Tell me about yourself - but keep it brief. How to tackle that one in a job interview...

It’s not unusual for hiring managers to open up the interview with the predictable “Tell me about yourself.”

William J. Morin, author of “Parting Company,” says your response can make or break the interview. You’ll need to be extra careful not to reveal too much information or bog down the interview before it begins. The best response to “Tell me about yourself” will last two minutes - tops.

Morin says your self summary should cover four topics: the early years, education, BRIEF work history and most recent career experience. You’ll want to emphasize that last one. Keep in mind this is just a warm-up question and you don’t want to use up all your best material right out of the gate.