Written by: Mitch Rupert, Communications Manager, Bloom Golf Partners

I promise, when you sit across from me in a Zoom interview, I’m not trying to trick you with the questions I ask. I’m not trying to confuse you with the questions I ask. But there is a purpose for each and every question.

Some of those questions are about obtaining a particular answer. Some of those questions are more about the process to the answer than the actual answer itself. It is important when your interviewer asks a question that you’re able to decipher exactly what kind of information they’re trying to ascertain.

But I’m going to let you in on a secret about the one question which I see interview candidates struggle with the most. And the catch is that it’s not even a question at all. I start every interview with “Tell me a little about yourself” and no request has ever perplexed a larger number of people.

It’s an easy response to overthink. It’s an easy response that can mess up the flow and timing of the rest of the interview. So let me provide you a roadmap on what the answer to this question should look like.

First and foremost, it’s incredibly important to understand this is just an icebreaker. This is to get the ball rolling on the interview and get everyone comfortable in an otherwise uncomfortable setting of job interviews. This is not meant to be an in-depth recitation of your life story or your career story. The goal of this question is to get you comfortable in the question-and-answer setup of the interview. It’s a softball to get you settled — I promise, I’m already settled.

The most significant mistake made during this icebreaker is that this question is about some measure chronology. But I already have your resume in front of me. I know what occurred in your career and when.

The question you may be asking yourself is ‘Why does it matter how I answer this prompt?’ That’s a perfectly reasonable question. And normally this isn’t a topic which should need to be talked about. But in conducting over 1,000 interviews in the last two years, I’ve seen far too many people take 5, 10 and even 15 minutes answering this prompt in what is supposed to be a 20 or 25-minute interview. That means they’re eating up a good chunk of time on an icebreaker instead of reserving that time for the points you really want to make.

Much like you can’t win the division title in the first month of the baseball season, you surely can lose it. The same goes for an interview. You’re not going to win the interview with this answer, but you could lose it. This question is about surface-level introduction to who you are and why you’re here. This is not a question to be overthought, it is a question to be chewed up and spit out in as few bites as possible.

So here is the roadmap. All I want to know in that moment is why you’re here. Why did you get into the business? What do you love about the business? Why are you looking to move on from your current job? What piqued your interest about this job you’re interviewing for? What value can you bring to this opportunity?

Easy peasy, lemon squeezy.

It really is that simple, yet it’s often treated as it’s not. So don’t overthink it. Prepare yourself for what you want to touch on in that moment, but remember not to let this introduction steal the time which is vital to selling yourself and your skills.o swallow, but it’s also reality. And if you focus on the process as opposed to the result, you’re going to be able to put yourself in position to eventually find the position that is the right fit for you.

About the Author

Mitch Rupert

Mitch Rupert brings more than 20 years of high-stakes interviewing experience—from covering professional and youth sports as an award-winning Associated Press journalist—to his role with Bloom Golf Partners. Since joining the firm in 2021, he has supported candidate communication, interviews, and due diligence while applying his storytelling and research expertise to the executive search process.