“Tell me about yourself” is a common interview question. It’s asked when an employer wants to get to know their potential candidates a little closer. However, it’s often overused, and it might help to come up with better alternatives. This article will present some of the best ones.
What Can I Say Instead Of “Tell Me About Yourself” In An Interview?
There are plenty of other ways we can word this question. Why not try one of the following:
- How would you describe yourself?
- Tell me an interesting fact about you
- What’s something interesting about yourself that you’d like to share?
- What can you say about yourself?
- Using only three words, how would you describe yourself?
- I’m interested in learning a little more about you
- I’d like to know more about you
- Can you tell me more about your (experience)
- Tell me something I don’t already know from your resume
- Describe the events that led to your career today
The preferred version is “how would you describe yourself.” It works really well in many cases, and when we want to learn more descriptive and honest words from a person, this is a great choice to use. It can catch some people off guard, so bear that in mind.
How Would You Describe Yourself?
This question is the best way to ask someone to describe themselves. It is simple and gets to the point while also expecting them to come up with good adjectives to talk about themselves.
This phrase works well in many cases. It allows us to find out more about someone’s character based on their choice of words. Typically, candidates don’t want to be too flattering to themselves because they worry it might seem conceited.
These examples will help you make more sense of it:
- I have to ask, how would you describe yourself? Preferably without referring to your resume!
- How would you describe yourself? I’m interested to learn more about you.
- How would you describe yourself, then? You seem like a very keen candidate!
Tell Me An Interesting Fact About You
This one is simple and allows us to learn something interesting about our candidates. It gives them a chance to think about something that we might find “interesting,” which they otherwise wouldn’t have a chance to share in their resume.
This works well when we want to learn more than just simple “work stuff.” If there is more about them than they’ve written on their resume, this will be the best way to find out.
Here are some examples of how it works:
- Tell me an interesting fact about you. The more interesting, the better I’ll perceive this interview!
- Tell me an interesting fact about you, and do not hold back! I want to be shocked!
- Tell me an interesting fact about you. I want everyone to be friends here.
What’s Something Interesting About Yourself That You’d Like To Share?
We can use this question when we want to learn something about someone. Often, we’ll expect it to be something that they wouldn’t have included on their resume. It can be something trivial or completely unrelated to the interview.
The more random or unrelated the response, the better (usually). It just gives us an insight into some of the things the candidate might get up to in their spare time.
Here are a few ways we can make this one work:
- What’s something interesting about yourself that you’d like to share right now?
- Can you tell me something interesting about yourself that you’re happy to share with me?
- Name something interesting about yourself that you think is appropriate to share during this interview!
What Can You Say About Yourself?
This question is simple when we want to know more about someone. It allows them to be more specific about some of their character traits that might be beneficial to the job. Often, these traits are left out of their resume for more important things.
We can use this phrase in the following ways:
- What can you say about yourself to help with your prospects during this interview?
- What can you say about yourself? I’m curious to learn more.
- What can you say about yourself? I’d like to find out why you left your old job!
Using Only Three Words, How Would You Describe Yourself?
This is a fun question we can ask in an interview. It limits the way people can describe themselves, but it often tells us a lot about them based on the words they choose to use and how long they take to think about them.
This is a great question to build rapport with someone you are interviewing. If you want to show a more kind and friendly manner in your interviews, you can always give this one a go.
Some of these examples might help you to see how it works:
- Go on then. Using only three words, how would you describe yourself?
- I would say curious, cunning, and calm. But, using only three words, how would you describe yourself?
- How would you describe yourself using only three words? I’ll know if you’re faking!
I’m Interested In Learning A Little More About You
We could use this question when we want to “learn” more about someone. They can be as personal or as open as they like when answering this, and there is no direct pressure on the things they say to us when they do so.
It’s a useful phrase in many interview formats because it gives us an insight into their character rather than their work history.
Here are some great examples of how it works:
- I’m interested in learning a little more about you if you’d care to tell me more!
- I’m interested in learning more about you, as I think you will make a great fit.
- I’m interested in learning a little more about you if you’d like to share some information!
I’d Like To Know More About You
We can use this question when we want to keep it simple. If we’re interested in learning more about someone’s character, this is a great question to find out about them. It also makes it clear that we do not want to discuss work.
The more personal the descriptions for this one, the better. We do not need to learn about their private life, but it’s good for them to at least answer with personality traits or characteristics that you might otherwise miss in a resume.
Check out some of these examples to see how it works:
- I’d like to know more about you if that’s okay.
- I’d like to know more about you, and I’ll be happy to hear whatever you have to saqy.
- I’d like to know more about you, so I’ll be happy to let you take the floor.
Can You Tell Me More About Your (Experience)
This phrase works really well when we want to learn more about someone’s experience. You can refer to their history and past jobs to find out why they are asking for an interview today. It might help you to learn more about them, which is always useful.
These examples will help you to learn more about it:
- Can you tell me more about your past experiences?
- Can you tell me more about your time working on the farm?
- Can you tell me more about what you wrote here on your resume, please?
Tell Me Something I Don’t Already Know From Your Resume
This phrase works well when we want to get more interesting information out of someone. Most of the time, people only include work-related phrases and descriptions in resumes, and this question helps us to find out more about them personally.
You might see this used when someone wants to learn more about the character of a candidate. It’s a good way to gauge whether they’re the right fit for the job by means other than the normal resume methods.
Here are a few ways we can make it work:
- Tell me something about you that I haven’t already learned from your resume.
- Tell me something I don’t already know from your resume that’ll spice things up.
- Tell me something about you that I don’t already know from your resume. I’m interested in your character!
Describe The Events That Led To Your Career Today
This phrase works well when we want to learn more about the candidate’s history. If there is something obvious that led them down the path they’re currently on, this interview question is a great way to learn about them.
It could help new employers see whether you have a genuine passion for what you’re applying for or whether you fell into it.
Here are a few examples that might be useful:
- Please describe the events that led to your career today, so I can learn more about you.
- Describe the events that led to you and your career today. I’m interested to learn how you got here.
- Please describe the events that led to where you are today. Why do you think you want to work here?