The Easiest Interview Question … To Mess Up! 5 Ways to Get It Right.

Can you actually fail an interview question asking you about yourself? Yes, yes you can. The very common interview question “Tell me about yourself” (or its close cousin “Walk me through your resume.”) is not a trick question – the interviewer wants to understand what you’ve done that’s relevant, why you’re interested/why this job makes sense, and what you are like. But most attorneys treat this exercise like a deposition question and drone on about exactly what they’ve done in boring detail (which will not make you memorable). Instead, cover what the interviewer actually cares about in a pithy but interesting answer. My top tips below:

1. Get out the timer. Your answer must fit in 60-90 seconds, which gives room for a topic sentence and a few points. Give a sense of the breadth and depth of your work, and the interviewer can follow up on any point.
2. Squeeze in a very short story showing on-point experience and good judgment. For example, because you are known for [your expertise], your clients or manager asked you to take on X. You found Y and implemented Z, which resulted in % and $. Stories and concrete examples make you stand out.
3. Before the interview, research the company and team so you can talk about what they care about. Ideally, talk to a friend in the company so you know exactly what terms they use and what issues are most pressing. Now use those terms and address their pain points.
4. Develop themes showing that your experience lines up with what they are looking for, that this job makes sense in your career arc, and that they would not be taking a risk on you.
5. Practice! You know the interviewer will ask some variation of this question, so be prepared. Don’t wing it – it’s very easy to go long, forget main points about yourself, or trip over a certain word, so get the kinks out beforehand. Also, practice your delivery, at least the key points. Don’t be a robot. Try to connect with the person. Maintain eye contact, smile frequently, and be authentic!