Business presentation template
Speaker cue cards for a general business presentation: a clear opening, the key message, three supporting points with evidence, a recommendation, next steps and a strong close with Q and A.
Speech8 cardsAbout 2 min to speakBeginnerWork
Tell me about yourself answer template
A short present–past–future answer to the most common interview opener, with cue cards for your current role, relevant background, key strengths and why this job is the next step.
Free to use, edit, print and study. No account needed: your set stays on this device.
The cards
- 1
The shape of the answer
Present → Past → Future
- Who you are professionally now
- Two highlights that led you here
- Why this role is the logical next step
Aim for 60 to 90 seconds. It is a trailer, not the whole film.
- 2
Opening line
I am a [job title or field] with [number] years of experience in [area], and I currently [what you do day to day] at [organisation or type of organisation].
If you are a student or changing careers: I am [studying / finishing / moving from] [field], with a focus on [area].
- 3
What I do now
In my current role I am responsible for [main responsibility].
The part I enjoy most is [specific task], because [reason that links to the new job].
- 4
Highlight one
Before that, I [earlier role or study], where I [achievement in one sentence].
Choose the highlight that best matches the job advert.
- 5
Highlight two
One thing I am proud of is [project or result], which [outcome: e.g. cut waiting times, won a client, improved a process].
That taught me [skill], which I use every day.
- 6
Strengths in a sentence
People I work with would probably describe me as [two qualities, e.g. calm under pressure and good at explaining complicated things].
For example, [one-line proof].
- 7
Why this role
I am now looking for a role where I can [what you want to do more of], and that is why [this position at this organisation] stood out to me.
In particular, [something specific about the team, product, mission or customers].
- 8
Hand back
So that is a quick picture of me. I am happy to go into more detail on any of it, especially [the area you most want them to ask about].
This invites the next question on your strongest ground.
How to use this template
'Tell me about yourself' is usually the first question in an interview, and it sets the tone for everything after it. Interviewers are not asking for your life story; they want a short, confident summary that shows you understand the role. This template uses a present, past and future order. You start with who you are now, pick two highlights from your history that prove you can do the job, then explain why this role is the right next step. The final card hands the conversation back while nudging the interviewer towards your best material. The same cards work for networking events, new team introductions and the first minutes of a client meeting.
Tips
- Do not repeat your CV line by line; the interviewer already has it. Choose the two or three facts that matter most for this job.
- Leave out personal details such as age, family plans or religion unless you choose to share them and they are relevant.
- Practise until it sounds natural, but stop short of memorising every word; a slightly different version each time sounds more genuine.
- Finish on the future card with energy. The last thing you say is what the interviewer writes down.
- Record yourself once on your phone and listen for filler words and run-on sentences.
- Prepare a slightly different version for each interview, swapping the highlights to match the skills each job advert asks for.
Make it fit
- For a 30-second version at a networking event, use only the opening line, one highlight and the why card.
- If you are changing careers, make the past card about transferable skills and say clearly why you are making the move.
- For a video interview, put the shape card where you can glance at it and keep the others out of shot.
- In cultures where modesty is valued, frame strengths through what colleagues or clients have said rather than your own claims.
- For internal promotions, replace the past card with your track record inside the organisation and the people who rely on you.
Updated October 28, 2026