Do you want to tell us anything else about you?
This question, usually asked at the end of an in-person interview, isn’t meant to be a trick. In fact, it’s a question you should hope to be asked. It gives you the chance to reinforce two things: why you’re the best person for the job, and why you’re enthusiastic about working for the company.
Think of it as the closing argument of your case for why they should hire you. "Do you want to tell us anything else about you" is a very open-ended question, so take advantage of the opportunity to sell yourself, always frame your answer in a way that shows the advantages of hiring you over the next candidate, and don’t be afraid to show a little bit of your personality. Much like how you would answer the question, What are you passionate about?, your answer here should give the interviewer a glimpse of what you’re like as a coworker and real-life human.
“You work with these people eight hours every day,” says career and interview coach Tazeen Raza. “That’s more than you see your family. You want to have some commonalities with them that are personal.” Be someone they can connect with.
Here’s how to tell your interviewers "anything else" about you.
How to answer "Do you want to tell us anything else about you?"
1. Brag on yourself
Use this opportunity to brag about accomplishments you haven’t touched on yet. Give examples of relevant work experience that prove you’re an asset, or tell a story about a time you prevented a huge fiasco at work. Just make sure the experience or story is relevant to the position.
We’ve covered most of my work experiences that make me a strong candidate for this position, including my six years of advertising experience, my graphic design proficiency, and my communication skills. I’d like to add that I also have experience managing a budget. At my previous job, I led the media buying team and successfully managed a $9,000 monthly budget. I think my experience in leading a small team and allocating money will help me further succeed in this role.
2. Reiterate your skills
Before the interview, make a list of all your hard skills and soft skills you want the interviewer to know about. When they ask if there’s anything else you want them to know, remind them that you have the skills they’re looking for in a candidate.
I know we’ve already talked about some of my hard skills, like my French fluency and proficiency in SEO research, and I’d like to bring up some of my soft skills. I’m a motivated worker and a fast learner. In my last position, I was hired with no leadership experience and left the company as the top social strategist in charge of a team of twelve. I’m adept at solving problems, and I believe my ability to think quickly on my feet will prove me to be a necessary asset to this team.
Raza says even if your answer isn’t work-related, you can tie it back to your soft or hard skills. “If you’re supposed to work with different kinds of people, you can talk about your travels and how you’ve learned different things there. It’s important to know culture. Say, ‘Through my travels, this is what I’ve learned.’”
3. Talk about skills you’re currently developing
If you’re working on your photoshop skills or taking a coding class, let your interviewer know. This will show that you’re dedicated to self-improvement and value continuous learning.
We’ve already discussed many of my abilities and experience that make me a strong candidate, including my editing skills and experience working with nonprofits. I want to let you know that I’m also taking a coding course and I’m learning Java. I’m super excited about this opportunity, and I’m dedicated to reaching my full potential as an employee.
Read more: 8 Tech Courses We’re Taking to Level Up Our Skills
Raza says even sharing that you’re an avid reader can send a positive message. “Sometimes the hiring manager will be like, ‘This person doesn’t have all of the skills, but I really liked that she’s an avid reader, and she might do that in her spare time.’ At one point, the hard skills, if you don’t have one or two, aren’t going to matter.”
4. Ask a question
If you didn’t get a chance to ask everything you wanted to, take this time to do so.
Not necessarily about me, but I did have a few more questions about day-to-day duties. Could we talk about those?
Read more: 93 Questions to Ask in an Interview That Will Actually Tell You About the Job
5. Bring up common interests or hobbies
You could use this time to build rapport with your interviewer. Career coach Sonia Ashok says: ”For answering about your personal life, you want to talk about yourself as a person. You want to give the interviewer a glimpse into your personal life, so that you are seen as a human being, but you are not giving away things that may be held against you and that may not forge a connection between you and your interviewer. You want to focus on things like: What are your hobbies? What do you do in your free time? What are the things that are your passions?”
If you did your research on your interviewer or heard them mention a hobby earlier, briefly mention it and let them open up more. The fact that you pay attention to small details will give you major brownie points, and talking about common interests will allow you to bond with your interviewer in a more personable way.
I think you’ve asked great questions about my experience, and I think my ten years of coding experience and recent promotion will really help me succeed in this role. I heard you mention sailing earlier—where do you usually sail? I’m an avid sailor myself and would love to hear more about your adventures.
6. Thank them and show your enthusiasm
This is incredibly important for in-person interviews, and is also a great answer if you happen to freeze up and can’t think of anything else to say. When in doubt, just explain why you’re excited about the position.
I just want to reiterate how excited I am for this opportunity—it’s always been a dream of mine to work at [company name]. My background in tech has prepared me well for this role, and I want to thank you so much for taking the time to speak with me today and learn more about my experiences that would help me succeed here.
Read more: How to answer "Why are you looking for a new job?"
What NOT to say when asked if you want to share "anything else"
Nothing
If they ask you if there’s anything else you want to share and you simply say, Nope, that’s it, you’re passing on an opportunity to show your enthusiasm, further convey your qualifications, ask questions, or build rapport. Fight for what you want, and make your case.
Your weaknesses
If part of the job description mentions proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite and you aren’t experienced at all, don’t say, I’ve actually never heard of Adobe Creative Suite. Is that a problem? Don’t highlight your shortcomings or weaknesses, instead you can frame it as something you’ll work on. Otherwise, focus on what you do know.
Read more: Ask a Recruiter: How Can I ‘Pitch’ Myself for a Job I’m Not Qualified For?
Your favorite vacation
We love paid time off. Who doesn’t? But during a job interview, vacation stories are only okay if they show off your hireability. “I’ve heard people talk extensively about vacations,” Raza says. “You can talk about vacations, but you need to get me somewhere. Is it a learning that you had? You really have to strategically place it. Tie it back to why you’re telling me about it. ‘You like to travel and what?’”
‘Did I get the job?’
Don’t ask if you’ve landed or job or beg your interviewer to give you the job. This will put them on the spot and in an awkward position. Trust that your interviewer will get back to you with a decision, and if they don’t, you can follow-up to inquire about next steps.
Your relationship status
The hiring manager can’t legally ask about your relationship status during an interview, and you probably shouldn’t disclose it either. Ashok says, “I would avoid talk about things like your relationship status, whether or not you have children or are in a family planning mode, or any other issues that you feel may lead to some discrimination in the hiring process.” We’d hope the company wouldn’t discriminate anyway, but it’s always best to play it safe.
Politics
“I would shy away from talking about your personal political beliefs,” Ashok says. “As much as you may want to understand what a company’s platform is, you may not want to talk about political candidates or a position like Black Lives Matter or something like that. Those types of things are something you can find out by researching an organization and researching individuals, especially people of leadership within those organizations. Look at their LinkedIn pages or other public-facing social media. But at the initial stages of the interview process, bringing up things that could be ‘controversial’ may not go over well.”
How to know where they stand
Benefits
At this point in the interview process, this is something to discuss with HR, not the hiring manager. Talking about how you’ll need more vacation days or bigger bonuses at the end of an interview is in poor taste.
Read more: 6 Red Flags to Look for During Interviews
About our sources
Sonia Ashok is a physician and happiness-at-work coach. After pivoting through roles in medicine, public policy, and tech, she founded the Connective Coalition as a global movement to empower women to be more confident, more resilient, and more successful in their careers. Her vision is to create an army of strong female leaders who will lift up the next generation.
Tazeen Raza is a career coach with a background in human resources, first in recruiting, then talent management and college recruiting. This journey helped her realize her real passion: helping individuals attain their dream jobs. She now works one on one with individuals in fields such as IT, marketing, HR, merchandising, and finance.
