How to Introduce Yourself in an Interview
In the start of almost every job interview you will ever have, you will be asked to introduce yourself, or tell a little bit about yourself.
This is similar to what is known as an elevator pitch. Typically, an elevator pitch is a quick two-minute speech you give to someone where you try and sell a product or service to them; however, in this situation the product or service is you. It is called an elevator pitch because it can be practiced during a typical elevator ride.
1. Be Confident
It sounds simple, but your overall confidence and body language can either help you or hurt you. If you are confident, your words will carry more weight. If you are nervous and shaky, your audience will only remember that you were nervous and shaky.
2. Keep it Casual
Intensity can be off-putting. Make sure that even though you are acting confident, you aren’t trying to ram your words through their face. Instead, make it feel a lot more conversational.
Yes, this is an important pitch, but you need to let your audience know that they are allowed to get a word in if they want. While you are telling them about yourself, they might have something to add or a question about something you said. If this person feels like you are intense and they can’t get a word in with you, they won’t want to work with you.
3. Summarize Your Work
When you talk about your work history, you don’t need to go into full detail about each and every little thing you did at every job you have ever had. First off, you should really only go into jobs related to the one you are applying for, and you should talk most about your most recent positions.
If it sounds like your most relatable experience was from 10 years ago, they would assume that your skills are rusty and you might not be worth training. Remember, your response to every question that you are asked in an interview should be no more than a few minutes long.
If keeping your answers short sounds daunting, consider using this video to help you practice.
4. Finish Strong
Once you are done going over everything, you need to finish strong.
You don’t want to say, “And that’s about it,” or “And that leads us to here.” Those are weak phrases to end on and they contribute nothing to the conversation. Instead, you can now put the ball in their court.
You can end by asking about the professional backgrounds they want for their new hire. Ask what types of experience they want their new hire to have. There is a chance that one of the things they are looking for is something that is in your employment history, but you didn’t mention it.
You can also begin going into the job description and explaining how your past experiences at your previous positions prepared you for THIS job.
Go in With a Solid Resume
If you really want to stand out above the competition, you should look into hiring a professional resume writer. Along with crafting you a professional resume, they will also give you tips on interviewing, and maintaining professionalism. Click here to schedule a free consultation. Remember, all services can be done virtually, so you do not have to come in and risk your safety during the COVID-19 pandemic