The introduction usually takes place at the beginning of the job interview, after the first getting to know each other and small talk, and thus belongs to the so-called getting to know phase or introduction round.
I often meet with clients, which are not well prepared for this. You have to be aware, that if you master the entry of the job interview, you will feel instantly better and more relaxed.
Mostly you will hear sentences like:
Please tell us something about yourself. We would like to get to know you. Why should we hire you? Please introduce yourself and explain to us: Why would you like this job?
Duration, content and requirements of the introduction
The self-presentation rarely lasts longer than two to three minutes. No more is expected. It is not a lecture, but “only” a performance to give the first impression.
In this short time, you, therefore, have to get to the heart of the matter. There is no time for not value-adding small talk. The point is to advertise on your behalf, but also to prove presentation self-confidence. Presenting and presenting projects or results is part of almost every job today. The self-presentation offers a foretaste of how you might act later, after hiring.
Preparation: How to prepare for self-presentation
In your short self-portrayal, however, you should not only pray chronologically for the stations of your curriculum vitae – how boring!
Your personality profile is instead about the formative highlights, i.e. the essential stations and experiences that you recommend for the vacant position of the potential employer at the same time.
To prepare optimally for this, you must first research the exact requirements of the advertised position and the essential specifics of the industry and the company.
Many things often emerge from the job advertisement. Others can easily be found on the Internet today – for example on the company’s career pages, on LinkedIn or through articles in the press. On this basis, you will now search for suitable and qualifying positions in your CV and reformulate them into arguments that speak for you as the ideal candidate for this job.
Thread these points together along a red thread so that you get the impression that your previous development inevitably had to end here in this company.
Then summarize the small presentation in keywords that you can easily remember (or memorize). Now you have the framework for your self-presentation and can – ideally in front of friends – practice and refine it a little and eliminate weak points in your argumentation.
However, it would help if you avoided common phrases in your presentation. So don’t say: “I distinguish myself through high commitment, team spirit and willingness to learn…”. It is better to formulate as concretely as possible using striking examples.
Also, pay attention to your body language: Always keep eye contact with your counterpart, smile and show yourself energetic and committed. So don’t just chase down facts. It would be best if you were enthusiastic about what you tell yourself. Otherwise, the spark won’t jump. If you are having a video session, make sure that you are looking into the camera most of the time!
Essential as well is the tonality of your voice. The majority of the people talk in a monotonous voice and without using interpunction.
You need to talk in the same way as reading a fairy tale to a child. Every sentence has a beginning, and every sentence has an end. You need to go down with your voice at the end of the sentence!
Why is this important?
1) Information that is served in sizeable chunks can be better “digested” by your interview partner.
2) If you go down with your voice, your words sound like a statement; if you stay in the middle tone, they may sound like a question and can be perceived as “weak”.
I am, I can, I will
You can break your presentation down to these three points:
I am: Introduce yourself briefly with your name and age. Then briefly describe your current professional and personal situation.
Example: I am XY, 24 years old, and this semester I will complete my studies at the University of XY with a Master’s degree. The topic of my thesis is: “…”
I can: That’s the central part. Here you list the essential stages of your CV, name competencies and successes achieved.
An example: As Business Development Manager, I have been responsible for finding new customers in the XY area over the past three years. Not only was I able to increase sales by around two million, but I also improved a few points in customer relationship management, which should be of particular interest to you in the position advertised. (You need to be able to name those points as examples on request.)
I want: Finally, garnish your plea with the motifs of why you applied here and what you expect from the position or what added value you can offer.
An example: I would now like to use these experiences to help your company. My strengths fit well with the challenges of the position.
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