How Do You Answer Tell Me About Yourself In New Interviews?

This is the one question that always throws me off is this “How Do You Answer Tell me about yourself.” You’d think it’d be the easiest one since it’s about your own background, but for some reason. I either talk way too much, go off-topic, or freeze trying to figure out what the interviewer actually wants to hear.

How do you answer tell me about yourself?

That’s why I’m asking: how do you answer tell me about yourself. In a way that sets the tone right from the start and doesn’t feel like a generic pitch? I know this is usually the first question in most interviews, and it’s supposed to be your moment to make a good impression. But I honestly never know how personal or professional to go.

Should I walk them through my resume? Talk about why I applied? Share a bit about who I am outside of work? What’s too much? What’s too little?

If you’ve figured out a good strategy for this—or if you’ve been on the other side of the table and know what hiring managers actually want to hear—I’d really appreciate your insight. Especially if you have an example of an answer that actually worked.

Thanks in advance.