Overture

An interview is one of the most essential parts of an individual’s career.

This is because it decides your entry into an organization to work at your dream job. This helps you to be financially stable and become independent.

But the initiation of an interview entails an introduction of the candidate. Hence, a job interview introduction works as the first impression for the hiring managers.

Self-introduction in an interview gives hiring managers an insight into your communication skills and other soft skills.

So, it is crucial to be able to impress the interviewers with an intriguing self-introduction in the interview. Such an introduction should help you to stand apart from your peers.

This is because all applicants have the relevant technical skills and qualifications required for the job. But it is the way you present yourself that decides your fate.

So here are various factors that you should keep in mind before and during giving a self-introduction in an interview.

Research

Before preparing a compelling introduction for an interview, it is crucial to research the company.

Researching the company means to get an insight into its culture, working environment, and requirements.

A survey by Talentnow study shows the effects of a lack of research by the applicants. According to this report, approximately 73% of the employers cannot find candidates with practical skills required for their job post.

So, researching will help you to align your skill set according to the needs of the organization. This, in turn, will improve your chances of procuring the job opportunity.

Apart from researching the company, it is crucial to explore the hiring manager and recruiters. This is because these people will analyze your introduction and thus, have a direct relation to your entry.

There are many ways through which you can research the company and its people. Thanks to the various digital platforms, which make it all easy.

First of all, surf the social media accounts of the company. You should go through the LinkedIn profile of the organization which has the names of the employees and their respective posts.

Secondly, make use of your augmented networking outreach to know about the company and its terms and conditions.

Thirdly, go through the website of the company.

Interview Attire

Before going for the interview, it is essential to dress appropriately. Your attire, along with your introduction constitutes the first impression upon the recruiters.

The research can help you to know about the appropriate clothing for the organization. You can even visit the workplace during lunch hours to see the dress code of the employees.

If your job requires you to wear formal attire, then men can wear a formal suit. On the other hand, women can wear a skirt and shirt with a coat.

Make sure not to wear vibrant colors or excessive jewelry. Such things disturb the interviewers while listening to your introduction. So, know the difference between an interview and a party.

Arrival at The Interview

While coming for the interview in an organization, there are different places where you need to offer a self-introduction.

First of all, when you arrive at the site, you are required to introduce yourself to the receptionist.

However, this introduction needs to be very brief. All you need to do is tell your name and the purpose of your arrival at the organization.

For example, you may say-

“Hi, I am [your name]. I am here to give an interview with the hiring manager [the hiring manager’s name] at 12 noon.”

Or

“Hi, my name is [your name]. I have an appointment with [hiring manager’s name] at 10 am.”

A big mistake made by applicants is to ignore this introduction. However, it bears importance while deciding your entry into the organization.

This is because the hiring manager may have a word with the receptionist about your behavior and professionalism.

The receptionist may request you to wait and give you a seat. Remember not to use your mobile phone while waiting for your interview.

This not only exhibits your amateurism but shows a lack of interest in the job opportunity.

Utilize this waiting time to revise your self-introduction in the interview. Take a deep breath to calm your nerves. In case of sweaty hands, go to the washroom to dry them or use a tissue.

Meeting the Hiring Manager

You may be asked to wait in the interview room. Or, a person may take you to the interview room. In the latter case, thank the person for showing you the way.

When you meet the recruiting manager, make sure to stand up and greet them. Shaking hands is a good sign of meeting the employer.

Welcome them by telling them your name and using the phrase- “It is a pleasure to meet you.”

There can be chances when you already had a word with the manager on call or email. So, replace the above phrase with- “ It is a pleasure to meet you in person”.

Moreover, make sure to glue a smile on your face and use the appropriate eye contact.

For example-

“Good morning, I am [your name]. It is a pleasure to meet you.”

Impressive Introduction

After the interview starts, the final time of proffering a detailed and compelling self-introduction comes.

But before that, remember to provide the recruiters with a hard copy of your resume in case they do not have it.

The introduction is the answer to the question- “tell me about yourself”.  So, if the interviewers first ask you this question, then you can introduce yourself quickly.

On the other hand, if they do not ask such a question, then state your elevator pitch to them. An elevator pitch is a concise speech in a condensed form about your personality.

It entails various attributes like your name, age, background, qualities, etc. Moreover, integrate statistics in your elevator pitch to increase its credibility.

Such statistics can relate to the skill set mentioned in your resume.

For example-

“Hi, I am a content writer with more than five years of experience in this field. With a whisk of creative imagination and practical written communication skills, I have created numerous articles in various niches. Such content relates to travel and tourism, HR and employment, advertising and promotion, health and medicine, etc. Moreover, I can write approximately four to five articles of 1000 words each per day. Thus, I am looking out to refine my skill set and proffer more job opportunities to help my career development.”

Qualifications

While introducing yourself in an interview for experienced candidates, it is necessary to tell your qualifications to the recruiters.

However, make sure that the qualifications and skills you mention also align with the organizational need and are relevant to your job post.

Let us say that you are applying for a post of a content writer. But, you show your qualifications and work experience as a bookkeeper in a company.

Such capabilities are not only irrelevant but also increase the length of your introduction. They exhibit your lack of research on relevant skills an employee with your post should have for the organization.

On the other hand, you can include other activities that relate to your job post. Such additions serve as a cherry on top of the cake and exhibit your soft skills to the interviewers.

For example, you can tell them how you had created a magazine for your college as the editor-in-chief.

Moreover, you can show how you create free content to promote various NGOs and help them in funding.

This helps the interviewers to connect with you. They can decide whether you align with the company’s culture and working environment or not.

Effective Body Language

Appropriate body language helps to convey the information to the interviewers in a much more effective way.

The posture and tone of an individual depict their personality and self-confidence. Functional body language includes the reflexes of an individual and hence, can never be dishonest.

Using various reflexes and body language while giving a self-introduction in an interview can help your chances of getting the job opportunity.

Moreover, according to a survey, people use body language to convey approximately 93% of the information.

This entails 55% body language and 38% persuasive tone of the individual. Hence, the rest 7% of the communication is articulated through the content of your data.

This further bolsters the importance of integrating functional body language with your introduction. This is necessary from the time you walk into the room so use proper gait while entering the interview room.

Moreover, make sure to keep your head held high and maintain a straight back to exhibit your confidence.

A sloppy and bent posture exhibits your lack of interest and self-confidence in the interview. Introduce yourself with a constant smile on your face.

This is because a survey shows that we can get the first impression of an individual by noticing them for even 33 to 100 ms.

Maintain eye contact while telling the interviewers about your qualifications during the introduction. This exhibits your credibility and steadfastness to the interviewers.

Moreover, you can avert fidgeting by using the appropriate hand actions to explain your points.

Practice

Before going for an interview, it is crucial to practice your introduction in front of the mirror or a friend.

Practicing helps you to memorize points so that you can remember them quickly. However, make sure you don’t learn the prologue word by word, which would lead you to deliver it in a monotonous voice.

While practicing, it is necessary to proofread your introduction. This is necessary to avoid any grammatical errors that can exhibit your dilettantism.

You can use software like Grammarly to help you in this regard. Also, let a friend or family member proofread your introduction and provide some constructive criticism.

Follow up Questions

While explaining specific points in your introduction, be ready to further explain in detail about them in the follow-up questions.

So, prepare statistics relating to your information of the opening, which can exhibit your credibility in additional issues.

The interviewers will require you to substantiate your introduction with examples, accomplishments, or other experiences. You can use the STAR technique in this regard.

S-Situation

Let the interviewers understand the situation, environment, and the company. This informs them of the circumstances under which you procured an accomplishment that you mentioned in your introduction.

T-Task

What was the challenge given to you?

A-Action

This is one of the essential attributes. It tells the recruiters about your decision-making and problem-solving capacity. How did you respond to the task? What was the strategy that makes you different from the rest? Try to passively conceal the facts that do not align with your job post.

R-Result

Positive results create an excellent impression of your image in the interviewers’ minds. On the other hand, adverse effects tell them how you have improved yourself.

The results also reveal how the skills have helped you or how you have used them later to your advantage.

Ending

No introduction is complete without a goodbye and a thank you. So, exhibit your gratitude towards the interviewers who spent their precious time interviewing you.

Moreover, it’s best to send them a thank you email after the interview so there is a higher chance of them remembering you while making their decision.