how to answer tell me something not on your cv

by Wistkey · 17 september 2026 · 6 min read

when an interviewer asks you to tell them something that is not on your cv, they are giving you space to show a useful part of yourself that the application has missed. the strongest answer is genuine, specific and easy to talk about. it does not need to be extraordinary, and it should not become another summary of your career.

this question feels difficult because it is so open. you might search for the most impressive fact you can find, worry that your real interests sound ordinary or start repeating evidence that is already on the page. a better aim is simpler: choose one detail that helps the interviewer understand how you think, learn, contribute or spend your time.

understand how this differs from tell me about yourself

the usual tell me about yourself answer is a short professional story: where you are now, the relevant path behind you and why this role makes sense next. this question asks for new information. if you repeat your current role, qualifications and biggest work achievement, you have missed the invitation.

the National Careers Service guidance on common interview questions says employers may ask about spare time, hobbies and interests to understand your personal qualities, interests and skills. it also notes that relevant evidence can come from volunteering or outside work when your work history is limited. that gives you a broad field without requiring a dramatic secret.

choose a detail with a story inside it

make a quick list under four headings: something you practise, something you make, something you contribute to and something you have learnt. then look for a detail that is true, comfortable to discuss and not already obvious from your cv.

• a continuing interest — restoring furniture, learning a language or studying local history.
• a responsibility outside work — organising a community event, helping at a club or supporting a regular group activity.
• a personal project — building a small tool, completing a demanding course or creating something over several months.
• a useful experience — planning a charity fundraiser, performing in public or learning a skill that initially felt uncomfortable.

specificity matters more than scale. "i enjoy cooking" is hard to follow. "i have spent the last year learning to make bread, and i keep a short note on what changed in each batch" gives the interviewer something concrete to ask about and reveals patience, curiosity and a way of learning.

use detail, meaning, link

shape the answer in three compact parts:

• detail — name the thing in one clear sentence.
• meaning — give a brief example of what you actually do and why it matters to you.
• link — if it feels natural, connect the quality it shows to how you work or learn.

the link should be light. you are not trying to turn every weekend interest into proof that you can exceed quarterly targets. one honest sentence is enough: "it has made me much more patient when progress is uneven" or "i have learnt to explain the same idea in several ways."

see how a concise answer can sound

an answer might take this shape: "something that is not on my cv is that i help run a monthly repair session at our local community centre. i started by managing the bookings, but over time i learnt enough to help visitors diagnose simple faults and decide when something needs an expert. i enjoy the practical problem solving, but the part i value most is explaining an unfamiliar issue without making someone feel foolish. it has made me more patient and more deliberate about checking that i have been understood."

this example works because it contains observable detail. the speaker does not announce that they are a brilliant communicator; they describe a situation in which careful communication matters. replace every part with your own experience. an ordinary but true answer will survive follow-up questions better than a polished invention.

keep the answer relevant without making it artificial

read the job description before choosing your detail. the National Careers Service advises tailoring examples to the skills an employer wants, but relevance does not mean pretending that a hobby exists for the job. instead, choose among your real options. for a role involving careful analysis, you might discuss a learning project that shows curiosity. for a people-facing role, a community responsibility may reveal how you listen or explain.

prepare two possible answers. one can lean towards how you learn or solve problems; the other can show a more personal interest or contribution. that gives you room to choose an answer that adds something genuinely new after you hear the earlier questions.

protect your boundaries

you decide how personal to be. you do not need to discuss family plans, health, religion or another sensitive subject simply because the question is broad. current Acas guidance for interviewers says interview questions must not discriminate, and GOV.UK recruitment guidance sets limits on questions about protected characteristics and personal circumstances.

if a follow-up moves somewhere you would rather not go, answer the job-relevant part and redirect calmly: "i prefer to keep the family detail private, but i am happy to explain what organising the event taught me about planning and reliability." you can be warm without surrendering a boundary.

avoid the answers that reveal too little

• "everything important is already on my cv." this closes down an opportunity to add dimension.
• a second career summary. give information the interviewer could not read before you arrived.
• a generic list of hobbies. choose one detail and let a short example make it memorable.
• a forced sales pitch. let the quality emerge from the story instead of claiming every interest makes you perfect for the role.
• an invented quirk. follow-up questions quickly expose an answer chosen only to sound unusual.

practise for forty-five seconds, then stop

write three prompts — detail, meaning, link — and speak from them rather than memorising a paragraph. aim for roughly 30 to 60 seconds. the answer should open a conversation, not fill the rest of the interview.

listen for two things when you practise: whether the interesting detail arrives in the first sentence, and whether your final link sounds natural. then prepare for the obvious follow-up: "how did you get into that?" if you can answer with one more true detail, your choice is likely to hold up.