How to answer “Tell me about yourself”

They want a short, focused introduction that shows who you are, what you've done that's relevant, and why you're interested in this role. It's also a first read on how clearly and confidently you communicate.

Updated October 2026

What a strong answer shows

A concise, organized story (about 60–90 seconds) rather than a life history
Relevant experiences from classes, projects, jobs or organizations tied to the role
A clear connection between your interests and this specific opportunity

A simple structure: Present, past, future

Present: Start with who you are now: your year, major, and what you're focused on or excited about.
Past: Highlight one or two experiences (a project, internship, campus job or club role) that built skills relevant to this role.
Future: Explain what you're looking for next and why this internship or company fits that goal.
Hand-off: End with a natural close that invites the next question, like how excited you are to talk more about the role.

Sample answer

Sure! I'm a [year] at [university] studying [major], and lately I've been really focused on [area of interest, e.g., data analysis or product design]. Last [semester/summer], I worked on [project or internship], where I [what you did, e.g., built a dashboard or led a team of four], and that helped me get comfortable with [relevant skill]. Outside of class, I'm involved in [student organization or campus job], which has taught me a lot about [teamwork, communication, or leadership]. Now I'm looking for an internship where I can apply those skills to real problems, and [company] stood out to me because of [specific reason, e.g., its work in X or its team culture]. I'd love to learn more about how this role contributes to that.

A general example: swap the [brackets] for your own experience, and say it in your own words.

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Mistakes to avoid

Reciting your resume line by line or starting from childhood
Sharing personal details that aren't relevant, like family or hobbies with no link to the job
Rambling past two minutes or ending without tying it back to the role

Likely follow-up questions

Why are you interested in this role? Name one or two specific things about the company or team and connect them to your experience.
Tell me more about [project you mentioned]. Be ready with a STAR-style story: the goal, your specific actions, and the result or what you learned.
What are you looking to learn in this internship? Pick a concrete skill tied to the job description and show eagerness to grow.