

This question is also a great starting point that can help inform the direction of the interview, says Muse career coach and BetterWorks Labs founder Al Dea: “Depending on what you say it’s going to help them figure out the next question,” which might help start a chain effect of follow-up questions, lend an easy flow to the conversation, and help recruiters and hiring managers accomplish one of their major goals in the hiring process: getting to know you. “The interviewee’s nervous but the interviewer’s trying to get their bearings. “Often when the conversation starts it’s a lot of small talk and it’s a way to transition into it,” especially for less seasoned recruiters or hiring managers. “It lets them ease into the actual interviewing,” says leadership development coach Alina Campos, founder of Rising.

Why interviewers ask you to “Tell me about yourself”.But you can and should prepare in advance so you can use this common opening prompt to your advantage, setting the stage for a successful interview.

#Give it to me now movie
Your interviewer doesn’t need to know you envision Zendaya playing you in the imagined movie adaptation of your life. You might be thinking: Um, what do you want to know? Should I give you the biopic synopsis of my workplace drama complete with ideal casting? “Tell me about yourself” might seem like an easy win of an interview question-after all, you know all about yourself! And good thing, too, because it’s often the very first thing an interviewer will ask you to do-whether you’re having a preliminary phone screen, speaking to your prospective boss, or sitting down with the CEO during the final round.īut responding to this invitation to talk about yourself in the context of a job interview can feel stressful and complicated.
