Job interview
Tell me about yourself
By EasySay. Published . Updated .
Tell me about yourself is a common first question in a job interview.
A good answer has three parts: where you work now, what you have done, and why you want this job. Aim for about a minute. Write one sentence for each part below, and EasySay builds an answer you can practise aloud.
Written for EasySay, in our own words.
In short
- AUSay "I" for your part and "we" for the team. A good answer makes your own part clear.
- AUPauses are fine. Take a moment to think before you answer. A short pause sounds calm, not weak.
- TipStart with your work.
- TipBe friendly and honest.
Answer builder
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Sample answer: Hospitality
I work as a barista at a busy café in Footscray, and I also help to train new staff. I have three to five years of experience in hospitality. On a normal Saturday I serve about two hundred customers, and I have learned to keep the line moving while every order stays correct. My manager asked me to teach two new staff how to use the machine, and both of them were working alone within two weeks. I stay calm and friendly when the shift is busy, and I check that every order is right. I want this job because your café is known for good service. I would like to grow into a leading role in a team like yours. That is a short summary of my background.
About 60 seconds to say.
This is a sample. Write your three sentences above, then press Build my answer to see your own.
How do people say it?
IT support: I am a support technician with five years of experience. At my last job I fixed about thirty computer problems a week and wrote simple guides for staff. I would like to join your team because I enjoy helping people feel confident with technology.
Retail: I have worked in a fashion shop for three years. I served customers, managed the till and helped to set up new displays. I am applying for this job because I enjoy talking with customers and I want to learn about your products.
What are the three parts of the answer?
- Where you work now. Start with your job today, or your last job. One clear sentence is enough. Keep to your work: stories about your family or your journey are interesting, but they use up your time.
- What you have done. This is the longest part, so choose one thing you did well. Say what you did, and add a number if you can, such as how many customers, how many people or how many days. Say "I" for your own part.
- Why you want this job. End with a reason that connects you to this job. It can be a skill you have, something you want to learn or something you like about the work. A reason that is only about needing money does not help the employer.
How do I practise my answer?
- Read your answer aloud three times. Speak a little slower than you think you need to.
- Use a timer. If you run over, cut words from the middle part first.
- Record yourself on your phone and listen. Check that each sentence is clear.
- Learn the three ideas, not every word. Then you can say it in your own voice, even if you forget one line.
- Practise with a friend or a teacher, and ask which sentence they remember.
What does a weaker answer sound like, and why?
Here are three weaker answers to the same question. Read each one, then read why it does not help the speaker.
Hospitality
I come from a big family and I moved here two years ago. I have worked in many places. I am a hard worker and I can do anything.
I need a job because I have to pay my rent. I hope you will give me a chance.
Why it is weaker
- It starts with family and travel, but the interviewer asked about your working life.
- "Many places" and "anything" are too general. It names no job, no task and no number to remember.
- The reason for wanting the job is a need, and it ends with a request. It does not say what you can give the employer.
Care and health support
I like old people. I worked as a carer in my country and now I work in Australia too. I am very kind and I love to help.
I am a good person and I never complain. Please hire me.
Why it is weaker
- It talks about feelings ("kind", "love to help") but does not name a task you can do.
- "A good person" does not tell the employer anything about your skills, and it gives no example or number.
- It ends with a request instead of a reason. The employer is left without a clear picture of you.
Trades and labour
I am good with my hands. I can fix everything, and I have worked since I was a boy. I do not mind hard work or long hours.
I am not afraid of anything. Tell me what you need and I will do it.
Why it is weaker
- It lists qualities ("good with my hands", "not afraid") but describes no project.
- "I can fix everything" is hard to believe. A specific job, with a number, is easier to trust.
- It says nothing about this company, and it waits for the employer to give the instructions.
What does a stronger answer sound like?
Each stronger answer is what the builder gives for the choices and sentences shown, so you can see how your own sentences become an answer. The people in these answers are made up.
Hospitality
Built with: 3 to 5 years, plain tone, 60 seconds.
I work as a barista at a busy café in Footscray, and I also help to train new staff. I have three to five years of experience in hospitality. On a normal Saturday I serve about two hundred customers, and I have learned to keep the line moving while every order stays correct.
My manager asked me to teach two new staff how to use the machine, and both of them were working alone within two weeks. I stay calm and friendly when the shift is busy, and I check that every order is right. I want this job because your café is known for good service.
I would like to grow into a leading role in a team like yours. That is a short summary of my background.
About 60 seconds to say.
What it does well
- It begins with the job today, so the interviewer knows at once what you do.
- It gives one real example with numbers: about two hundred customers, two new staff and two weeks.
- It links the reason for the job to the employer and to the speaker's plan to grow.
Care and health support
Built with: 6 to 10 years, warm tone, 60 seconds.
I am glad to meet you today. I work as a personal care assistant for a home care provider in Dandenong. I have worked in care and health support for six to ten years, and I like to keep learning.
Each week I support about six clients with showering, meals and medicine reminders, and I write clear notes for the next carer. One client with memory loss became calmer when I used the same daily routine. I work patiently and respectfully with people who need help, and I follow the care plan carefully.
I want this job because I enjoy working with older people, and I would like to join a team that supports each other. I would be happy to tell you more about any of this.
About 59 seconds to say.
What it does well
- It names real tasks (showering, meals, medicine reminders and notes), so the employer can picture the work.
- It tells a short story about one client, which is easier to remember than a list of good qualities.
- It uses a warm tone: a friendly opening and a friendly close, in plain words.
Trades and labour
Built with: more than 10 years, plain tone, 60 seconds.
I work as an electrician for a small building company in Western Sydney. I have more than ten years of experience in trades and labour. On my last project I wired twelve townhouses from the plans to the final test, and we finished two days early.
I also showed an apprentice how to label a switchboard clearly and correctly, so the next worker could understand it at once. I work safely, I read the plan before I start, and I finish the job properly. I want this job because your company builds larger projects.
I would like to use my experience on bigger sites and keep learning how your teams work. That is a short summary of my background.
About 55 seconds to say.
What it does well
- It names one project and one result: twelve townhouses, finished two days early.
- It shows teamwork by mentioning an apprentice, without boasting.
- It connects the speaker's experience to the employer's bigger projects.
How this sounds in an Australian workplace
These notes are advice about how to sound, not rules. Workplaces differ, so listen to how people speak when you arrive.
- Start with your work. A good answer is short and direct, and begins with your job and your skills, not your family or your journey.
- Be friendly and honest. Practise your answers, but speak in a warm, calm voice, not a speech you have memorised word for word. Speak a little slower than you do with friends.
- Show confidence without boasting. Say what you did and what you can do. You can mention your team, but make your own part clear.
- Say "I" for your part and "we" for the team. A good answer makes your own part clear.
- Use the name they give you. If an interviewer introduces themselves with a first name, use it, unless they ask you to say something else.
- Small talk is part of the interview. The first minute is often a chat about the weather, the trip in or the city. A short, friendly reply is enough.
- It is fine to ask for help with a question. You can say, "Sorry, could you say that again?" Asking is better than guessing the wrong answer.
- Pauses are fine. Take a moment to think before you answer. A short pause sounds calm, not weak.
Questions people ask
How long should my answer to tell me about yourself be?
About one minute is a good aim, and 30 to 90 seconds is normal. Say your answer aloud with a timer. If it runs much longer than 90 seconds, cut the detail from the middle part first.
Should I learn the answer by heart?
No. Learn the three ideas, not every word. A memorised speech can sound stiff, and you may lose your place if you forget one line. Practise until you can say it in your own voice.
What if I have not worked in Australia yet?
Use your work from any country. Say what you did, where you did it and what you learned. Employers look for skills that carry over, such as customer service, safety, teamwork and reliability.
Does EasySay keep what I write?
No. Your sentences stay in your browser and are not sent to us. Nothing is saved unless you tick "Keep this on this device", and then it is saved only on that device. Click the box again to remove it.
Can I use the built answer exactly as it is?
Use it as a draft. Read it aloud, change any sentence that is not true for you, and use your own words where they sound more natural. The interviewer wants to hear about you.
Sources and dates
- EasySay's own writing for the job interview kit, EasySay. Licence: original writing for EasySay. Checked .
Cite this page
EasySay. "Tell me about yourself". https://easysay.org/work/interview/tell-me-about-yourself. Last updated 23 October 2026.
https://easysay.org/work/interview/tell-me-about-yourself