Introduce Yourself: All you need to know for a Self- Introduction

Not many people know what to say when asked to introduce themselves. In fact, it’s often the most difficult thing to do. So how do you figure out what to say and how to say it? Well, worry not. We are going to give you our checklist to nail the “tell me about yourself” question. 

But before we get to that, here are three important points to remember.

Points to Remember

• First impressions matter: Your self-introduction doesn’t begin when the question is asked, it begins when you walk into the room so be mindful of how you dress, how you walk and how you present yourself. Greet the receptionist and interviewer with a smile and maybe a handshake.  
• Be mindful of time: The answer to the question about yourself must be brief, about two to three minutes. A long, rambling answer will leave a bad impression as it shows that you are not prepared.  
• Don’t repeat your resume or cover letter: Your interviewer has already gone through your resume and cover letter. Simply repeating the same thing will not be helpful. Remember the interviewer wants to know about you and what you think is important about yourself.  

Five Parts of a Self-Introduction

There are five parts that need to be included in the “introduce yourself” interview question and you need all five parts to give an appropriate and proper answer.  

Your Details

You are talking about myself and myself includes details about you such as your name and where you are from. Try adding other relevant details as well such as how long you have been working etc. But remember, you don’t want to take too much time by adding unnecessary details.  

Qualifications

Your qualifications are an important part of your introduction especially if you are a fresher looking to get your first job. But it is also important for experienced professionals as well to show that they have been improving themselves. You can also try to impress them even more by mentioning the years you received your qualifications to show that you have been continuously learning.   

Work Experience

Speak about relevant work experience as well as any duties or achievements that make you a good candidate for the position.  

Hobbies and Interests

Talk about some outside hobbies and interests that you may have. Remember that you are trying to tell the interviewer about yourself and that involves personal details about yourself but don’t elaborate too much.  

Closing Statement

End your self-introduction with a strong statement. Maybe talk about your future goals and how it will align with the company or maybe speak about your skills and how those will help you to do your job well. Just make sure that it leaves a strong, positive, impression on the interviewer. 

Now that you know all the steps, take a look at some samples that are suitable for freshers and experienced professionals.

Sample Introductions for Freshers

Sample One

Sample Two

For more sample answers to questions asked from freshers, see our article on the 10 most common fresher interview questions.

Samples fo Experienced Professionals

Sample One

Sample Two

Now that you know how to handle the first question, you need to be ready for follow up questions. Check our answers to the 13 most common interview questions to prepare for your interview. You can also see our tips to prepare for an interview.

And if you want questions specific to your field, check our interview tips page or our career guide's blog.