How
do I introduce myself?
Don
Schmitz /Human Resource Staffing
In
today's Twitter world we have 140 characters to say who we
are. More than ever it's important to be succinct and encapsulate.
Interviewers make up their minds most often in the first minute.
The
purpose of the one-minute is to sell yourself enthusiastically
to others on the competency of your skills.
You
are the one who needs to gather enthusiasm for what you do.
Sometimes it may seem like your bragging, but selling yourself
is what we all must learn to do effectively. Most interviewers
don't know how to interview well and therefore it is important
to encourage them to ask questions you want to discuss.
How
do you create your one-minute summary? Because
you recite your introduction from memory, listeners should
be able to recall your comments easily and understand and
remember what you say.
Begin by writing answers to the following;
- Start with
friends who know you well. Ask them to describe you.
- Find a coworker-manager who
can answer the same question.
- Ask your mate to describe
you.
- Next,
ask yourself what your outstanding skills are and why anyone
should hire you. What are your values? What unique strengths,
experiences and background do you have that can really wow
that individual and get at your passion.
The
key to a successful one-minute is practice and preparation.
Write down all responses. Search the comments for key words
that describe you. Add these key words to your skills. Finally,
synthesize, write and rewrite. Practice your one-minute with
a minimum of ten people.
A
good test to see to see if you we being effective is if the
questions we receive are about what we want to share. If we
are being asking the wrong questions, we need to change our
introduction.
Seek
opportunities to network. Repeat the same response to everyone
you see. Always be aware of the reaction you receive.
When
you are satisfied your one-minute is working, incorporate
the introduction into your resume. Finally, use your one-minute
in your interviews as an opening and closing statement. Tweak
it and change it as we continue to grow and change.
