The importance of a good self-introduction in an interview
Whether as a fresher or a person with prior work experience, we usually prepare ourselves for all the possible questions we might face during job interviews. However, we often forget that talking about ourselves in the initial minutes can count for a lot. As a result, we tend not to delve too much into preparing for a self-introduction for interview situations. We believe that an introduction is just a matter of offering a handshake, stating our name, and taking a seat. But that opening question- “Tell us a bit about yourself” can almost always be a stumbling block if one isn’t prepared to answer the question meaningfully.
The truth is that a well-structured self-introduction will not only give the interviewers an excellent impression of you, very often, but it also sets a pleasant and upbeat tone for the rest of the interview. In addition, it will help you establish an air of confident authority.
Key pointers to structure a good self-introduction
Ensure a chronological progression.
Avoid jumping from across random topics. Begin with revealing your early years, then your foray into work-life, and so on.
Begin with your identity.
State your name clearly. If you have an unusual name, take a couple of moments to explain it and the proper way to pronounce it. You can state your age and a bit about the structure of your family.
Provide a brief background of your family.
That you are the eldest with two siblings, or an only child, a bit about your parents and where they reside. If you are married, a bit about what your spouse does, and about your children, if you have any.
Add a few sentences about your growing years.
Mention the place you hail from, your schooling, your college, and so on. If you spent them at a location different from the one you currently live in, provide a short description of those places. Also, make it a point to explain your schooling and collegiate experiences and something significant that you accomplished during your growing years.
Talk about your current status in life.
Start with how long you have been residing in the place you currently live in and move on to describing your typical routine very briefly. If the job placement is based in the city you currently reside in, mention what you like about the city. You may want to explain how you spend your leisure time and, if you pursue an exciting hobby that is related in some way to the role you are being interviewed for, do not hesitate to mention it.
Identify a couple of key personal traits that relate to your professional life.
These could include the fact that you enjoy traveling and meeting new people, or your curiosity and hunger to learn new things, perhaps an interest in analytics and the world of software from an early age.
State your current professional profile.
Begin by describing the current company you are employed with, your formal position, and your specific role. Then, explain why you chose to pursue a new job in a brief sentence.
Take a quick detour into your previous jobs and roles.
Provide a brief description of all the other companies, employment, and functions that you were involved with, if any. Highlight a couple of crucial achievements and an area of personal development in your professional life and specific skill sets relevant to the position you are being interviewed for.
This should complete the self-introduction part of your interview. It is essential that you maintain eye contact throughout and avoid distractions in your body language; maintain a calm and relaxed posture, fully aware of what are the barriers of communication. It is vital to practice the entire flow of your introduction constantly.
Best wishes!