Tell me about yourself is one of the most popular questions you will get in job interviews and when you meet new sales clients for the first time. It’s almost guaranteed that you have gotten or will get this question at some point in your career.

There is a right way and a wrong way to answer this question. So, it’s important to know how to answer it.

1. Tell Me About Yourself Is an Opportunity

When an interviewer asks you to tell them about you, it is an open-ended opportunity to make sure you say everything you want to get across about yourself, your experience and your skills. It is your chance to take the lead and sell yourself.

2. Don’t Recite Your Resume

When candidates are asked this question, many simply recite what is already on their resume and cover letter. Others go into a long-winded rant about their experience, who they are and everything else they can think of on the spot. This is not a good approach.

It’s best to have a concise response that covers the important points. If the interviewer wants to learn more about something you said, they can ask follow-up questions.

3. What to Include in Your Answer

There are a number of key elements that will help you answer the question effectively. Include the following in your answer:

• Who you are: Explain who you are professionally and give them some insight into your personality and skills.
• Career highlights: Highlight the top 3 – 5 points about your career you want to get across. Include companies, roles, and successes.
• Why you are interviewing: Explain why you want the position and how you are a good fit for the role.

The key is to craft a well thought out answer to the question that highlights everything an interviewer would want to know about you. Their purpose of asking the question is to learn about you, so tell them about the information that is relevant to the position. Remember, the interviewer can always follow up if they want to know more about a particular part of your answer.

Learn More About the Sales Job Search

Give yourself the best chance to get the sales job by using these tips from our sales recruiters:

3 Ways to Sell Yourself in a Sales Interview

3 Questions to Ask Yourself Before Taking That Sales Job

5 Potential Sales Job Interview Questions and How to Answer Them

SalesForce Search is a sales recruiting company which specializes in the recruitment and placement of sales professionals. We recruit sales people in every sector of the economy including, software, manufacturing, financial services and medical devices. Find the right sales person for your organization, start your search here.