Don't introduce yourself like this in an interview

"First of all, I would like to thank you for giving me this wonderful opportunity."

This is how most freshers are taught to introduce themselves by their Colleges and by many Youtubers and Soft Skills Trainers.

Whenever any candidate says this to me, I immediately feel like stopping them and saying, "Wait, you've got it wrong! You have to introduce yourself and that's why you are here.

There's nothing wonderful about it and you don't have to thank me for it. Everyone who comes here has to do it!"

But I never said that to anyone as I know that might startle them and make them forget what they have memorized.

Some Colleges have gone further ahead and even incorporated this intro into telephonic introductions.

Just a few days ago, I got a call from a student from an MBA college.

When I picked up the call, this is what she said, "First of all, thank you for answering my call, sir!"

Why should you thank someone just for answering your call?

Does it mean nobody else picks up your calls?

I hope you get the point - The aforementioned intro is surely not the right way to begin your Self-Introduction in any mode of interview.

Some candidates start with "My name is _______"

Again, this is unnecessary as the client already knows your name from your resume.

You may start with "My name is _________" when the person to who you are introducing yourself doesn't know your name, especially during Group Discussions or when you call an interviewer over the phone.

Begin your self-intro from whatever seems appropriate to the situation.

• If you already greeted the interviewer while entering the room, don’t begin with a Good Morning or Good afternoon!

• If he already knows your name, don’t tell your name again.

• If he’s at your college for a campus interview, don’t say that you are studying in so & so college.

Just go with the flow of the conversation.

As we mentioned in our first blog, interviews are like dating where you meet a representative of a prospective employer, answer their questions, ask questions about them, and decide whether they match your personality and profile.

But, many candidates especially freshers approach interviews like Dramas.

They memorize a whole bunch of impressive scripts and recite them during their interviews – this approach will surely fail unless the interviewer is very naïve to believe those scripts.

I think there shouldn’t be any format for introducing yourself; it must come naturally.

You could write it down and memorize it, but don’t stick to it and recite it as it is; be creative and adapt to the situation.

A self-introduction could encompass the following:

• Your degree and college.

• Your experiences.

• Your technical expertise.

• Your achievements.

• And anything else you think is important.

You could also talk about your strengths, but if you do, say only specific strengths, not generic ones.

Many candidates say, “My strengths are I’m a positive thinker, I’m a confident person, I have good leadership skills, ……..” and when we ask them to elaborate on any of them or give an example of it, they struggle to do so.

So, always mention only those strengths which are specific to you and not just copied phrases from the internet & others’ resumes.

You could also add a few lines about your family at the end of the introduction if the interviewer gives you more time and if that is needed in that situation.

If you talk about your family, don’t go into detail and give the names of every family member. Just Keep It Short & Sweet(KISS)!

So, always assess the situation and suit your responses accordingly.

Don’t watch those Youtube videos which give you a predesigned template for self-introduction.

Just sit and write down your way of introduction and practice saying it aloud a few times in front of the mirror with a smile on your face.

That’s it, you are ready to face the first critical question of all interviews –

“Can you introduce yourself?”

Stay tuned for more such interesting articles.

If this article was useful, share this with someone who might need it.

Also, feel free to share your thoughts and ask us any questions.