How to answer "Tell me about yourself" in 90 seconds

Almost every interview opens with this question. It is not a request for your life story. The interviewer wants a short account of who you are professionally and why you are sitting in front of them.

The structure: present, past, future

1. Present. What you do now, in one or two sentences, with one result.
2. Past. The two or three steps that brought you here, each with a reason.
3. Future. Why this role at this company is the logical next step.

Aim for 60 to 90 seconds. Stop there and let the interviewer pick what to explore.

Example: graduate

"I am finishing a master's in finance in Rotterdam, where I wrote my thesis on pricing in private markets. Before that I interned in the M&A team of a mid-sized bank, where I built the valuation for a sell-side mandate in healthcare. That confirmed I want to work on transactions, and your team's focus on the mid-market is why I applied here."

Example: career changer

"I have spent five years as a physiotherapist and the last two also managing a clinic of twelve people. Running the clinic's budget and planning is the part I enjoyed most, so I took a part-time course in business analytics. This operations analyst role combines healthcare knowledge with that analytical work."

Example: experienced hire

"I lead a marketing team of six at a subscription company, where we doubled paid members in two years. I started in performance marketing and moved into brand and pricing. I am looking for a larger international scope, which is what this role offers."

Mistakes to avoid

• Starting with your childhood or school.
• Reading out your CV line by line.
• Running past two minutes.
• Ending without linking to the role.

Practise it

Write it, then say it aloud until it sounds like speech, not a script. Record it once and check the length.