How to Introduce Yourself in an Interview

A Quick Guide On How To Introduce Yourself In An Interview

• Start by researching the company and your interviewers.

• Dress appropriately for the interview.

• Avoid distractions and keep eye contact.

• Be confident and comfortable.

• Be aware of body language.

• Prepare what to say.

• Rehearse your introduction with a friend.

• Follow our examples below.

Read on to get more detailed advice on how to introduce yourself in an interview.

First impressions happen quickly. During the interview process, there may be several times when you would introduce yourself: at the front desk or reception area, to a recruiter, to the hiring manager and potentially additional interviewers. There are few guidelines you can follow on how to introduce yourself in an interview setting.

To help you navigate the process, we would start by identifying best practices when introducing yourself, followed by examples from interviews where you can apply those skills.

Related: How To Introduce Yourself In A Meeting With Examples

Things To Consider When Introducing Yourself In An Interview

Before your interview, there are several things to consider about your appearance and mindset that can set you up for a successful introduction.

Dress appropriately

Appearance plays an important role when meeting someone new. Choosing what to wear to an interview would represent, in part, who you are to those you might be meeting. Different offices have different dress codes, so you would want to do some research on the company culture before you go to your job interview. For example, a financial consultant interview would likely require a more formal dress than that of a tech start-up. If you are unsure, reach out to your recruiter or office contact beforehand and ask. This shows that you are paying attention to the details and care about making the right impression. Erring on the side of professionalism is safe. Here are a few tips:

• Be yourself. What you wear is a part of who you are, so use it to communicate your personality where appropriate.

• Keep the focus on you. Try and avoid distracting visuals like extravagant jewelery or busy prints to ensure your interviewers pay attention to your conversation.

• Be comfortable. Being professional does not mean you require to be uncomfortable—make sure you are feeling good in your clothes when you leave the house.

Related: What To Wear: The Best Job Interview Attire

Prepare what to say

After you have got the visuals down, plan on the first few speaking moments of your introduction. Confidence is equally important as you begin to verbally introduce yourself, so apply the same principles as you begin talking with the person at hand.

To establish a solid foundation, boldly state your name. Do not be afraid to speak up; you might want to avoid making people struggle to hear your name or ask for it again. A solid volume shows you are confident, excited about the opportunity and want to be respectful of their time.

It seems obvious, but be sure to learn and remember the name of the interviewer—nerves can make it easy for that detail to escape you. Listen and repeat their name in your introduction to help you remember as you carry out the conversation. For example:

Interviewer: “Hi, my name is Manoj.”
You: “Manoj, it is a pleasure to meet you. My name is Sanjay.”

Related: How To Be Confident In An Interview In 16 Easy Steps

Be aware of body language

Body language is a key part of communication. When you are meeting people during the interview process, keep in mind the attributes you want your body language to display. For example, if you want to communicate confidence, keep your shoulders back, chin raised and chest high. Maintaining eye contact as you introduce yourself is another good practice, showing interviewers you are engaged in the conversation and capable of communicating well with your potential future colleagues.

Pro-tip: Unsure about how you may be presenting yourself during introductions?
Try recruiting a friend or family member for a practice session on introducing yourself including your dress, body language and even your handshake. The mirror is a great practice tool too.

Related: 9 Common Mistakes to Avoid in an Interview

The best ways to introduce yourself in an interview

Before the interview

When you first enter the building where your job interview would take place, you may be required to check in with reception. Step forward and introduce yourself with your full name, interview time and job title of the role you are interviewing for. This can be quick and simple, such as, “Hi, my name is Sanjay Sharma. I am here for a 12 p.m. job interview for the Program Manager role.”

Once you have checked in, you may be asked to wait while the recruiter or another HR representative comes to meet you. It is good etiquette to avoid taking out your phone to pass the time while you wait. If you are seated, place your arms on the armrest or on your lap. Your feet can rest on the floor or cross at the ankles.

When someone arrives to greet you, stand to meet them. Give them a firm handshake but do not grip their hand too strongly. Introduce yourself again with your full name. When they introduce themselves, respond with, “It is nice to meet you,” and say their name out loud. You would be more likely to remember their name if you repeat it back to them when you first hear it.

If you have spoken to this person by phone or email prior to your job interview, you can say, “It is nice to meet you in person.” When you are talking, smile and look them in the eyes. From here, this person may give you a quick tour or show you directly to the interview room. If this person is just guiding you to the room rather than interviewing you, be sure to thank them before they leave.

Related: How to Introduce Yourself Professionally

During the interview

Typically, you might be seated in a room to wait until your interviewer comes to meet you. You may want to use this time to get out your pen and paper for notes, take a drink of water and a couple of deep breaths to relax your body. When your interviewer enters the room, greet them confidently by standing up, extending your hand to shake theirs, stating your name and smiling.

It is likely that your interviewer knows the role you are applying for and has seen your resume. Still, you are required to prepare a short statement to make sure they know who you are and what role you are applying for. You could say something like, “It is great to meet with you to talk about the associate role on your events team.”

Once introductions have been made, you can give them a hard copy of your resume, if they do not already have one. You might likely exchange a few pleasantries and get into the interview questions, especially if they have got a busy day. If they begin the conversation, let them take the lead.

If there is a bit of silence, do not be afraid to lead with your own elevator pitch that quickly summarises your professional background and interest in the job. Here is an example that someone applying for a Graphic Design position might use:

“I am a graphic designer with over five years of experience specialising in creating beautiful, unique website experiences that make users’ time with a brand more enjoyable. I am looking forward to growing my management skills to hopefully develop and inspire a team of my own.”

One common interview question you may be asked is, “Tell me about yourself.” Having an internal outline (or written, if helpful—but avoid reading it directly to keep things conversational) can help guide your answer. Keep it concise and focused on why your background makes you the best fit for this job opportunity.

Being prepared ahead of time can help calm your nerves, so do some research on the company and, if possible, your interviewers. This helps guide the rest of the conversation, set you up to answer questions intelligently and ask solid, informed questions of your own. Presenting yourself as knowledgeable and confident shows your potential employers that you are the right choice for the opportunity.

It is appropriate to write down notes as the conversation progresses. You can refer to these notes to ask any questions at the end of the interview and can reference them when you follow-up after the interview to show them you were attentive and valued your time with them.

The interviewer wants to hire someone who is qualified for the role, but also someone who they genuinely want to work with and might be a good culture fit at the company. As you are answering their questions and preparing to ask your own, remember to be yourself and let your personality show.

Remember to breathe and take the conversation one step at a time. It is appropriate to pause to collect your thoughts and say, “Let me take a moment to think about that” before beginning to answer. In fact, this can send a positive signal to your interviewer that you are invested in giving them the best possible response.

Related: Top 16 Interview Questions and Answers

After the interview

No introduction is complete without a goodbye. After your interview has ended, follow the lead of your interviewer: stand when they stand, shake their hand again and thank them for their time with a smile. You can prepare to say a few phrases that might end the conversation on a positive note:

• “It was a pleasure meeting you. I appreciate your time today.”

• “Thanks for a great conversation. Hope you enjoy the rest of your day.”

If you have multiple rounds of interviews, be prepared to stand and greet your next interviewer, repeating the steps above.

After you have had some time to process and review your interview notes, remember to send timely follow-up notes to your interviewers, either via email or via handwritten notes. Sometimes recruiters do not give out the interviewers’ emails, so be sure to ask for their business card or ask the recruiter if they can pass a thank you message to the interviewers. If you are sending handwritten notes, an easy way to get them to your interviewers is to send them to the office address under the interviewers’ names.

You have likely met hundreds of people in your life, and a job interview involves a lot of the same etiquette you would use when meeting any new person. Your interviewers want to hire a solid teammate just as much as you want to be on the team—which means they want you to succeed. When introducing yourself at your next interview, confidence, preparing ahead of time and a smile would go a long way.

Related: Interview Question: “How Would You Describe Yourself?” (With Examples)