Answering “Do You Want To Tell Us Anything Else About You”

Interviewers love open-ended questions like this. The question "Do you want to tell us anything else about you?" It gets you on your feet. Gets you thinking quickly and tests your ability to think critically. And is frequently asked at the end of the interview process and job interview.

An interviewer will ask this question at the end of your interview. And this is the moment where your memory recall is going to be tested.

The best answers to this question are ones that recall the entire interview session and analyze what the interviewer asked. Then relies on you to fill in the gap.

Here’s how to answer "Do you want to there anything else you'd like to tell us about yourself." Or "Anything else you want to tell us" and sound like a strong candidate.

Why They Ask This Interview Question

There’s no particular strategy to this question. Usually, this is part of the closing statement for the interview. If they ask this question, it’s a good sign.

A bad sign is when the interviewer says, “good luck” or "we'll be in touch" to you and closes the interview. That would be an indication that the interview didn’t go well.

But if they ask if there’s anything else you’d like to tell them, it means the interview session went well and that this is your opportunity to mention anything they might have missed.

In reality, this question is asked because interviewers know they can’t cover everything they need to. A common on-site interview lasts around 30 minutes to 45 minutes.

In that amount of time, not everything can be asked. This question is a courtesy to you.

Is There Any Bad Way To Answer This Question

There are bad ways to answer this interview question. The worst way is to say nothing at all.

If the interviewer asks this question and you say, “No, there’s nothing I can think of,” that’s the worst response you can give.

Another bad response would be to use this opportunity as a time to provide the interviewer feedback. Whatever you do, don’t critique the interviewer's skills at this moment.

Lastly, don’t use this as an opportunity to talk about what you’re looking for out of a job or what the salary expectations are.

This isn’t an open-ended question where you can start a new conversation. The interviewer asked you about yourself, not about what type of salary or benefits you’re looking for.

The Best Response To “Do You Want To Tell Us Anything Else About Yourself”

The best response is to recall what the interviewer has already discussed. And fill the remaining gaps that are in line with that.

For example, let’s say the interviewer was focusing on your verbal communication skills. If they were focusing on your customer-facing communication skills for a majority of the conversation, bring up team collaboration and communication.

In that same scenario, here’s an example of what you might say:

We’ve had some great discussions around client communication. Thank you for the superb questions. I wanted to tell you that I also take a very consultative approach to team communication as well. Using inquiries and internal research to determine team and project needs.

The response is effective because it focuses on resisting what the conversation has been about and ensuring that the interviewer knows how you might approach other types of communication requirements.

Try not to start a brand new conversation. If, for example, you decided that you wanted to tell the interviewer about your computer skills in this same scenario.

By bringing up a random soft skill, that deters from the conversation’s focus and might seem a little off-topic. When you do that, it may appear as though you were answering the question, “just to answer it.”

The only time this can be broken is if you were talking about client communication and wanted to bring up your presentation soft skills.

What If I Don’t Know What To Answer With

If at the moment you feel stuck and don’t know how to answer, there’s always one final backup. That’s to speak to your availability.

Talking about your availability at the end of the interview shows your interest and desire to receive your employment offer.

Speaking to when your availability might be is an efficient use of time. And shows the interviewer you intend to either change jobs or start right away.

If you’re speaking with a team member, someone who isn’t apart of the Human Resources group, you can still bring up availability.

Here’s how you might want to phrase it:

I’m really eager to work with your team after this conversation. I value that you brought up communication so heavily; it’s a skill I’m continuously learning. I mentioned to the HR team that my earliest start date would be the 15th. Does that work for your team?

While this asks a question, it does act as a solid closer to the conversation, which was happening anyway. That makes this a perfect backup.

Job Seekers FAQ's

These are common questions asked by job seekers when they hear this question.

Should I speak to my skills or strengths as an employee?

This is a common thought, telling your interviewer about your problem-solving skills or strengths as an employee. But it is better to ask the interviewer what they might like to hear about you and then focus on your previous professional experience. Using your prior experience can be a much better way of telling a story about who you are.

What if the hiring manager doesn't ask this question?

It is not an indicator that the interview didn't go well. This is simply a style of ending an interview. And while one hiring manager might ask it, another may not.

How can I make myself stand out as a candidate?

The best way to stand out as a candidate when being asked this question is to focus on your accomplishments once again. Ask the interviewer if they heard enough to feel confident about you as a candidate. And then bring up new accomplishments that you haven't used already.

Favorite Resources

Our favorite resources are included below.

Job interview resources

• Common Interview Questions by Marquette University
• Prepare for Behavioral Interview Questions by Marquette University
• Preparing for Job Interviews by the University of Kansas
• Mock Interview Handbook by CSUCI
• Interview Guidebook by Lebanon Valley College

Resume and cover letter resources

• Writing a Resume and Cover Letter by USC
• Resume Writing Tips by the University of Wisconsin-Madison
• Resume and Cover Letter Guide by Harvard University

Job search resources

• Building and Engaging Your Network by UC Berkeley
• Career Ready Assessment by UC Berkeley

Interview Question and Answer Guide (PDF)

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