How to respond to Tell me about yourself during an interview

How to respond to Tell me about yourself during an interviewHow to respond to Tell me about yourself during an interviewSo, tell me about yourself, the job interviewer says. Your heart sinks instantly. Heres how to respond to this question, even if you were hoping it wouldnt come up in conversation this time.Weave in your credentialsThis will help provide some substance.Alison Doyle, a career expert, author, and founder/CEO of CareerToolBelt.com writes in The Balance that you should transition to professional from personal after sharing certain details.After sharing a few interesting personal aspects of your background, you can pivot to mentioning some key professional skills that would help you to add value if you were hired for your target job, Doyle writes. Consider using phrases like In addition to those interests and passions, my professional life is a huge part of who I am, so Id like to talk a bit about some of the strengths which I would bring to this job.Ladders is now on Sm artNewsDownload the SmartNews app and add the Ladders channel to read the latest career news and advice wherever you go.Consider using this approachKathryn Minshew, CEO of The Muse, talks about a formula from Lily Zhang, one of the publications career experts, in a video on the site.A formula I really like to use is called the Present-Past-Future formula. So, first, you start with the present - where you are right now. Then, segue into the past- a little bit about the experiences youve had and the skills you gained at the previous position. Finally, finish with the future - why you are really excited for this particular opportunity, Minshew says, before giving an example of how to do this.Remember not to drone on, and on and on You might be tempted to ramble on because of nervousness, but you shouldnt talk their ear off.No matter how you answer this question, dont take up too much time with your response. You dont have to tell the hiring manager every single thing that makes you a great fit for the position. Just give a few important details that will spark their interest in learning more and youll get the interview off to a great start, a Robert Half blog post reads.Leave certain topics outRemember that everything isnt fair game here.Avoid mentioning personal information such as marital status, children, political or religious affiliations, etc. These can be highly sensitive topics that might work against you as a candidate, not to mention such details should not be factors for the employer in determining your ability to perform the job, reads a post in the Indeed Career Guide.