How To Introduce Yourself Professionally

First impressions count and you want your introduction  to be remembered for the right things. If you’re nervous or if you don’t feel confident speaking to people you don’t know, it’s easy to make a mistake. 

Whether you’re starting a new job, introducing yourself at a networking event or pitching for new work, here are some things to consider when preparing and giving a professional introduction, along with examples that you can use in different scenarios. 

Why a strong professional introduction is important 

Your introduction is what you’re most likely to be remembered for. A poorly delivered introduction will result in a less than favourable impression; people may think you lack professionalism or have poor communication skills. Where, an introduction that’s short, concise and that’s delivered with ease will show you as being approachable, confident and interesting. 

Different scenarios where you’ll have to introduce yourself 

When you think about it there are a lot of different times where you may have to professionally introduce yourself, like meeting your new boss for the first time or speaking at a conference, for example. What you say in one situation won’t necessarily work for another as you’re speaking to a different audience. 

So that your introduction hits the spot each time, here’s a list of different scenarios where you may have to introduce yourself, along with sample introductions that you can either use or modify to suit you: 

In-person at a networking event

Networking events, in-person and virtual are great for increasing your professional network, finding a new job or winning new work. 

Some events may give you one minute or less to introduce yourself. This is known as the ‘elevator pitch’. This is a short statement that says who you are, what you do and why you’re better than your competitors.

Example: 

“The company I work for develops processes that manage communication flow for project managers. This allows managers to spend more time on other important tasks. 

Our processes are bespoke, so they’re designed specifically to work with your team set-up and IT systems. This means that managers can start using our processes within hours, not weeks. 

At an interview

Nerves can easily get hold of you at an interview, so before you enter the building or sit down in front of your screen for a virtual interview, take a deep breath. 

If it’s an in-person interview, tell the receptionist your name and what you’re there for e.g. “Hi, I’m Peter Smith. I have an interview at 2pm for the Management Accountant role.” 

If you’re seated in the room and the interviewer(s) walk in, it’s polite to stand up and greet them e.g. “I’m Peter Smith, it’s good to meet you.”

The interview may start off with a question like ‘So, tell us about yourself?’ This is your chance to really impress the interviewer with your skills and personal qualities and persuade them that you’re the candidate they need. Our top advice for giving a job-winning professional introduction is to read through the job description and relate your skills back to what they’re seeking. 

Example: 

“I’m a qualified Management Accountant with over ten years of experience managing the accounts of medium to large corporations. I’m proficient in using different accounting software and I take a hands-on approach to managing the relationship with business owners and directors.” 

Starting a new job

Fantastic! You’ve got the job and you’re eager to start settling in, but first, you’ve got to meet your new colleagues. What do you say? Well, this can depend on your job.  For a managerial or senior-level job, your new team will want to know about your past experience and what you’re aiming to achieve with the company. 

Example: 

“Hi, I’m Vanessa Stowe and I’m your new Sales Manager. I have over 15 years of experience in sales, and my last job was leading the UK sales team at Microsoft. I’m good at motivating people and creating sales promotions that clients can’t miss out on. We’ve got big goals to achieve this year.  I know that by working together we can easily reach these. I look forward to working with you all. “ 

If you’re filling a temporary or freelance position or if it’s a non-managerial job, a relaxed introduction is fine. 

Example: 

“It’s great to meet you. I’m Claire, the new sales assistant.” 

Over email 

If you’re an introvert, email may be your preferred option of communicating. Getting the receiver to open your email is your first hurdle to get over. Then, you’re faced with the problem of getting across your personality in text or hoping that that the tone of the message isn’t misjudged. 

Our advice when introducing yourself professionally via email is to keep it simple and concise. Use a subject line that reflects the content of the message and know the name and the correct spelling of the person you’re sending the email to  - there’s nothing worse than receiving an email and your name is spelled incorrectly. In the first paragraph say who you are, let them know what has led you to get in touch, explain what you want and finish off with a short ‘thanks’. 

Example: 

Subject line: Loved your article in Business Insider 

“Hi, Simone 

I’m Chantelle, a senior editor for People News. I was very impressed by the article you wrote for Business Insider that looked at the topic of furlough and the impact it has on employee’s mental health. 

We’d love to interview you for our newly launched podcast that will be covering topics relating to finding and getting a job. If you’d like to take part or if you have any questions please respond to this email and we can arrange a time to chat. 

Thanks in advance, 

Chantelle”

During a video call 

If you can’t meet people in person then a video call is the next best thing. To help you overcome the barrier of the screen and to build a connection with your audience, keep your introduction brief, remain on point and speak clearly -  some people on the call may have a good internet connection and will be able to hear you clearly but others may not. 

If the video call is to discuss a project you're working on, don’t forget that you may be speaking to people who haven’t met you before so give a full explanation about who you are and what you do. Also, if you’re the person who is leading the project it’s standard practice for you to briefly mention your colleagues who are also on the call. 

Example: 

“Hello, I’m Mark, Marketing Director at X. I’m lead on the website redesign project and I’m joined on the call by my colleagues; Francesca who is our graphic designer and Ben our IT manager. 

The purpose of this video chat is to set out the schedule for the build of the new website. John, would you like to introduce yourself and your team?”

Key points to remember when introducing yourself professionally  

In some situations you may be given a time-limit to introduce yourself - this could be as short as one minute, or even 30 seconds. This is not a lot of time to say who you are, why you’re there, what you do and what you want to achieve. 

The key to delivering a smooth and problem-free professional introduction is to: