Are you trying to get someone to talk about themselves in an interview?
However, you’re concerned that “tell me about yourself” might not convey the most professional tone, right?
Luckily, this article is here to help you.
We’ve gathered some great alternatives to show you how to say “tell me about yourself” in different ways.
Is It Professional to Say “Tell Me About Yourself”?
It is professional to say “tell me about yourself.” It’s appropriate to say when you want to find out more information about someone you’re considering for a job role.
It’s a good interview question. Generally, people are happy to answer this and explain who they are and what they’re looking to achieve by applying for a position with your company.
Here’s a great example to show you how to say “tell me about yourself” in an interview:
So, tell me about yourself. I want to know what makes you think you’ll be a good fit for the position we have here.
Pros
- It’s professional and direct.
- It’s a common interview question that shows you’d like to get to know someone.
Cons
- It’s a bit generic.
- It’s used so much that the meaning isn’t as impactful.
Of course, it’s good to use “tell me about yourself” in an interview. But that doesn’t mean it’s the only viable option. We recommend exploring some synonyms next!
So, keep reading to learn other ways to say “tell me about yourself.” We’ve gathered a list of some of the best synonyms to show you what else works in interviews.
What to Say Instead of “Tell Me About Yourself”
- Can you give me a brief introduction of yourself?
- Tell me a little about your background
- Give me an overview of your professional journey
- Walk me through your resume
- Share with me a bit about your professional history
- Describe your career path so far
- Provide a snapshot of who you are professionally
- Give me an overview of your qualifications and skills
- Who are you?
1. Can You Give Me a Brief Introduction of Yourself?
Let’s start with a professional and polite question. That way, you can kick the interview off as you mean to go on, and it’s a great way to keep the interviewee engaged.
So, try saying “can you give me a brief introduction of yourself?”
This interview question is direct and open-ended. It doesn’t suggest anything specific that the interviewee needs to talk about.
Instead, it gives them a chance to describe themselves honestly and talk about what they can bring to a role. It’s up to them to decide what they say and what they don’t.
So, if you’re looking to turn a job interview into a professional conversation, this is the best way to start.
Here are some examples to help you as well:
Can you give me a brief introduction of yourself? I’ll tell you more about the role after that!
Can you give me a brief introduction of yourself? Don’t leave anything out! I’m interested in getting to know you.
2. Tell Me a Little About Your Background
Another way to say “tell me about yourself” is “tell me a little about your background.” This helps to make things a little more specific when you want to know more about someone.
Asking about someone’s “background” suggests you’d like to know where they came from. It also implies you’d like to learn more about their experience and what makes them a good candidate.
So, you can use this when being direct and interested. It shows you care about what someone might bring to the table, as you want to make a well-informed decision based on their answer.
And here are some useful examples if you still need help:
Tell me a little about your background, Jack. It’s a good chance for us to talk about this before moving on.
Tell me a little about your background. I’m keen to learn whether you’ll be a good fit based on your experience.
3. Give Me an Overview of Your Professional Journey
Next, you can say “give me an overview of your professional journey.” Of course, this keeps things specific and ensures the interviewee only talks about relevant professional experience.
Mentioning their professional journey shows you’re interested in their experience. It’s formal and clear, so it should be easy for the applicant to answer without hesitation.
After all, most good interviewees will prepare for questions like this. It shows they’re diligent and ready to put the work in to succeed.
You can also review these examples to find out more about it:
Give me an overview of your professional journey, please. I’m keen to learn more about what you do.
Could you give me an overview of your professional journey? I’d like to hear what you’re looking for next.
4. Walk Me Through Your Resume
For something more friendly and direct, say “walk me through your resume.”
After all, if you’re interviewing someone, it’s likely you’ve already seen their resume. You may also have it in front of you while you interview them to ask them more specific questions.
Well, this is a great way to find out more about people’s qualifications and skills. Asking them to recite their resume confirms whether it’s all true and allows you to find out if they’re a good fit.
Check out these examples if you still need help with it:
So, walk me through your resume. I’d like to get to know you a bit better before we begin this.
While it’s very impressive, please walk me through your resume. I’d like to hear it in your own words.
5. Share With Me a Bit About Your Professional History
Another great phrase to include in your writing is “share with me a bit about your professional history.”
It’s a good way to get a quick rundown of someone. It shows you’re willing to hear what they’ve done in the past and what’s gotten them to the point they’re at now.
Generally, this works best when interviewing an applicant for a managerial position. It’s formal and polite, so it’s an effective way to find out what they’ve learned.
Feel free to review these examples to learn a bit more about it:
Share with me a bit about your professional history. It’s a good chance for you to explain why you want this role.
Share with me a bit about your professional history, please. I’m very excited to hear about it.
6. Describe Your Career Path So Far
You can make things a little more friendly and conversational by saying “describe your career path so far.”
This is an effective way to let someone know you’d like to hear what they’ve done professionally throughout the years.
For the most part, applicants will see this as a friendly question. It’ll put them at ease and ensure they feel comfortable enough to talk about their professional achievements.
Here are some helpful interview samples to show you more about it:
Describe your career path so far, please. I look forward to seeing what you can do!
Please describe your career path so far. I’d like to know what got you to this point.
7. Provide a Snapshot of Who You Are Professionally
We also recommend using “provide a snapshot of who you are professionally.” It’s direct and streamlined, making it an effective choice when trying to get information quickly.
Generally, interviewees will be more than happy to hear something like this. They should have prepared for this question, and it’s a good way to get a lot out of them quickly.
You should also review these examples to learn a bit more:
Can you provide a snapshot of who you are professionally? It’s important for us to know what you can do.
Provide a snapshot of who you are professionally. I’m keen to see what you will bring.
8. Give Me an Overview of Your Qualifications and Skills
You can also say “give me an overview of your qualifications and skills” instead of “tell me about yourself.”
This makes your intentions clear. Asking for both “qualifications” and “skills” makes what you’re looking for evident to the interview candidate.
Therefore, you can use this when being formal and direct. It’ll get a good response quickly without any issues.
Here are some examples to help you if you still need it:
Give me an overview of your qualifications and skills. I’d like to know more about what we can expect.
Please give me an overview of your qualifications and skills. Do you think you’re a good fit here?
9. Who Are You?
Finally, you can mix things up by asking “who are you?” It’s a great way to introduce yourself to the interview candidate.
It shows you’re asking personal questions to get to know them quickly.
Generally, this works best when you want someone to give you an abridged version of themselves. They can be as brief or as detailed as they want to explain who they are to you.
Feel free to review these examples to learn a bit more:
So, who are you? I’d like to know what you’re looking for in a job like this one.
Who are you? This is a very important question, as we really like getting to know everyone who works here.