In this article, you’re going to learn exactly how to answer when a job interviewer asks, “do you want to tell us anything else about you?”… with examples to help you practice and get confident. We’ll also cover the mistakes to avoid, so you can make sure you’re not costing yourself any job offers without realizing it. And finally, we’ll look at how to respond to this same question on a job application form, because sometimes employers ask, “do you want to tell us anything else about you?” on applications, too!
Let’s get started…
Why Interviewers Ask This Question
So why do interviewers ask this question? After all, you’ve probably touched on all the ins and outs of your work history, education, and skills. You’ve likely answered behavioral and situational interview questions; what’s left to know about you?
The primary reason interviewers will commonly ask this question is to give you a chance to talk about anything that’s not on your resume and that didn’t naturally come up over the course of the interview. It’s also a great way to gauge your ability to think on your feet and to learn more about your general interests.
So before the interview, think about any courses you’re currently taking that apply to the role, certifications, or advanced education you’re working toward or other essential things that could sway the hiring manager’s decision in your favor.
How to Answer, “Do You Want to Tell Us Anything Else?” in a Job Interview
When the interviewer asks you, “is there anything else you’d like us to know about you?” there are a couple of good ways to answer.
Nothing more to add
First, if you feel your interview has gone well and you really have nothing else to add, it’s perfectly fine to say, “No, I believe we covered the important topics. I’m really glad we had a chance to meet and talk about my background and the role. What’s next in the process after this?” That’s how you’d close out the interview on a positive note, without adding anything more.
Something positive to add
However, if you feel there’s something positive you can add, that the interviewer didn’t ask you about, then this is your chance to add it! When they ask interview questions like, “Is there anything else you’d like me to know about you?”, you can say, “Yes, actually! I don’t think we talked about ___.” Then, explain what you wanted to share. It could be a unique piece of experience or skill that you possess. It could be why this type of work excites you and why you want their particular job, or any other info that you feel is worth adding.
Mention a previously discussed topic
And as one more option when the interviewer asks this question, you can clarify a point you previously discussed. If you aren’t satisfied with the points you shared on a previous topic, this is your opportunity to go back and fix it. So when they ask if you have anything else to tell them, you could say, “Yes, actually! I know we touched on the topic of ___, but I don’t think I did a great job of explaining ___. So, I just wanted to clarify that…”
These are all good options for how to respond when an interviewer asks if there’s anything else you want to tell them about you. Now let’s look at word-for-word examples of all three of these approaches so you can hear what a GREAT answer would sound like from start to finish.
“Do You Want to Tell Us Anything Else About You?” Example Answers
We just looked at three different approaches you can use when answering this question in interviews. Now, here are three word-for-word examples of how these methods would sound.
Example Answer 1:
“Thanks for asking! I don’t have anything else to add. I feel like we covered the important topics, and I was able to share the key pieces of my background and how they’d help me perform well in the role. It was great learning about the role, and the opportunity to do XYZ in this position sounds especially interesting. What are the next steps in the process?”
Example Answer 2:
“Yes, actually! I don’t believe we talked about it, but I have a couple of years of experience in customer service, which I feel will serve me well in this role as I plan out some of our new products. I’ll be able to anticipate questions and concerns that customers have, and implement better processes for solving customer problems through a support ticket system, FAQs, and more. I feel that’s something that sets me apart from other candidates, so I wanted to mention it.”
Example Answer 3:
“Yes, actually! I know we touched on the topic of leading projects and training newer team members as I develop in this role, but I don’t think I did a great job of explaining the extent of my experience in this area. This is something that interests me a lot, and I had a chance to train six new team members in my last role while supervising their day-to-day work, setting weekly goals, and running weekly meetings to check in on their progress. So this is a function that I’d be able to handle very comfortably for you, and it’s something that I enjoy doing as well!”
You Don’t Need to Wait for Them to Ask You This Question, Either…
As one more piece of advice: You can also use the example answers above to clarify a point even if the interviewer doesn’t ask whether there’s something else you’d like them to know! It’s ALWAYS appropriate to try to clarify one or two points at the end of an interview. You can do this when they ask, “Do you have any questions for us?”… How? Along with asking questions about the job and company, you can say, “I also wanted to clarify one thing we talked about earlier.” From here, any good interviewer will say, “Absolutely. What is it that you wanted to talk about?” Then, you have your chance to add anything you forgot to mention. This is how you can get the interviewer to open the door to this type of conversation. So, don’t think that you have to wait for them to directly ask, “Is there anything else you want to tell me?” You can always tell them something extra at the end of the interview if you think it will be helpful in convincing them to hire you!
What About on Job Applications?
Sometimes, employers will also ask, “Do you want to tell us anything else about you?” on applications. So let’s talk about that now, too. If you feel your resume and cover letter did a good job of explaining your qualifications, then it’s perfectly fine to not add anything new here when you see this question. You can leave the field blank on the form (it will be optional in most cases).
However, if you have additional skills that are relevant, or would like to share a unique story – for example, a story about why you’re passionate about this type of work or passionate about their company or industry – then this question is your chance to share it. But again – if you already provided everything needed to show the employer that you have the skills to succeed in their job, and you don’t have anything unique to add here, it’s perfectly fine to not put anything.
Mistakes to Avoid When Answering This Question
Before we wrap up, there are two common (and costly) mistakes that job seekers make with this interview question. So let’s cover those now!
The first mistake:
Feeling like you have to share something. You do not need to add anything here. You can use example answer #1 from earlier in the article to simply say that you’re satisfied with what you already shared. This is better than starting to answer without really knowing what you’ll say, or without having a purpose or plan. So don’t begin speaking without thinking about what you hope to achieve. If you can’t think of anything to add, then don’t add anything. (Just say so politely, like in the sample answer earlier in the article.)
The second mistake:
Trying to clarify too many points. You need to pick your battles when you answer “Is there anything else you’d like us to know?” If you try to go back and clarify five different areas or skills that you feel you didn’t explain well, then it’s just going to overwhelm the interviewer and make it so that none of your points are convincing or helpful. So pick your battles and chose one, maybe two things to add. That’s the absolute maximum to aim for when answering, “Is there anything else you’d like us to know about you?”
Conclusion
Overall, this interview question is a great opportunity to address a previous answer that you weren’t happy with, or add new information that you feel will help you land the job. This will ensure that the employer sees the full extent of your skills and abilities so you can get more job offers.
However, if you already made a great case for why your skills are a fit for this opportunity, and you’re satisfied with what you’ve said, then there’s no need to add more here. In this case, when they ask, “Is there anything else you would like me to know about you?” you can tell the interviewer that you feel you’ve covered the important points and that you’re satisfied with how you shared your experience and skills. Then, you can ask a question like, “What are the next steps in the process?” or “What happens next?” These are good, confident phrases to end your interview while also finding out what to expect moving forward. If you follow these steps, you’ll have an impressive response that boosts your chances of winning the job offer.