One of the most common interview questions you will get is, “tell me about yourself.” While not technically a question, this is one of the most loaded interview prompts you will have to respond to.
It’s common for interviewers across all industries and positions to ask this question. It’s also one of the most difficult questions to answer, especially if you have no experience.
It’s not a yes or no question. Not only that, but it can sometimes be challenging to figure out exactly what the interviewer is looking for and which response will be the best.
And, if you have no experience, it can feel even more daunting. You might not know where to start or what to talk about.
Don’t worry, though. In this guide, you will learn all that you need to know about answering this question.
After reading this guide, you will be able to confidently respond to “tell me about yourself” without hesitation, even if you have no experience.
Quick Summary
If you don’t have any experience, here are some things to talk about when answering the question of “tell us more about yourself”:
- Talk about your education, including self learning
- Talk about projects or volunteering experience you have done
- Discuss your skills, including skills used in other situations which are transferable to your scenario
- Talk about your career goals
- Mention your passion and motivation
Above all, be confident. Practice answering this question several times before your interview, and you will get the hang of it in no time!
What Do Employers Want With This Question?
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To better answer this question, though, you first need to understand what employers and hiring managers actually want with this question.
There are a few things employers are looking for when asking this question. Here are some of the things an interviewer might want to hear in your response.
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Whether You Are Passionate
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One thing that is bound to come out when you answer this question is how passionate you are about the topic, job role, or industry.
For example, if you are applying for a position as a junior developer, your passion will inevitably rise to the surface when you talk about how you got into software development and why you wanted to be a developer.
If you aren’t passionate about software development and just made it through college or your bootcamp while hanging by a thread, you won’t be waxing on about software engineering with passion.
Your passion and motivation will be crucial in your job role, which is why employers ask you this question.
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Whether You Possess Self Awareness
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Another crucial factor that will become evident in your response is how self-aware you are. Are you aware of your strengths and weaknesses?
Are you able to objectively determine what you are good at and what you are lacking? When you talk about yourself, including your educational journey, you will have an opportunity to reflect on the weaknesses you noticed and what you did to address them.
That will show employers that you are self-aware and able to accept feedback and constructive criticism, which are all crucial qualities for job success.
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Whether You Are a Fit for the Company Culture
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When you are asked to talk about yourself, employers want to see if you will be a fit for the company culture. A lot of your perspectives on the industry and life in general will come out when you talk about yourself.
In addition, your work ethic and enthusiasm will become apparent. Many companies look for such qualities when assessing whether you would make a good fit for the team.
That’s also why it’s important to research the company culture before your interview. It will help you answer the question in a way that makes it appear as if you make a good fit.
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Whether You Have Confidence and Problem-Solving Skills
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In addition, your response will indicate how you approach problems and how you go about solving them. When you talk about yourself, it’s natural to talk about the obstacles you have faced and how you overcame the challenges that were presented to you in life.
The confidence in how you approach problems, and the confidence in which you answer this question in general, will have a decided impact on the interviewer’s impression of you.
A good problem solver is not afraid of problems and obstacles but rather embraces them head on, with confidence.
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How to Answer the Question “Tell Me About Yourself” When You Have No Experience?
So, how can you answer the question “tell me about yourself” when you have zero experience to speak of? Here are some things you can talk about.
Talk About Your Education
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Most likely, if you have no experience, you are applying for a new grad or entry-level role. Some grads may have internship experience, but not all grads manage to find internships during their studies, and that’s okay.
Instead, talk about your education. For example, if you took courses that are relevant to the job requirements, or if you opted to take electives that are relevant, talk about them.
Discuss what you learned in those classes, the types of assignments or essays you had to submit, and the grade you achieved.
Don’t omit self learning!
A common mistake is to only mention university studies. However, if you did self learning on the side, you should definitely mention them as well.
Whether it’s an Udemy course, a bootcamp, a training event, or even self learning on YouTube, mention any self learning you undertook that is applicable to the job.
Self learning shows that you are motivated and passionate about the topic. It demonstrates that you are willing to go beyond what is required of you.
Instead of doing the bare minimum, you sacrificed your spare time to enrich your knowledge. It shows dedication and, above all, that you enjoy the topic – otherwise, you wouldn’t spend your leisure time on it.
If the self learning resulted in a certificate or certification, make sure to highlight that. An example could be CompTIA’s A+, Net+, and Sec+ certificates, which are relevant to the IT (Information Technology) field.
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Example
“During my computer science studies, I studied data structures and algorithms and Python in school. I also learned C++ and C#, which were not covered by my university. I also attended an online bootcamp to brush up my frontend and backend skills, earning a full-stack developer certification in the process from [bootcamp name].”
Discuss Past Projects
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If you did any projects related to the topic, even if it’s not actual work experience, mention them as well.
For example, many college courses require you to do projects. Going back to our example of software engineering, most computer science degrees will require you to do things like build a web app, design a database, and complete other projects.
Of course, university projects are the bare minimum. Ideally, you will have projects that you completed in your free time, such as building a game in Python.
For IT, you might have built a home lab or written security audit reports.
However, even if you only have university projects under your belt, it’s better than nothing.
In addition, if you took part in hackathons, group meetups on the topic, or other projects with fellow students, mention them.
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Example
“During the last summer break, I took part in Google’s Summer of Code. I worked with other developers to contribute to important open-source projects that make the world a better place.”
Mention Volunteering Experience
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In addition to university and personal projects, you may have volunteering experience under your belt.
Volunteering experience does not exactly qualify as work experience. That’s because it’s missing many elements of the skills that are required to work in a company.
For example, when you volunteer, you can usually decide how many hours you put in and work at your leisure, since you’re not getting paid for it. You also don’t have a manager breathing down your neck; it’s typically more easy going, since they are just happy that you’re contributing.
Nevertheless, it can still showcase your skills. It also shows how passionate you are about the topic, since you are willing to devote your time to working for free.
Finally, it demonstrates that you have the right ethical convictions and are willing to contribute your time and effort for the greater good.
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Example
“I helped my local church set up and secure their IT systems. I applied my skills in networking and served as a support point for church staff who needed help with their computers.”
Talk About Your Career Goals
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Don’t just talk about your past, though. It’s a good idea to talk about your future plans as well.
For example, what are your career goals? Why did you apply for a role at this company?
To answer that latter question, you will need to do a bit of research about the company before your interview.
Another question you might want to answer is where you see yourself in a few years. Even if the interviewers don’t ask that question (and they often do), you can talk about it when asked to speak about yourself.
Example
“While currently applying for help desk, I would like to advance from there. In a few years, I see myself becoming a network administrator/system administrator. Eventually, I would like to transition into cybersecurity, starting by becoming a SOC (Security Operations Center) analyst. To that end, I am currently working on obtaining relevant certifications, such as Sec+ and Pentest+.”
Delve Into Your Life Trajectory
When asked about yourself, you can just literally talk about yourself, including how you grew up and which factors influenced you to take the path you took.
For example, was there a parent figure in your life, whether an uncle or teacher, who motivated you to pursue the degree and career you choose? How did they influence you?
How did you find your path? For example, why did you choose your specific university?
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Example
“I’ve always been interested in computers and tech. When I was a kid, I was already coding simple games and apps. Over the years, my passion for software development has grown, and I regularly contribute to open-source projects. My older brother was a great inspiration to me, as he is a well-known software engineer at [Company Name] and has spearheaded many important innovations there.”
Wax On About Your Passion and Motivation
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When someone doesn’t have experience, recruiters will usually want them to have passion and motivation. Someone who is passionate will be able to internalize and apply constructive criticism, as well as invest in their own education.
So, talk about how passionate you are about the job. Talk about the things that motivate you.
Example
“I’m extremely passionate about software. I simply love building things, and nothing is better than the satisfaction of building a working app that can help people out in their day-to-day lives. Not only that, but even the small steps bring me great joy. The empowering feeling of implementing a working algorithm is something that I can’t describe.”
Talk About Your Skills, Including Transferrable Ones
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Finally, make a big deal out of any skills you have, even if you don’t have work experience. For example, are you a natural leader?
Perhaps you were a student leader in college. While that’s not quite work experience, it does show that you have leadership skills.
It’s a skill that is transferable to any situation. If you have any other transferable skills, such as working under pressure while meeting deadlines, mention them too.
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Example
“In college, I led three of my group projects. I was in charge of ensuring the project ran smoothly, that everyone submitted their work on time, and that everyone communicated with each other in a seamless manner. Despite the challenges, such as some students who didn’t seem to want to put in the work, I was able to bring the projects to completion, on time, successfully.”
Tips for Answering The Question Correctly
Don’t Memorize a Script
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Don’t memorize a script. Interviewers can tell when you are simply parroting a script that ChatGPT or a friend wrote for you.
Besides, reciting a script is a mistake. It won’t allow your passion to shine through.
When you speak naturally, you will be able to speak from your heart. You will use a tone of voice that demonstrates passion, which isn’t as easy to do when simply reciting something you committed to memory.
Another thing to remember is that a script doesn’t really prepare you for questions that may be interjected. You’ll want to instead make a list of common questions you may expect and provide a few possible answers to each, so you can allow the conversation to flow freely without being stumped by anything that gets thrown your way.
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There Is No Perfect Answer
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Another thing to remember is that there is no perfect answer. Interviewers want to see things like your level of confidence, self awareness, and passion, as we already mentioned.
There is no single way to demonstrate this. So let the conversation flow, and don’t be stilted.
If you feel stumped, just speak. Don’t worry about giving the perfect answer; just start speaking, and the rest will come by itself.
Be Confident
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Above all, be confident. Be confident in your suitability for the position and don’t second guess yourself.
Interviewers like candidates who are confident, because they will be able to approach problems confidently and tackle problems head on. It’s normal to display some signs of nervousness, though.
In fact, worrying about being nervous and trying not to look nervous is usually counterproductive, because it only makes you more nervous. Allow yourself the luxury of displaying some nervousness, as it will make your mind more relaxed and allow you to focus on the interview at hand.
Practice, Practice, Practice
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Most of all, practice! The more you practice for your interview, the easier it will be when the time comes to do it in real life.
Talk to yourself in the mirror, talk to an imaginary hiring manager, have a friend interview you while role playing as a hiring manager, or use an AI chatbot that exists for this purpose. The most important thing is to get comfortable freestyling answers to questions such as “tell me about yourself.”
That way, when the time comes, you will be able to confidently express yourself, without stumbling over your words or hesitating when speaking.
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Conclusion
If this is your first interview, it’s normal to be nervous, or anxious. The first interview is always nerve wracking, but believe me, it does get easier with time.
Consider it a learning experience. Don’t worry too much about the outcome, because there will be other interview opportunities at other companies.
Rather, consider it practice for future interviews. Over time, you will get more comfortable answering the question of “tell me more about yourself.”
It will even come naturally! You will no longer have to worry about being hit with that question, because answering it will be second nature for you.
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