How to Answer "Tell Me About Yourself" in Finance Interviews
Last Updated: December 16, 2025
When interviewing for competitive finance roles (from investment banking and private equity, to asset management and corporate finance) your interviewer will almost certainly begin with one question:
“Tell me about yourself.”
This is typically an introductory question, and how you answer will impact the tone of the rest of your interview. With preparation, structure, and reflection, you can deliver a memorable and polished response that sets you apart from other candidates.
You will want to clearly, quickly, and concisely get across these three main points:
Who are you?
Why this industry?
Why this firm?
Tell Them Who You Are
Check out this quick video on how to answer “Tell me about yourself” in finance interviews.
First, you'll start with your name, year, major, school, and hometown. From there, you're going to want to talk about why you enrolled in the school you're at and what sparked your interest in getting involved in the major you're currently involved in. Your response should open with a clear and concise introduction, but avoid giving a chronological biography. Instead, craft a short narrative that reflects who you are (your strengths, formative experiences, and the moment that shaped your interest in finance).
Finally, tell them about any organizational leadership experience, work experience, or any other extracurriculars that relate to the job and why you chose to do it. Instead of listing resume bullets, think about critical moments where your strengths came forward and use those as anchor points. This could be a defining class project, a challenging leadership experience, or a unique personal story that demonstrates resilience, curiosity, or drive.
Pro Tip: Highlight 1-2 meaningful moments that connect naturally to the path that led you toward finance.
Explain Why This Industry
After discussing relevant experiences and extracurriculars, transition into why you’re interested in the specific industry you’re interviewing for. This could include mentioning a class that piqued your interest, an internship or work experience that exposed you to the field, or a personal connection or passion for the industry. This part should reflect intentionality, showing that you understand the work and are motivated for the right reasons.
Think of this not as stating a career title, but as speaking to the skills and exposures you want to build. Whether through coursework, a prior internship, or your Financial Modeling Certification® (FMC®) Program preparation, explain how your experiences deepened your interest in finance and equipped you with early technical and analytical skills.
Pro Tip: Finance interviewers respond strongly to candidates who position themselves as humble learners, committed to building a strong toolkit and contributing meaningfully from day one.
Communicate Why This Firm
Finally, the candidate should discuss why they are interested in the specific firm they are interviewing with. You should weave this into your narrative rather than waiting for a separate question. This is an opportunity to demonstrate that you’ve researched the company and can speak to its unique culture, values, or business areas that appeal to them. Mentioning specific initiatives, deals, or news related to the firm can help demonstrate genuine interest and knowledge.
Throughout the response, it's important to be concise yet thorough, highlighting key experiences and tying them back to one's interest and fit for the role and company. The response should flow logically and build up to why you are a strong fit for this specific opportunity.
This is also where you demonstrate your forward-looking mindset. Instead of naming future titles or exit opportunities, focus on the skills you want to build and how you hope to contribute to the team.
Pro Tip: Tailor different versions of your answer depending on whether you’re speaking with an analyst, associate, vice president, or managing director.
Keep It Concise and Memorable
The ideal length for this response is 90 seconds. Going too long is one of the biggest pitfalls. If you take seven minutes, your interviewers won’t be able to get through the rest of their questions, and that reflects negatively on you.
To avoid rambling:
Choose a clear theme or hook.
Use a past-present-future structure.
Tie every detail back to why you fit the firm and the role.
And most importantly, let your authentic enthusiasm come through. As Stephanie Hockman shares in Episode 37 of The Coffee Chat Podcast on the topic, “If you’re not having fun talking about why you want to be in finance, you may need to reevaluate your path.”
Expert Advice from Adventis
Answering the "Tell me about yourself" question effectively is critical to making a strong first impression and setting the tone for the rest of the interview. By structuring the response around who you are, why you're interested in the industry, and why you're interested in the specific firm, you can deliver a compelling narrative that highlights your strengths, motivation, and fit for the firm.
To build the technical foundation employers expect, and strengthen your confidence in interviews, enroll in the FMC® Program today.
