Job interviews
How to answer “Tell me about yourself” in English
The short answer
Give a 60 to 90 second answer in three parts: what you do now, one or two things you’ve done that matter for this job, and why you want it. Then practise it out loud until the first sentence comes without thinking, because the first sentence is where people freeze.
By the Chappie team · Published · Updated
What is the best way to answer “Tell me about yourself”?
It’s usually the first question, and it’s the one people prepare least, because it sounds easy. It isn’t asking for your life story or your CV read out loud. The interviewer wants to hear how clearly you can talk about yourself for a minute, and whether what you say points at the job they’re hiring for.
- 1
Now: what you do today
Your current job or studies, in a sentence or two. “I’m a software engineer at a logistics company in Colombo. I work mostly on the mobile app.”
- 2
Before: one or two things that fit this job
Give proof rather than a list: one project, one result, one responsibility. A number helps if you have one: “I led the move to a new billing system for 3,000 customers.”
- 3
Next: why this role
Connect your story to them. “I’d like to work on a product that’s used across the region, and that’s what caught my eye about this role.”
Memorise the first sentence and the three points. Don’t memorise the whole thing word for word. It sounds recited, and if one word goes missing the rest goes with it.
Sample answers
Four examples, all invented, for four kinds of candidate. Borrow the shape and change every detail.
I’m a recent computer science graduate from the University of Moratuwa. In my final year I built a booking app for a small hotel in Galle with two friends, and I handled the back end and the payment integration. The hotel still uses it, which taught me a lot about building for real users. I’m applying here because I want to keep building things people use every day, with a team I can learn from.
One real project, one specific responsibility, and a reason that points at the company.
I’m an accountant with six years of experience, currently a senior associate at a manufacturing company in Kandy. For the last two years I’ve run month-end close for three business units, and I brought our reporting time down from ten days to six. I’m looking for a role where I can work with regional teams and grow into financial planning, which is why this one appeals to me.
A number the interviewer will remember, and a clear direction.
I’m Dinuka. I finished my BSc in Business Management at the University of Sri Jayewardenepura this year. I haven’t had a full-time job yet, but I led the finance team for our faculty’s annual exhibition, where I managed a budget and eight volunteers. That’s where I found I enjoy organising people and numbers together. I’m applying for this trainee role because I want to learn how a real business does that every day.
No experience is fine. A university project, a society role or a part-time job is proof, as long as you say what you actually did.
I’m Tharushi. I’ve worked for two years at a mobile phone shop in Negombo, where I help customers choose plans and sort out problems with their accounts. I like calming people down when something has gone wrong and finding a fix. I’d like to join your customer support team because I want to do that at a bigger scale, and use my English every day.
Short and honest, and it sounds like a person. A simple answer said clearly beats a complicated one said nervously.
Practise it
Say your own version to Chappie’s interviewer, and get the follow-up questions you didn’t prepare for.
Phrases that make you sound unsure, and what to say instead
You’ll hear all of these in interviews across Colombo every week, and interviewers understand them perfectly well. The versions on the right just sound more certain, and certainty is half of what this question is testing.
What are the most common mistakes?
Starting from school. Start from today, and only go back for the one thing that matters. Listing every job you’ve had, when they want the one or two that fit this one. Running past two minutes: aim for 60 to 90 seconds and let them ask for more. And practising in your head. Silent practice feels ready right up until someone is looking at you.
Is “Tell me about yourself” the same as a self-introduction?
Nearly. A self-introduction is shorter: your name, what you do, one line on why you’re there. “Tell me about yourself” is the interview version, with a piece of proof and a reason you want the job. If this is your first interview, how to face your first job interview in English walks through the whole day, from the greeting to the thank-you email.
It’s also only the first of about ten questions you can see coming. Job interview questions and answers in Sri Lanka has all ten, with sample answers for freshers and for people with experience.
How should you practise it?
- 1
Write three points
Now, before, next. Three lines on paper, and no script.
- 2
Say it out loud five times
Use the timer on your phone. By the fifth go, the first sentence arrives on its own.
- 3
Practise the follow-ups
“Why did you leave your last job?” “What was hard about that project?” Those are the ones that catch people, so rehearse them too. Here are the ten questions you’ll almost certainly get.
- 4
Hear how it sounds
Record yourself on your phone, or say it to Chappie, which runs the interview, listens to the whole answer, shows you the filler words and the sentence to fix, then asks you to say it again.
Questions people ask
How long should my answer to “Tell me about yourself” be?
About 60 to 90 seconds, which is roughly 150 to 200 words at a calm pace. If they want more, they’ll ask.
Should I talk about my family or my hometown?
Only briefly, and only if it connects to the job. Some interviewers in Sri Lanka ask about family separately. Keep this answer on your work or studies and why you want the role.
What if I freeze halfway through?
Breathe, then use a reset phrase: “Let me put that another way.” A short pause sounds calm. Then go back to your three points.
Should I memorise my answer?
Memorise your first sentence and your three points, and say the rest in your own words each time. Then it still sounds natural when you forget a word.