"Tell me about yourself": how to answer, with examples

A structure that works: present, past, future

1. Present: what you do now, in one or two sentences.
2. Past: one or two experiences or skills that are most relevant to this job.
3. Future: why you've applied for this role at this organisation.

Tip: Leave out personal details such as age, marital status or health. Stick to things relevant to the job.

Example answers

School leaver: "I've just finished my GCSEs at [school], where I enjoyed maths and DT. I've had a Saturday job at [café] for a year, so I'm used to busy shifts and serving customers. I'm applying for this apprenticeship because I want to learn a trade properly, and your training programme stood out."

Career changer: "I've spent six years in hospitality, most recently as a supervisor running shifts of ten people. Over the last year I've completed an AAT course in the evenings because I enjoy the numbers side of the business, like cash-ups and stock. This role would let me use both: accuracy, and dealing with people under pressure."

Experienced candidate: "I'm an operations manager at a distribution centre, responsible for two shifts and about eighty people. Last year I led a change to our labour planning that cut agency spend. I'm looking for a bigger multi-site role, and your expansion plans are the kind of challenge I want next."

Each answer is illustrative; swap in your own true details.

Common mistakes

• Reading out your CV from the start.
• Talking for more than two minutes.
• Being so modest you don't say what you're good at.
• Forgetting to say why this job.

Prepare the rest of your answers with the interview question tool and the STAR method guide.