25 Tips: How to Introduce Yourself in an Interview?
It may sound like a cliché, but as the subject matter experts over at runrex.com will tell you, first impressions are crucial in a job interview. How you introduce yourself may make or break your chances of landing the job you are interviewing for, which is why this article will look to highlight 25 tips on how to introduce yourself in an interview.
Introductions before the interview are just as important
When you enter the building where your interview will be held, you must be courteous and respectful towards the security and receptionist. As per the folks over at runrex.com, greet the receptionist, give your full name, tell them that you are there for an interview, and give them the interview time and job title of the position you are interviewing for.
Keep your phone away
If you are told to wait for the recruiter or any other member of the staff to come and meet you, it is good etiquette to avoid being on your phone as you pass time. Also, avoid crossing your arms or legs, and let your feet rest on the floor or your ankles while your arms can rest on the armrest.
How to greet the person who comes to meet you
When the recruiter or member of HR comes to meet you, when greeting them, smile, look them in the eye, and give them a firm handshake, as is discussed in detail over at runrex.com. You should, however, take care not to grip their hand too strongly.
Introduce yourself with your full name
Once you have greeted them, you must introduce yourself to them with your full name so that you can allow them to know you. Make sure you do so in a confident voice as a meek voice or one that doesn’t sound too confident will be viewed as a red flag.
Repeat their name out loud when they introduce themselves
Once you introduce yourself, the recruiter or HR member will introduce themselves too, and when they do, respond with, “it’s nice to meet you…” then repeat their name out loud. This way, you will be more likely to remember it as discussed over at runrex.com.
Let them know that it is nice putting a name to the face
If you have only spoken to them by email or phone before your job interview, you can say something like, “it’s nice to meet you in person”. This is a courteous thing to say and will portray you in a good light.
If they won’t be interviewing you, thank them
In most cases, as discussed over at runrex.com, the person who comes to meet you will usually only either give you a quick tour of the office or show you to the interview room. If this is the case, make sure you thank them before they leave.
How to greet your interviewer
When you get to the interview room, you may have to wait a bit for the interviewer(s) to arrive. When they enter the room, stand up, and greet them confidently by extending your arm and giving them a firm handshake.
Introduce yourself
After greeting them, you must introduce yourself by stating your full name. also, according to the gurus over at runrex.com, you should make sure that you introduce yourself while smiling and that you look them in the eyes when doing so.
State your purpose
While it is likely that your interviewer will know the role you are applying for, another tip when introducing yourself in an interview is to inform them who you are and what role you are applying for. Prepare a statement like, “it’s a pleasure to meet with you to talk about the management role in your social media team”.
Offer them a copy of your resumes
Once the introductions are out of the way, you should offer to give them a hard copy of your resume, if they don’t already have one with them, something the subject matte experts over at runrex.com agree with.
Be mindful of your body language
When making your jib interview introduction, an important tip is to be mindful of your body language since the way you sit, talk, look around and even walk makes an impression about yourself on the people interviewing you. Make sure you stand up straight and are not showing any signs of nerves.
Know the people who will be interviewing you ahead of time
Another important tip when introducing yourself is making sure that you know the people who you will be meeting with ahead of time. As explained over at runrex.com, this will not only make you appear like you gave the interview some though, it will also give you an idea of what your interviewers like and what they don’t like.
Don’t be too intense with eye contact
While eye contact is crucial when introducing yourself during your interview, it is important to avoid not coming off as being creepy, which can happen if you stare too intensely. Make sure you are maintaining good eye contact when introducing yourself, which shows that you are listening to the people you are meeting with and that you see them.
Be mindful too of your handshake
As already mentioned, when introducing yourself, it is important to greet your interviewer with a firm handshake. However, as the experts over at runrex.com will tell you, while you should aim for a confident, firm, and strong handshake, you should take care not to make the handshake too strong that the person on the receiving end of it is wincing in pain afterward. On the flips side, avoid weak handshakes as this will also not portray you well.
Don’t turn down small gestures
When you are introducing yourself in an interview, you will likely be offered something like a glass of water or some refreshments. An important tip is to be gracious in your response, and if you must turn down something you have been offered, give a credible reason. Also, don’t be afraid to offer small gestures yourself, such as helping someone pick dropped papers, holding the door for someone, among others as these will help you impress your interviewers.
Be organized when introducing yourself
As is revealed in discussions over at runrex.com, you don’t want to fumble with your keys, coat, portfolio, or anything else when introducing yourself. Before introducing yourself, make sure that you have everything well organized, and you hang your coat and place your credentials on the table so that you don’t fumble when making introductions.
Keep yourself dry
Another big turnoff when making introductions during a job interview are sweaty palms. Therefore, if you feel like you are getting too sweaty, dry your palms with a tissue or handkerchief, or you could even quickly press the palm of your hand on your leg or lap right before you get up for the introductory handshake.
Be friendly and courteous with everyone you meet in the building
As the folks over at runrex.com will tell you, you ever know who you will meet when you walk into the building where your job interview will be held. The person walking behind you or the person you meet in the elevator may be the person who will end up interviewing you. This is why you should be friendly with everyone and have good manners to portray yourself in the best light possible. Just make sure that you don’t exaggerate thigs to the extent you end up appearing like a phony or disingenuous.
Have an elevator pitch for answering the dreaded “tell me about yourself” question
While this is usually an introductory question, it is usually one that may make or break your interview. You should, therefore, create an elevator pitch and practice it to ensure that you are ready and comfortable answering this question.
Be concise
As is discussed over at runrex.com, your introduction during a job interview should be concise enough to hold the interest of the interviewer. Avoid going on and on and just make sure you make a quick recap of your most compelling qualities and qualifications.
Show enthusiasm for the job and company
While the introduction is meant to, well, introduce you to the interviewers, an important tip is making sure that it also portrays enthusiasm for the job and company you are interviewing for. Make sure, even as you make your introductory remarks, you show how excited you are with the opportunity to work for the company.
Be time conscious
As the gurus over at runrex.com will tell you, time is usually limited during an interview, as you will most likely not be the only person being interviewed. You should show the interviewers that you respect their time by keeping your introduction short and brief to allow them to move on to the interview questions that follow and be on schedule.
Ne prepared for follow-up questions
Most of the time, an interviewer may follow up on your introduction with follow up questions, and you should be prepared for this. They may ask you to expound on your skills and qualifications, and you should be ready and prepared to ask these follow-up questions.
The introduction is your chance to reflect your persona
While you want to do a quick recap of your qualifications and skills when making your introductory remarks, as mentioned above and discussed over at runrex.com, you could also mention a couple of morsels that aren’t essential to the job you are interviewing for but reflect your persona. You can mention that you collect art or are performing at a local comedy club among others.
Remember, if you are looking for more information on this and other related topics, look no further than the highly-rated runrex.com.