“Work Until You No Longer Have To Introduce Yourself”
While the coffee mug quote above sounds great, the reality is that most of us have to introduce ourselves to others on multiple occasions. It could be in a business meeting, at a party, during an interview or just someone you met informally.
The way you introduce yourself provides people with an impression about you. Research has shown that people start forming a judgment about you within seconds of meeting you and the initial impressions are almost indelible. Knowing how to introduce yourself in order to make a good first impression is very important.
While there is no one size fits all, when it comes to introducing yourself in different settings, knowing certain frameworks or rules to follow will help you make that self-introduction easily
Introducing yourself during business meetings
You have just taken your seat in the meeting room or logged into the Zoom meeting and you hear –
“Thank you all for joining. Let’s have a quick round of introductions.”
Once you hear this, your mind goes into an overdrive trying to think about what you need to say in order to make a good impression. Should you mention your previous job experience first or talk about the upcoming project that you will be leading?
Andrea Wojnicki in this great article provides a simple framework that I like to call the PPF framework – Present, Past and Future.
Start with the Present you can share your name, your designation, your geographical location (if you are joining online), any relevant current projects you might be working on, your expertise etc
Then go back in the Past and share relevant details about your background that will help build your credibility in the given situation. It could be your educational qualifications, your past projects, past employment, achievements etc. that lend weight to your credentials
Having provided details about yourself, you now round it off by looking at what comes next a.k.a the Future. This is where you share your enthusiasm about the upcoming discussion, your interest or any goals that you have for the meeting or project.
Remember this simple PPF framework will make it easier for you to introduce yourself, the next time you are in a meeting, where they go round the table for a “quick round of introductions”
Introducing yourself during an interview
“Tell me about yourself” has to be the most common question asked during an interview. This is an opportunity for you to put your best self forward and nail the opener. You can’t win the interview based on just this answer but you can definitely lose it here.
A good framework to follow for introducing yourself during interviews is – SHE – Succinct, Honest and Engaging
Succinct – The interviewer might not be interested in hearing about everything that you have done over the past 20 years. Be brief in what you want to say as this shows your approach towards answering unstructured questions
Honest – This is a given. Being honest about yourself will allow you to speak from a place of conviction and allow you to answer any follow-up questions you face with greater ease
Engaging – Have a compelling story based on your past experiences. Look at the key skills that are being sought in the job description and weave them into your narrative showcasing your strengths that align with what they are seeking. Connect your story back to the job, keep it short and be truthful.
Introducing yourself at events and parties
While there is no fixed framework to follow when meeting someone at a party, networking event or in a swimming pool, it helps to keep a few things in mind.
Less is more: Brief introductions are the best. There is no need for the other person to know your life story within seconds of having met you. Provide a bare minimum that the other person needs to know, not to keep your distance but to reveal more in a natural unforced manner.
Remember the setting: Your introduction should be relevant to the context or the setting you are in. “Hi, my name is Alingon and my daughter is in the 4th grade” is a good introduction during a PTA but not during a networking event for entrepreneurs.
Be humble: You might be the Co-founder of “WeSolveWorldHunger Inc.” but unless you are in a business setting where mentioning this is relevant, it doesn’t look good to brag about it. Don’t let a simple self-introduction degenerate into socialized egoism and a game of one-upmanship.
Smile and listen: If you have met someone new, don’t scare them off by forcing your life story down their throat. After you have done a brief introduction, focus on the other person. Ask questions. Actually listen to the answer.
If you want to build strong connections, don’t just speak but listen.
If you want to know how to be a good listener read this article
Cheers