"Tell me about yourself…"- perhaps the most common, yet most difficult interview question! Why do employers ask this question? It is an opportunity for the person on the other side of the desk to take a few minutes off - to sit back, listen, and silently determine where to take the interview questioning next.

This is perhaps the most discussed interview question. For many, this is the most challenging question to answer.  For some, this is the biggest point of confusion as the candidate wonders what the interviewer really wants to know and what information he/she should include. For others it is the biggest opportunity to market themselves as a prospective employee.

An impressive answer to this question holds the key to success. Many HR surveys have proved that most of the interviewers make up their mind on interviewees in the first 5 to 10 minutes. It is up to you how you make use of these 5 minutes to best demonstrate your qualities and abilities in a decent manner. You have to expand on your strengths and give the interviewer exactly what he/she is really looking for.

When an interviewer asks you to tell him/her a little about yourself, you are being asked to provide a general framework for discussion. You will set the stage for later questions that will address various aspects of your academic and work life. If you plan properly, this will give you the opportunity to steer the critical opening portion of the interview into an area in which you are proficient. 

I suggest you to prepare a model answer for "Tell me about yourself" in advance, get it checked from your friends, colleagues or mentors. Or post it here, We’ll have a look at it.

Your answer should include following points:

1. Statement of why they should hire me. 
2. 3-5 accomplishments that would be of interest to hiring managers in this position/industry. 
3. 3-6 personality traits appropriate to this position/industry. 
4. Other key selling points that may apply even indirectly to this industry or position.

5. Any quality or achievement which represents you as a team player is also important.

^. Any other achievement which makes you stand apart. 

However while doing this keep following points in mind:

1. Be honest.
They have your resume with contact information right in front of them and they will be calling on your references. 

2. Don't bluff
Not everybody can be the class representative or the project manager of your college's final year project. 95 percent, the chances are that you will get caught as a result of counter-questioning. (There is still 5 percent scope for bluffing! It is perfectly fine to exaggerate a little. But I would say No No to bluffing.) 

3. Keep it short and relevant.
Find your best qualities and skills and limit it to what is important to the company that you are interviewing with.


I am providing you a taste of what the answer should be when asked "Tell me about yourself":

"I am Mukesh Gupta, a third year engineering student at NSIT, Delhi. Databases and networking are my favourite subjects. In addition to programming, there is one more thing I like to do often – collecting information on current topics by browsing the web, reading books, news-papers, indulging in discussions with my dad, my colleagues and my teachers. I won many quizzes and participated in paper presentation contests. While retaining the first rank at the school I also held the positions of treasurer and vice president of Interact Club in the college. I am a team player and whenever I got the opportunity to lead, I lived up to every team-member's expectations- be it my project team or our one-act-play team that represented our college at the university level. Using my strong creative and logical skills, backed by my keenness to learn, I want to give my best to the industry and excel in my field"