Tell me about yourself: how to answer in a UK interview, with a worked example

A good answer to "Tell me about yourself" is a short, connected story: who you are professionally now, the one or two things you have really done that matter for this job, and why you want it. Many UK recruiters recommend a Present, Past, Future order and about two minutes or less. Everything you say must be true, because the interviewer can ask a follow-up on any of it.

UK sources agree on the basics and differ on length, order and hobbies, so this guide shows where. It draws on UK recruiters, universities and public bodies, listed under Sources, and includes a fictional worked example for someone with no paid work experience.

What the interviewer is checking

Robert Walters, Totaljobs and Aldrich describe it as an opening question, and Robert Walters and Reed add that it shows how clearly and concisely you communicate (Robert Walters, Totaljobs, Aldrich, Reed). Bright Network, Reed and Robert Half GB all treat it as a question about you as a candidate for this job, not a request for your life story (Bright Network, Reed, Robert Half GB).

Interviewers also phrase it in other ways, such as "walk me through your CV" (Robert Walters, MCS Group) or "tell me something that is not on your CV" (Robert Walters). None of these sources gives data on how often it is asked or how much weight the answer carries.

A structure for your answer

Present, Past, Future is the label several UK recruiters use. Robert Walters, Indeed UK, Reed, Totaljobs and startups.co.uk all recommend it, and Bright Network describes the same order in different words (Robert Walters, Indeed UK, Reed, Totaljobs, startups.co.uk, Bright Network). It is not the only one:

• Present, Past, Future. Where you are now, what you have done, why this role. Reed says to memorise these as bullet points rather than a script (Reed).
• Past first. Hays and MCS Group start with your background and end with what you want next, and Prospects suggests beginning with your highest qualification and greatest achievements (Hays, MCS Group, Prospects).
• Themes. LSE suggests SEAT, which stands for Skills, Experience, Achievement and the type of person you are, and says to start with the present day and work backwards. Careers Wales suggests SET: Skills, Experience, Training. Michael Page suggests personality, recent successes and strengths, and Reading suggests three to five key selling points stated as facts (LSE, Careers Wales, Michael Page, Reading).

Evident's view: the labels differ, but they cover the same three things, who you are now, what you have done and why this role. Pick one order and practise it; that usually works better than mixing two in one answer.

For the "future" part, Robert Walters, Indeed UK, Reed and Hays say to link what you want to this role and organisation. Indeed UK says to end with one or two professional goals that fit the job and to save benefits, expectations and long-term ambitions for later in the process, while Aldrich asks you to include your career ambitions, so sources differ on how far to go (Robert Walters, Indeed UK, Reed, Hays, Aldrich). Our guide to answering why you want to work for us covers that part in more depth.

How long the answer should be

UK sources do not agree on one length, and none gives data behind its figure:

• Robert Walters says about 60 to 90 seconds (Robert Walters).
• Aldrich, Reed, Totaljobs, startups.co.uk, Michael Page, MCS Group and Robert Half GB give about two minutes, or no more than two (Aldrich, Reed, Totaljobs, startups.co.uk, Michael Page, MCS Group, Robert Half GB). startups.co.uk calls its figure a very rough guideline.
• PurpleCV says 60 to 90 seconds maximum in its key points, and under two minutes is ideal elsewhere on the same page (PurpleCV).
• Prospects and Bright Network allow up to five minutes (Prospects, Bright Network).
• LSE says there is no set time, and that if you time yourself at around two minutes you are in the right area (LSE).

Some publishers disagree with themselves. PurpleCV gives both figures above, Reed's common-questions page says two or three minutes, and the video on Indeed UK's page also says two to three minutes while its article text says no more than two (Reed, Indeed UK). For pre-recorded video answers, LSE says employers commonly set 30 to 90 seconds (LSE video interviews). If you are unsure how long to talk, Manchester suggests giving a brief summary and checking whether the interviewer wants more (Manchester).

Evident's view: follow any limit the employer gives, otherwise aim for about two minutes or less, and stop once the point is made. Prepare a short version and a fuller one, because the same answer may need to fit a 90-second recording or a two-minute conversation.

Choose your evidence first

Sources say to use specific evidence and to tailor the answer to the job. Reading says to state facts, not assertions, Reed says to give outcomes and not just tasks, and many of the pages above say to tailor the answer to the advert (Reading, Reed). Several pages say to match your evidence to the advert, and Michael Page suggests picking two or three examples from the job specification, but none sets out steps, so the steps below are Evident's method (Michael Page):

1. List what you have really done. Jobs, study, volunteering, caring, projects, with the facts: what, how long and what happened.
2. Mark the advert. Underline the essential points and any skill it repeats, then the desirable ones. Our guide to tailoring a CV to a job description shows how.
3. Choose two or three items that match. Prefer the essential points. WikiJob suggests underlining repeated keywords in the advert (WikiJob).
4. Test each claim. Ask yourself: What exactly did I do? What happened as a result? Could I point to it on my CV? Drop anything you could not explain.

What to leave out

• A recital of your CV. Reed and Michael Page say the interviewer already has it, Totaljobs asks for a high-level overview rather than a word-for-word recital, and Robert Half GB says rehashing it may signal a lack of initiative, so tell the story and add context (Reed, Michael Page, Totaljobs, Robert Half GB). The video on Indeed UK's page says the CV may have been read only at a high level. Evident's view: assume they have seen it, but they may not remember it.
• Your life story. Robert Walters, Bright Network, PurpleCV and Robert Half GB say to keep to the professional (Robert Walters, Bright Network, PurpleCV, Robert Half GB).
• Highly personal details. Indeed UK, Totaljobs, Michael Page and startups.co.uk advise leaving these out, with examples including marital status, children, religion and politics. In its video, Indeed UK notes some flexibility where the personal fact is critical to your career path, and Michael Page says to leave them out unless they are specifically related to the job (Indeed UK, Totaljobs, Michael Page, startups.co.uk).
• Negativity about past or current employers. Robert Walters, Reed, Hays and Robert Half GB say to keep reasons for leaving positive and forward looking (Robert Walters, Reed, Hays, Robert Half GB).
• A long list of vague strengths. Indeed UK suggests one or two qualities backed by a short story, and Michael Page says never to describe a strength without a real example (Indeed UK, Michael Page).

Hobbies and personality

Sources split. Robert Walters, Reed, Totaljobs and Indeed UK say a mention is fine if it supports your professional story or shows a useful quality, for example a team sport or volunteering (Robert Walters, Reed, Totaljobs, Indeed UK). MCS Group, startups.co.uk and Live Recruitment also include a mention of interests, which MCS Group keeps brief and Live Recruitment limits to a sentence or two (MCS Group, startups.co.uk, Live Recruitment). Michael Page goes further and suggests hobbies and activities outside work as a good way to let your personality show, and Robert Half GB lists personal passions among the points to include (Michael Page, Robert Half GB). Bright Network says to keep the chat work-related and PurpleCV says to skip hobbies (Bright Network, PurpleCV). Evident's view: at most one sentence, and only if it shows something the job needs. Volunteering or caring is evidence, not a hobby, so give it proper space.

Sounding confident without boasting

Several UK pages warn against boasting, and some also warn against underselling. Reed says being too modest or too bold is a mistake and gives a wording example that states a team award as a fact (Reed). WikiJob says not to brag and calls humility vital, Robert Half GB says to be positive and be humble, startups.co.uk says to be proud without sounding arrogant, and York advises against phrases such as "it was only shop work" (WikiJob, Robert Half GB, startups.co.uk, York). Evident's view: the practical test is the same each time: say what you did and what happened, in plain words, with "I" for your own actions.

A worked example: a first job with no paid work

The advert, Daniel and his evidence sheet below are invented for illustration. The pages we read are mostly written for graduates and people with work history, and we found none written for a school leaver or first-job applicant with no paid work, so this example rests on the general advice above: use real evidence and match it to the advert. Evident's view: do not open with an apology. It is an illustration, not a model answer to copy.

Fictional advert: care assistant at a residential home for older people. Essential: patience and kindness, reliability, willingness to learn, and some weekend availability. Desirable: experience of looking after or supporting others, paid or unpaid.

Fictional candidate: Daniel. Daniel finished his A-levels in June and has never had a paid job. His evidence sheet says:

• For 14 months he has spent two evenings a week with his grandmother, who lives alone. He cooks her evening meal and does her shopping on Saturday mornings.
• Since January he has volunteered on Wednesdays at a lunch club for older people, laying tables, serving and washing up. In March the organiser asked him to welcome new members as they arrived.
• In April he completed a one-day emergency first aid course and has the certificate.
• He plays football on Sundays.
• He wants a first job in care and wants to learn the work properly. He has no paid care experience and is not claiming he can give personal care or medication.

The first version apologises, uses adjectives with no evidence and spends its words on football and gaming. The second follows Present, Past, Future: his situation now, three facts that, in Evident's reading, match the advert's desirable point and its wording about reliability and willingness to learn, and why he wants this job. It does not address the advert's weekend availability, so Daniel would need to be ready to answer that if asked. The answer still says plainly that he has no paid job, without apologising for it. If you use this approach, use only facts that are true for you.

If you have little work experience, are changing career or are returning

• Little or no paid work. LSE says experience does not have to be paid and can include shadowing, volunteering, competitions and live projects (LSE). For questions about your work history, the National Careers Service says examples can come from outside work, including volunteering (National Careers Service). Prospects suggests focusing on the parts of your studies you enjoyed that relate to the job, and a 2017 Warwick blog says employers recruiting for a graduate scheme do not expect much work experience and that a shop or restaurant job and some volunteering is fine (Prospects, Warwick). Evident's view: do not open by apologising. Say what you have done.
• Changing career. Robert Walters, Reed and Indeed UK say to explain what prompted the change and show how your earlier experience transfers, and Indeed UK adds to start with your most relevant experience and mention any courses (Robert Walters, Reed, Indeed UK). See our career change CV guide.
• Returning after a break. Career Returners, in a 2013 article, suggests going from your earlier work, to the break, to where you want to go, without apologising (Career Returners). It is one organisation's method. Our guide to returning to work after a career break covers it.

Video, phone and "walk me through your CV"

targetjobs says telephone screens often include the question, so prepare it for them (targetjobs). Indeed UK suggests a slightly slower, deliberate pace on video (Indeed UK). On notes, sources differ: LSE says to avoid them if you can, while the National Careers Service suggests prompt notes in view (LSE, National Careers Service video interview tips).

Indeed UK has a separate article on "walk me through your CV" that advises a chronological answer of up to five minutes, while LSE says its SEAT model can sit inside a "talk me through your CV" answer (Indeed UK, LSE). No page we read compares the two side by side. Evident's view: if you cannot tell which is meant, give a short, present-first answer and check whether they would like more.

Practise it and check the evidence

Robert Walters, Reed and Indeed UK say to practise aloud and avoid sounding word-for-word rehearsed, Totaljobs suggests rehearsing with a friend or recording yourself, and Prospects says the answer should not sound rehearsed (Robert Walters, Reed, Indeed UK, Totaljobs, Prospects). If you freeze, Robert Walters says to start with what you are doing now, and Reed says to pause, take a breath and jump to why you want the job (Robert Walters, Reed). Live Recruitment says to pause, breathe and take a sip of water if you need to (Live Recruitment).

Then test the answer. Every claim in it invites a follow-up, so have a short story ready for each one. Our STAR method guide shows how to structure those stories, and our guide to competency-based interview questions covers the questions that often follow. Your spoken answer should also match your CV, because the interviewer may have your CV in front of them. Our CV personal profile guide and skills for a CV guide help keep the two consistent. Two related questions have their own guides: weaknesses and questions to ask at the end.

FAQs

Why do interviewers ask "tell me about yourself"?

Robert Walters, Totaljobs and Aldrich describe it as an opening question, and Robert Walters and Reed say it shows how clearly you communicate. Bright Network, Reed and Robert Half GB treat it as a question about you as a candidate for this job. No source says how often it is asked.

How long should my answer be?

UK sources disagree. Robert Walters and PurpleCV say about 60 to 90 seconds, and Reed, Totaljobs, Michael Page and Aldrich say about two minutes or less. Prospects and Bright Network allow up to five minutes. None gives data. Follow any limit the employer sets, and stop once your point is made.

Should I mention hobbies or personal interests?

Sources split. Robert Walters, Reed, Totaljobs and Indeed UK say a mention is fine if it supports your professional story, and MCS Group, startups.co.uk, Michael Page and Live Recruitment are also open to it. Bright Network says to keep the chat work-related and PurpleCV says to skip hobbies. Evident's view: at most one sentence, and only if it shows something the job needs.

What if I have no work experience?

LSE says experience does not have to be paid and can include volunteering, shadowing or competitions. Prospects suggests focusing on the parts of your studies you enjoyed that relate to the job. We found no UK page written for people with no paid work who are not graduates, so describe what you have really done and do not apologise.

Is it the same as "walk me through your CV"?

Indeed UK has a separate article on "walk me through your CV" that advises a chronological answer of up to five minutes. LSE says its SEAT model can sit inside a talk-me-through-your-CV answer. If you are unsure which is meant, Evident's view is to give a short, present-first answer and check whether they want more.

Can I write a script and learn it?

Robert Walters advises against memorising word for word, and Reed suggests memorising bullet points rather than a script. Indeed UK says too much rehearsal can sound unnatural. Practise aloud, learn the key points and keep your evidence ready.

How Evident approaches this

Evident reads your CV and the job advert, then asks up to five targeted questions. It drafts wording only from your answers, and you approve it line by line. To see how your CV reads first, try the CV scan.