Don’t make the mistake of not preparing for this interview question.
This question is usually asked at the beginning of the interview. This is your chance to create a good impression, and a good tone for the rest of the interview. It is your opportunity to show that you are unique and let your personality shine.

In your answer, you are making choices- what to say and not to say about your personal and professional life. Remember that sometimes what you choose not to say, says just as much about you as what you do say. Think of what qualities, characteristics you want to highlight, accomplishments you want to emphasize. What were the key requirements listed in the job description? How do you meet those?
Be careful in how you phrase things. You may talk about your travels and sound interesting, or bragging. Running marathons may sound impressive and show your perseverance but it may also leave the recruiter thinking when do you have time to work.

Your answer will also show how you organize your thoughts, so put some order to your story. Give thought to what you are focusing on. You from 20 years ago is not you today. Mainly talking about your accomplishments and experiences from long ago will leave the recruiter thinking what happened since.
If there is something in your personal story that will highlight your passion to the field the company is in, and show that this has been a long time interest of yours perhaps beyond your career, make sure to mention it.

In general, I advise against talking about your family, partner, kids etc., unless it is relevant to the position. For example, if you are interviewing for a job in a company that sells products or services to mothers/kids, being a mother, understanding kids is relevant.

If you have taken a break, and have a gap in your career, this is a good time to explain it, but don’t dwell on it. You don’t want the gap to be the focus of the conversation. This is not what you want the recruiter to remember from the conversation. A sentence or two will do, and then move on and make sure to emphasize your enthusiasm and readiness to return to work.

Make sure to be positive. Make your story interesting. Help the recruiter learn who you are beyond the resume in front of them.

So tell me about yourself? What is unique about you?

Miki Feldman Simon, Founder & CEO IamBackatWork