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From ‘Tell me about yourself' to ‘What's your salary expectation?' — How to answer tough job interview questions (what to say and not to say)
SINGAPORE: If you've ever broken into a cold sweat when an interviewer asks, 'Tell me about yourself,' you're not alone. According to career coach Chee Sze-Yen, those classic job interview questions—so seemingly simple—are often where candidates trip up the hardest.
In a recent episode of Money Mind by CNA Insider , presenter Andrea Heng put herself in the hot seat for a mock interview with Yen, who is the executive director of Career Agility . The goal is to demystify those awkward moments that often make or break a hiring decision, and help job seekers prepare smarter, instead of harder.
Let's break down the interview minefield and see what the career coach says is actually the right way to answer. 1. 'Tell me about yourself' — and don't just read out your résumé
You might think this is the time to share your life story, but Yen says no one's here for your memoirs.
'The thing about the introduction question is that it rarely ever comes across as 'So tell me about yourself,'' Yen explained. 'It could be 'Walk me through your background,' or 'Tell me something that's not on the resume,' or even 'Why are you here?'' Photo: YT/cnainsider
Andrea's original answer was, 'I've been mostly in the media scene… I enjoyed talking to people, telling stories, getting stories out of people.'
It's not a bad answer, but it still falls short of the mark.
Yen's advice is to lead with clarity and relevance, such as: 'I've done a lot of A, I've worked on B, and I've always had a strong affinity for C, which draws me to this role.'
This instantly communicates enthusiasm for this role—not just your general background—and tells the hiring manager you're not just here to chat, you're here because you want the job. See also S'poreans simping over Adrian Pang, dubbed him SG's Johnny Depp 2. 'What are your strengths?' — Brag smartly, not vaguely
When asked about your strengths, don't just say you're a 'people person' or 'detail-oriented.' Tie it back to what the job needs.
Andrea gave a heartfelt answer about being good at putting people at ease, which earned a smile, but again, it still didn't seal the deal. Photo: YT/cnainsider
'I was looking for commercial impact,' Yen said bluntly. 'Your story was great, but how does that add major value to this role?'
Pro tip: Add context. How did your strength help a past employer grow, succeed, or save money? Paint a picture that the hiring manager wants to hang on their wall. 3. 'What are your weaknesses?' — It's not confession time
This one stings. Andrea admitted, 'I think I need to work perhaps on time management because I juggle so many things. It sometimes tends to feel overwhelmed.'
Yen's reaction? Immediate concern. Uh-oh. 'If I'm a hiring manager looking to hire you, and you bring with you time management issues… that's risky,' she explained. Photo: YT/cnainsider
In this case, Yen advises framing it as an area you're already improving.
For example, you can try this instead: 'I'm working on improving how I manage my workflow and time, especially when juggling multiple projects. I've started using tools like Trello to structure my day more effectively.'
Remember, you're not flawed—you're growing. As Yen says, all of us are 'work in progress'.
So, a quick tip is not to declare something as a weakness, but rather to focus on it as an area for improvement. This means identifying something you're looking to work on to improve — in other words, you're acknowledging that you're already good at it, but it could be even better, and that there's always room for improvement and growth. 4. 'What is your expected salary?' — Know your worth without sounding desperate
When asked about her expected pay, Andrea gave a tentative '20% more' than her current salary—but with the kind of hesitation that makes a recruiter smell blood.
'Many people negotiate with themselves,' Yen noted. 'The interviewer sees that and thinks: Maybe I can [lowball] play around with that figure a little bit and not give them as much as I might want to.' Photo: YT/cnainsider
Instead of underselling yourself, focus on value. Yen suggests connecting your worth to business outcomes:
For example, you can say: 'Well… because of the amount of revenue I'm going to help you bring in,' or 'the number of eyeballs I can help your organisation get,' or 'the increase in the reputation of the organization,' I'm confident that with my experience and the impact I bring, I would be worth around S$X, considering the revenue and visibility I can help generate.
So here, you're not just asking—you're also giving more sense to it. 5. 'Why is there a career gap in your resume?' — Don't get defensive—just own the gap and glow
Career breaks happen. But how you talk about them matters. Photo: YT/cnainsider
There's no need to spiral into despair or get into a defensive explanation, Yen cautioned. Instead, showcase what you did during that time, such as volunteering, freelancing, or upskilling. 'Anything that adds value to who you are today,' Yen added.
In short: Show you kept moving forward, even if not on a payroll. What not to ask in round one of your job interview
If you think you're being smart asking about work-life balance or whether you can work remotely, Yen says—hold that thought.
'These are pertinent, but certainly not appropriate during the first-round interview, especially with your hiring manager,' she warned.
Instead, save such questions for HR or the recruiter in later rounds. Right now, focus on proving why you're the one they need in the room. Job interviews are not about perfection
Job interviews aren't just about having the 'right answers.' They're about telling your story in a way that connects you to them. It's not about perfection—it's about relevance, impact, and confidence.
And if you forget everything else? Just remember what Yen said: 'We're all a work in progress.'
Watch Andrea Heng's full mock interview with career coach Chee Sze-Yen on CNA Insider's Money Mind episode below and learn how to turn tricky interview questions into your best moments… because the best answers come with practice, and a little coaching goes a long way.
In other news, a job seeker endured five gruelling months of a job interview process, document submissions, and hopeful anticipation. The HR department even dangled an indicative job offer in front of him.
And when the job seeker thought he had finally reached the career finish line, all of a sudden, HR decided to pull the rug out from under him — the offer was suddenly withdrawn.
Read his full story over here: 'Why did HR withdraw my job offer after 'indicating' I got the job?' — Jobseeker asks after being put through 5 months of job interview process
