Tell me about yourself.

Your answer should be a concise 60-90 second 'elevator pitch' covering: where you're from/background, your education and key achievements, relevant experiences, and why you're here today. It should naturally lead into why investment banking makes sense for your trajectory.

Expected Time

2-3 minutes

Difficulty

Easy

Frequency

Very Common

Why Interviewers Ask This

This is often the first question and sets the tone for the entire interview. Interviewers use it to assess your communication skills, learn about your background, and see how you've constructed your narrative. A strong answer demonstrates self-awareness and makes your career path seem logical and intentional.

How to Structure Your Answer

Use the 'Past, Present, Future' structure: (1) Past - Where you're from and early influences, (2) Present - What you're doing now and key accomplishments, (3) Future - Why you're pursuing investment banking and why this firm.

Key Points to Cover

Keep it to 60-90 seconds maximum
Be chronological but not exhaustive
Highlight only the most relevant experiences
Make your path to IB seem logical and intentional
End with why you're here today
Don't just read your resume - add context and narrative

Sample Answer

I grew up in [Location], where I first became interested in business through [brief context - family business, early experience, etc.].

I'm currently a senior at [University], majoring in [Major] with a focus on finance. During my time there, I've been heavily involved in [relevant activity - finance club, investment fund, etc.], where I [specific achievement]. This experience really solidified my interest in capital markets and corporate finance.

Last summer, I interned at [Company/Experience], where I worked on [specific projects or responsibilities]. This gave me exposure to [relevant skill or area], and I particularly enjoyed [specific aspect]. It confirmed that I wanted to pursue a career in investment banking.

I've also spent time outside the classroom developing relevant skills - I completed the [relevant coursework/certification], and I've been actively following [industry/sector] transactions.

That brings me to why I'm here today. I'm excited about [Bank Name] specifically because of [specific reason], and I believe my background in [X] and my experience with [Y] would allow me to contribute meaningfully to your team.

I'm happy to go deeper on any of these experiences.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Going on too long (over 2 minutes)
Listing every job without a narrative
Not connecting experiences to why you want IB
Starting with 'Um, so, I was born...'
Forgetting to mention why you're interested in this specific bank

Pro Tip

End with 'I'm happy to go deeper on any of this' - it invites the interviewer to ask about what interests them and shows you're comfortable with follow-up questions.