enjoy about working overseas? If you can incorporate some strengths/skills that are relevant to the job you're interviewing for at the same time, that's a bonus.
   

4. Let them see a glimpse of your personality. Once the formal interview questions begin, it can be harder to show who you really are. This question gives you the chance to reveal the person behind the CV - so smile, show enthusiasm and share the energy and passion that drives you at work.
   

5. Include a few “outside of work” details — hobbies, interests, volunteer work, or anything that adds dimension. It gives interviewers a glimpse of who you are beyond the professional persona we all take to an interview

At the end of the day, there's no right or wrong answer. Just be yourself and enjoy having the opportunity to tell your story!