How to Answer 'Tell Me About Yourself' (With Examples)
TL;DR
"Tell me about yourself" is your 60-90 second elevator pitch. Use this formula:
- Present: Your current role and key responsibilities
- Past: Relevant experience that led you here
- Future: Why you're excited about this opportunity
Now let's break down exactly how to nail this question.
Why Interviewers Ask This Question
This isn't small talk. Interviewers use this question to:
- Assess communication skills - Can you be concise and structured?
- Understand your self-awareness - Do you know your strengths?
- Set the tone - Your answer guides the rest of the interview
- Gauge enthusiasm - Are you genuinely interested in this role?
The Present-Past-Future Formula
Step 1: Start with the Present (15-20 seconds)
Open with your current situation. Be specific about your role and one key achievement.
"I'm currently a Senior Software Engineer at Acme Corp, where I lead a team of four developers building our customer-facing API platform. Over the past year, I've helped reduce API response times by 40% while handling 3x the traffic."
Step 2: Bridge to the Past (20-30 seconds)
Connect your current role to your relevant background. Focus on 2-3 experiences that directly relate to the job you're interviewing for.
"Before this, I spent three years at a fintech startup where I was the second engineering hire. I got to wear many hats—from building our initial payment processing system to setting up our CI/CD pipeline. That startup experience taught me how to move fast while maintaining code quality."
Step 3: Point to the Future (15-20 seconds)
End with why you're excited about THIS specific opportunity. Show you've done your research.
"I'm excited about this role at [Company] because I see an opportunity to combine my API expertise with your mission of making healthcare data more accessible. Your recent launch of the patient portal API aligns perfectly with the kind of high-impact work I want to do next."
Example Answers by Role
Software Engineer Example
"I'm currently a backend engineer at a Series B startup, where I specialize in building scalable microservices. Last quarter, I architected our new notification system that handles 10 million messages daily.
Before this, I worked at Amazon for two years on the fulfillment team. That's where I developed my passion for building systems that work reliably at scale. I also learned the importance of working backwards from customer needs.
I'm drawn to this role at [Company] because you're tackling real-time collaboration at massive scale. The technical challenges around conflict resolution and latency that you're solving are exactly the problems I find most interesting."
Product Manager Example
"I'm a Product Manager at a B2B SaaS company, where I own our enterprise dashboard product. I recently led a redesign that increased user engagement by 35% and reduced support tickets by half.
My background is actually in engineering—I was a developer for four years before transitioning to product. That technical foundation helps me work closely with engineering teams and make better prioritization decisions.
What excites me about [Company] is your approach to product-led growth. I've spent the last two years studying how the best PLG companies build their products, and I'd love to apply those learnings here."
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Starting from childhood: No one needs to hear about your high school achievements. Start with recent, relevant experience.
Reading your resume: They already have your resume. Tell a story that connects the dots.
Being too vague: "I'm a hard worker who loves technology" says nothing. Be specific with examples.
Going over 2 minutes: Respect their time. Practice until you can deliver a crisp 60-90 second answer.
Forgetting the "why them": Always end by connecting your story to their specific company and role.
How to Practice
The best way to improve? Practice out loud.
Reading your answer silently doesn't prepare you for the real thing. You need to:
- Hear yourself speak
- Practice natural pacing
- Get comfortable with the words
- Receive feedback on clarity
This is exactly why we built prepare.fyi. Record your answer, get instant AI feedback on your delivery, and iterate until your introduction is polished.
Your Next Step
Write out your Present-Past-Future answer right now. Then practice it out loud 5 times. You'll be surprised how much more confident you feel.
Want AI-powered feedback on your answer? Start practicing on prepare.fyi — it's free to get started.