How to Answer “Tell Me About Yourself” in an English Job Interview

This is where your fluency really starts to show itself.

It may be fine to remember key words that help you answer individual interview questions about a topic you are familiar with. But when you are asked to speak continuously about yourself in your second or even third language, the real pressure is on.

Suddenly, you are trying to remember the idioms you learned in your English classes, the correct phrases and the right vocabulary.

Is that the right word? Am I using the correct preposition? Does that phrase even sound natural?

And you are trying to think about all of this while an interview panel is staring at you, waiting for your answer.

The truth is, many people feel uncomfortable when they hear “Tell me about yourself,” so don't think you are the only one.

The difference is that native or fluent English speakers have usually had much more practice using English naturally in everyday situations.

Learners have often told me that the only time they really get to speak English at work is when they are given instructions by a colleague or employer. Their answer might simply be:

That doesn't give you much opportunity to practice having longer professional conversations.

How do we fix this?

How do you answer “Tell me about yourself” without feeling hot under the collar?

First, remember that you don't need complicated English to give a good interview answer.

You don't need to memorize dozens of idioms or try to sound like someone else. What you do need is practice explaining your experience and skills clearly and naturally.

Learning some of the common phrases and expressions English speakers use can help.

We use these expressions a lot, probably more than we realize.

Once you have a few of them under your belt, they can make your English sound more natural and conversational. They can soften formal language and help break the ice between people who have just met.

For example:

Or:

Notice that neither answer uses complicated English.

The goal isn't to impress the interviewer with difficult vocabulary.

The goal is to help them understand who you are, what you can do and why you are sitting in front of them.

Remember the 4 W's

When you hear “Tell me about yourself,” think about four things:

WHO am I?

Who are you professionally?

You might begin with your current profession, area of expertise or the type of work you do.

WHAT have I done?

What relevant experience, education or training have you gained?

You don't need to tell the interviewer everything you've ever done. Choose the experience that is most relevant to the position.

WHAT am I good at?

What skills or strengths can you bring to the position?

Instead of simply saying, “I'm hardworking,” think about the skills you actually use at work.

Are you good at solving problems? Working with customers? Organizing projects? Communicating with a team? Training other people?

WHY am I interested?

Why are you interested in this particular job or company?

This is your opportunity to connect your experience with the position you're applying for.

Don't repeat your résumé

The interviewer already has it.

Your answer should help them understand the person, experience and skills behind the résumé.

Think of your résumé as the facts.

Your interview is your opportunity to explain those facts in your own words.

And remember, you don't need to speak perfect English to give a strong answer. You need to understand what you want to say and practice saying it naturally.

English You Can Use

Did you notice the expressions used throughout this page?

These are the kinds of expressions you will hear English speakers use in everyday conversation.

You don't need to memorize hundreds of them. Start with a few that feel natural to you, learn how they're used and practice using them in conversation.

Knowing What to Say Is Only the First Step

You may understand all four W's and still find yourself struggling when someone actually asks:

“Tell me about yourself.”

That's normal.

Knowing what you want to say is one thing. Being able to say it naturally and confidently during an interview is another.

That's where practice makes the difference.

At Career English Studio, I help English language learners prepare for the professional conversations that matter: explaining their experience and answering interview questions to making their English sound clearer and more natural in a professional setting.

You don't need someone to give you a script to memorize.

You need to learn how to talk confidently about your own experience, in your own words.