Tell me about yourself

Almost every interview opens with this, and most candidates waste it. It is not small talk. It is your one chance to set the agenda before anyone starts probing — whatever you raise here is what gets asked about next.

The right answer is a short, deliberate narrative that explains how you got here and why this role is the logical next step. Ninety seconds. Not your life story, and not a recital of your CV, which the interviewer is holding.

Use a simple three-part structure: where you started, what you did, why you're here.

Where you started (about 20 seconds). One line on your background and what pulled you toward this field. It should be specific and true — a class, a project, an internship, something you noticed. Avoid the generic origin story about always being fascinated by markets.

What you did (about 40 seconds). Two or three experiences, in order, each with a sentence on what you actually did and what came of it. Choose experiences that build toward the role you're interviewing for. If you're interviewing for banking, the modelling internship matters more than the summer job.

This is the part where most people just read their CV aloud. Instead, connect the dots — say why you took each step and what it taught you that led to the next one.

Why you're here (about 30 seconds). Close by connecting your path to this specific role and firm. This is the section people fumble, and it's the one that determines whether the rest of the interview goes well. Be concrete about what draws you to this firm rather than a competitor.

A useful technique: plant one hook. Mention something you'd be happy to be asked about — a deal you worked on, an unusual project, a difficult decision. Interviewers tend to follow up on the most interesting thing you said, so choose it deliberately.

On delivery: it should sound spoken, not recited. Practise it out loud until the structure is automatic but the wording still varies. An answer that sounds memorised undercuts everything in it.

Can you communicate under low pressure? If your opening answer is disorganised, the interviewer assumes the rest will be too.

Is your interest genuine? Anyone can say they want the job. A coherent path that leads naturally here is much harder to fake.

Do you know what matters? What you choose to include, from everything you could say, tells the interviewer how well you understand the role.

Going too long. Past two minutes, attention drops. Ninety seconds is the target.

Reading your CV aloud. The interviewer has it. Your job is the narrative connecting the bullet points, not the bullet points.

Starting too far back. Where you grew up and what you did at school is almost never relevant. Start where the story starts.

Ending without landing. Many answers trail off after the most recent experience. The "why I'm here" close is the most important part and the most commonly dropped.

Being generic about the firm. "I'm drawn to your culture and people" is what everyone says. If your reason would apply equally to three competitors, it isn't a reason.

Sounding memorised. Rehearse the structure, not the script.