How can you answer: "tell me something that is not on your resume?”

If you’ve ever had an interview, you’ve probably heard the dreaded question: “So, tell me something that’s not on your resume.” Yikes! But there’s no need for panic. This question is easily answered with a little bit of preparation. Don’t look at it as a “gotcha” question. It’s actually a chance to sell yourself. Answered correctly, it can only help your chances of landing the job.

In this article, we’ll talk about:

• Why are they asking you this question?

• 4 ways to answer the question “Tell me about yourself?”

• Examples of great answers

• Dos and don’ts for answering this question

Why do interviewers ask this question?

You may think that everything the interviewer needs to know is on your resume. It has your experience, your education, hard skills, and even your professional affiliations. What else could they possibly want to know? Easy: When the interviewer asks, "Tell me something that is not on your resume," they want to know how your background and experience are relevant to the position you're interviewing for. 

It’s also used to ease you into the interview and give you a chance to get your bearings. Brushing off this question dismissively or giving an irrelevant answer shows the interviewer that you don't care as much about the job as you say you do. Take this question as seriously as any of the others. 

Variations of this question include:

• “Tell me a bit more about your background.”

• “Walk me through your resume.”

• “I’ve read your resume, but tell me more about yourself.”

• What is something interesting about you that is not in your resume?”

4 Ways to answer the question “Tell me something that is not on your resume”?

When putting together your answer, share personal characteristics that would help you to be a productive employee, should you get the job. There are a couple of different aspects you can focus on, depending on your background and personal life experience. 

There are four ways to approach this question:

1. Talk about a core strength

Incorporating a personal or professional strength into your answer emphasizes qualities that the interviewer might not automatically glean from your resume. For example, problem-solving might be an important skill for the job you’re interviewing for. Putting together an answer where you utilized these skills might include how you determined what problem was occurring, and the steps you took to address it. Here’s what you could say:

“When I was hired at my last position as an administrative assistant, I was faced with a backlog of files that needed to be organized and stored. At the same time, I had to stay on top of my everyday duties such as data entry, calendar management, and transcription. After I explained the problem to the office manager, she authorized overtime so I could come in on the weekend to focus on the filing. I was able to eliminate that backlog within three weeks.”

2. Talk about a soft skill

The reason interviewers ask the question, "Tell me something not on your resume" is to get a little peek behind the curtain. A way to accomplish this is to talk about a soft skill or something that highlights how you relate to others and its benefits to the company. For example:

“I feel that I have great interpersonal skills. I know my resume lists my accomplishments, but all of those things were possible because of how I work with other people. I’m proud to say that I get along well with peers, supervisors, and clients because I truly care about them, and they sense it. When we were in danger of losing an important client a few months ago, I went the extra step to find out what the issue was. Working with our accounting and marketing teams, I was able to find a solution that satisfied all parties. The client stayed with us and increased their next order by 12 percent.”

3. Discuss your life outside of work

You can mention your personal life to answer this question, but it needs to relate to the position and how it makes you a strong candidate. This approach will shine a positive light on your character and make you stand out as a candidate. For example, maybe you do volunteer work in your free time. Not only does it show that you care about helping others, but it also demonstrates your commitment to the community and the world at large. Here’s how you could frame it:

"I am a very results-oriented person. In my free time, for example, I volunteered with a homeless shelter and offered to build a donation page on their website. This resulted in a 70% increase in online donations. I enjoy achieving goals and keeping in mind important corporate metrics helps me understand how to align my work and outcomes to achieve those goals and help the company succeed in the marketplace."

4. Explain why you want the job

Employers often like to know what drew you to apply for this particular position, and this can be as important as your background and experience. This is a perfect opportunity to sell yourself to the company. After you've researched the company and identified its strengths, put together an answer that encompasses how you can meet their needs. Here’s an example:

“I have been consistently impressed with your company’s overarching mission statement and commitment to community engagement. The importance you place on relationship-building and employee volunteering has made this company a top industry performer across the country. These are qualities I hold in high esteem and would welcome the opportunity to contribute my skills and support your continued success.”

Do

• • Practice your answer in advance.
• • Keep it brief: no longer than 30 seconds.
• • Make sure your answer is relevant to the job you’re interviewing for.

Don't

• • Try to fit everything you’ve ever done into one answer.
• • Recite your resume.
• • Get too personal.
• • Be negative or trash-talk your former employer.

Need help polishing your interviewing skills? Check out Career.io’s Interview Prep tool, which will help you get “interview ready” with live recording, mock interviews, and AI-generated insights.

Key takeaways

1. An interviewer may say, “Tell me something that is not on your resume” as a chance to get to know you as a person, not just a resume.

2. When preparing your answer to this question, be ready to share personal characteristics that would help you be a productive employee should you get the job.

3. Keep your answer concise, not overly personal, and relevant to the position.

4. Fine-tune your answer so that it aligns with the key skills and responsibilities listed in the job description.