Why Job Interviews Always Start With “Tell Me About Yourself”

“Tell me about yourself.” If you have ever sat through a job interview, you have almost certainly heard this question. It is often the first thing an interviewer says, delivered with an air of importance, as though it sets the tone for everything that follows. Yet it is worth asking what this question is actually meant to achieve.

If my résumé is already in front of you, then the essentials are there. Education, work history, skills, and experience are clearly laid out. That is the purpose of submitting a CV in the first place. Asking me to repeat it suggests either that it has not been read or that the interviewer is unsure how to begin.

In one interview, I addressed this directly. I asked, “Have you read my CV?” I explained that I was more than willing to discuss any part of my background, but I needed a clearer question. Unsurprisingly, that response did not go down well. Still, I stand by it. A job interview should be a two-way professional exchange, not an exercise in improvisation.

The question itself is vague. It offers no guidance about what kind of answer is expected. Should the candidate talk about personal background, professional history, recent roles, or long-term goals? Different interviewers expect different things, yet the burden of guessing is placed entirely on the person being interviewed.

Often, “Tell me about yourself” is used as a placeholder. It buys time for the interviewer while shifting responsibility onto the candidate to fill the silence. In that sense, it can feel less like a thoughtful opening and more like a lack of preparation.

A well-run interview asks focused questions. It explores relevant experience, problem-solving approaches, and how a person handles real challenges. Those conversations reveal far more than a broad prompt that invites rambling or guesswork.

When an interview begins with uncertainty, it can be a signal. If the interviewer has not prepared, it raises questions about how decisions are made within the organization. Interviews reflect workplace culture more than many people realize.

When an interview begins with a question this vague, it often reveals more about the interviewer than the candidate. But also pay attention to how the interview unfolds. Sometimes the questions reveal as much about the employer as the answers reveal about you.