“And now I leave the floor to you. Introduce yourself. While it is about the subject that we know best – us! -, this question is often the one that raises the most questions. What can you say about yourself that will interest the employer? How to have enough self-confidence to put yourself forward without overdoing it? How can you be sure to make a good impression? The exercise can turn out to be more complex than it seems. Here are 3 simple steps that will allow you to introduce yourself in a much better way in an interview.
Who has never dreaded that moment when the employer asks you to introduce yourself in a few words? Do not panic, here is the procedure to follow.
Positioning yourself: Who am I?
The real ‘cap’ of your presentation, the first step sets the tone of your employer. No question of reciting your CV, it is probably already in front of them. This one-on-one should bring added value and not be a live reading of your journey.
The question “Who am I” is vast. You have studied and you have sometimes changed along the way. Volunteering, associations, temporary assignments, long term internship….you have also accumulated various professional experiences and you naturally want to share them. But, be careful you only have a short time so you have to be concise and efficient. Your employer’s memory can only retain a selection of information. And it is you who will help him make this selection. At the end of the day, what should he learn from your profile?
The base
Start with your name and current situation . Yes, the employer must already know this. But take the time to repeat it, it will allow you to start the sequel in a natural way. Still a student? Soon to graduate? Looking for a second pro experience? A short sentence is enough. And with a smile of course. There is no hesitation to be had here: you are sure of your name and your situation, right?
Your experience
Your studies, your main training, the experiences you have had over the last few months… Do not make a list of accumulated experiences, but choose two or three elements that are most relevant to your employer. Again, be sure of yourself: you must be proud of the path you have travelled. Do not hesitate to add small unusual details. Do you have a passion for photography and have you invested in it for some time? A passion that pushed you to go further in this field in parallel? These are elements that will mark the employer and make you more unique.
A particular experience
End this quick primer with an experience that particularly stood out to you . Either because you liked it a lot, or because it taught you a lot – both, ideally. Take the time to insist on this experience, to say what it brought you and which makes you all the more interesting and qualified: it will serve as an excellent transition for the second stage.
Define yourself: what do I want to do?
Now that your employer has located you on the application map, it’s time to define yourself more in depth on your values, your desires, your expectations and your determination.
You have just finished with a memorable experience, which will allow you to move on to your personality. For example :
- “This has reinforced my desire to…”
- This confirmed my desire to…”
- All of these experiences have given me the skills to…”
Your objective: that the employer understands what led you to be the person who appears before him today. Avoid disjointed information and be careful to create links to form a coherent presentation.
Develop your projects
What exactly are you looking for now? What do you hope for next? In which field, which sector do you want to work? Be honest with yourself first. Don’t forget to emphasize your motivation. Why do you have this desire? Where do you get your enthusiasm from?
To stay fast and efficient, explain your values with keywords . For motivation: desire, desire, driving force, motivation, determination, interest, satisfaction… For work: teamwork, ensuring a coordinating role, organization, planning, rigor, internal communication, strategy, productivity & responsibility.
Show that you know the sector
You must display some proficiency in the field in which you wish to work. Find out about the missions generally entrusted to this position and the qualities you need to have. Take four or five of them and keep them as keywords to hammer your speech with. For example, to work in marketing: studying the target, conducting consumer surveys, being curious, having a creative mind, mastering software and with the advent of digital: social networks, online referencing, viral… For work in consulting : market research, cost estimation, rigor, perfect mastery of Excel and PowerPoint, organization, etc.
Also read : 5 careers for creative minds
Justify with specific examples
Expressing your values and skills is good. But it might be a bit abstract for your employer. So you have to justify everything you said with two specific examples – three, max. It can be a case you worked on in school, a professional experience or, failing that, a personal experience.
Are you rigorous? For what ? When did you show rigor?
For example: “X weeks ago, I was given a mission on which I had to do […] The task required being very rigorous, and I had to […], I understood that without this rigor […]”
Do you have team spirit ? Prove it. Example: “While working on such a project, I realized the need to work as a team. Even the leader cannot do everything: to be 100% effective, you have to know how to delegate, and it seems to me that this is an essential quality to be […]” Or, if you are very team sport, it can constitute an excellent example of success thanks to team spirit.
Stand out: why did you choose this company?
We now come to the most important part of your presentation. Why are you here ? Why did you apply for this position in this company? Even if the exercise is to introduce yourself, you must keep in mind an essential point: this presentation must revolve around the company.
So why this company and not another ? What are the studies that justify your place with them?, What skills can you use for her?, and what are your experiences that will be useful?
Also read : How to ask a company for a job?
Don’t be anonymous
Don’t be the anonymous candidate with the “good profile”. Stand out by justifying why you, your background, your way of seeing, thinking and working can bring them something. Be sure of yourself and explain why you are there. You have several options:
- You like their values.
- You read up on what they do (feel free to quote a project, show them you know what you’re talking about) and you liked it.
- You have seen challenges you can respond to.
- You met someone in the company who sparked your interest.
This is the end of your presentation. It is therefore essential that the employer remembers you. Be clear about what you like about them and what you can bring. It’s time to impose yourself.
Find the right timing
Yes, that’s a lot of information and you only have a few minutes to introduce yourself. We told you, it’s not an easy exercise. Remember to take good care of your timing . For example, if you have to show up in three minutes, you can count:
- 1st step: 30 seconds (you lay the foundations)
- 2nd step: 1 minute (you give a framework to your motivation)
- 3rd step: 30 seconds (you explain why you are here and not at someone else’s)
Print your brand
Finally, do not forget that a successful interview is an interview at the end of which the recruiter remembers you. Whether it’s your dynamism, your willingness to work, your good humor, or even your curiosity or seriousness, make your mark. It also involves your attitude: smiling, looking straight in the eye, listening, gestures to make your point, straight posture, clear and assertive voice… And above all, remember that you have nothing to lose, and don’t forget that an employer will take you for who you are, naturally.
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