How not to panic when someone says, ‘tell me about yourself’

Have you said too much? Not enough? Come across as totally self-obsessed or insecure and unsure of yourself? It’s normal for all these questions to be running through your head when someone asks you to spill the tea on brand ‘me’. But don’t panic, you’ve got this. Having a few key phrases up your sleeve, keeping things short and sweet, making sure the info you share is relevant to the conversation and practising in front of a mirror (yes, really) can help you pitch yourself perfectly, as these industry insiders explain…

Tate Evans
Talent Specialist

“Tell us about yourself” isn’t a trick question designed to trip you up. It’s a chance to frame your story and guide the interviewer through your experience.

I always tell junior creatives: imagine you’re creating your own trailer - two minutes that make them want to know more, without giving away the entire plot.

Start with who you are right now: your current focus, creative passions, or side projects.

Then touch on one or two moments that shaped your direction - a project, a role, meeting a particular person in the industry. Finally, close with what you’re excited about next: how this role fits your ambitions and what you can bring to it.

Holly Williams
Talent Acquisition Lead at DEPT®

If you’re meeting in person or on a call, it can be tricky to understand how in-depth to go and where to focus when asked such a broad question. Remember, you can always ask the interviewer for a little more direction, or you could say, “I’ll tell you about my first role briefly and then move forwards from there, how does that sound?”. Let the interviewer know you would be happy for them to interrupt if they have any questions along the way, and at the end you might ask if they want you to go into any more detail on areas you already covered.

If you’re writing your response, your intro should be about your professional experience or your education mainly. Keep it short and concise, a couple of sentences on each of your roles is fine.

Highlight relevant experiences, for example, the type of industry you worked in, or the size of the team. Once you have finished outlining your experience, share details of your current situation including:

Isabel Sachs
Founder at I LIKE NETWORKING

Having a response to “tell me about yourself” comes in very handy at networking events. But in more formal interviews, it isn’t about repeating your CV – they’ve already read that. This is your moment to thread together your career and personality.

It’s good to be specific - so Instead of saying “I freelanced at lots of companies,” try something like, “For the past two years, I freelanced in junior level production roles across different-sized teams to really understand what I would be best suited to deliver in the creative process, leading to a mid-level position of Y" It makes your story flow and shows purpose.

Avoid jargon. “I’m a team player” doesn’t mean anything. Share examples that prove it instead.

And practice talking about yourself out loud. Record yourself until it feels natural. Sounds like a crazy idea but it's incredibly helpful and will also remove some of the nerves around it.

At networking events specifically, I always keep things short. Once you’ve exchanged contacts, it’s nice to give the other person an easy way out –something like, “I don’t want to take more of your time, I’m sure you want to mingle.” The whole point of these events is for people to wander around.

I think the best way to be remembered is simply to listen and be present. Ask thoughtful questions and be curious. You can always send a more detailed pitch the next day when you’re back at your computer. And if you want to stand out a bit, go for it — have a fun business card, bring a small piece of merch, or dress in a way that represents your work or company.

Key takeaways

✅ “Tell us about yourself” isn’t a trick question – it’s your chance to frame your story and guide the interviewer through your experience.

✅ Imagine you’re creating your own trailer – two minutes that make them want to know more, without giving away the full plot.

✅ Start with who you are right now, then mention one or two moments that shaped your direction.

✅ End with what’s next – how this role fits your ambitions and what you can bring to it.

✅ Ask for more direction if you’re unsure how detailed to be, or invite the interviewer to jump in with questions.

✅ Be specific, not vague – try swapping “I’m a team player” for examples that prove it.

✅ Practise out loud or record yourself until it feels natural (really!).

✅ Don’t repeat your CV – thread together your career and personality instead.