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About Me Slides: How to Introduce Yourself in a Presentation

From conference talks to client demos, it’s always essential to include an About Me slide in any presentation you are giving. Introducing yourself early into the presentation helps build a better rapport with the audience.

You can start with several fun facts about me slide to break the ice or go for a more formal professional bio to explain your background and what makes you qualified to talk about the topic at hand. At any rate, your goal is to get the audience on your side by revealing some of your personality. 

How to Introduce Yourself in a Presentation: 4 Approaches 

It’s a good practice to include self-introduction slides at the beginning of your presentation. If you are looking to answer how to introduce yourself professionally, typically somewhere after the title, opening slide , and the main agenda. However, the presentation structure will be somewhat different depending on whether you are presenting to a new audience or a group of people familiar with (e.g., your team, clients, or business partners). 

Here are four about me slide ideas you can try out, plus an About me template you can use to present yourself in a presentation. 

1. Mention Your Name and Affiliations

Start with the introduction basics. State your name, company, title/position, and several quick facts about who you are and what you do. Even if you present to a familiar audience, a brief recap is always welcome. 

To keep things a bit more engaging, consider adding some lesser-known facts about yourself. For example:

• Your interests 
• Recent accomplishments
• Testimonial/quote from a team member 
• Fun nicknames you got 

The above can be nice ice breakers for less formal team presentations, project updates, or catch-ups with clients. 

Here are several unique About Me examples you can try out:

For a client case study presentation : 

“Hi, I’m Lynda, Chief Customer Success Specialist with Acme Corp. (Also, someone you thought was a chatbot for the first few encounters)

47 NPS | 15% Churn Rate | 40% repeat purchase rate”

For a team after-action review presentation :

Mike, Project Manager at Cool Project

(aka Maximizer)

Personal Project stats:

387 Slack messages answered

56 cups of coffee consumed

Project profit gross margin: $1.2 million 

2. Work On Your Elevator Pitch 

One of the best ways to introduce yourself in a presentation is to share a punchy elevator pitch. This works extra well if you are presenting to a new audience. 

An elevator pitch is a concise statement (1-2 sentences) that summarizes your unique strengths, skills, and abilities and explains how these can benefit your listener. 

It’s nice to have one ready for your presentations and networking in general since it helps you immediately connect with new people and communicate your value. 

Writing a solid elevator pitch may require several attempts and iterations. But the sooner you start — the faster you’ll arrive at the best formula! 

To get your creative juices flowing, here are several elevator pitch ideas you can incorporate in an introduction slide about yourself. 

For professionals: 

“Certified Salesforce Administrator, data visualization specialist, and analytics for top SaaS brands. I help businesses make more sense of their data to drive better outcomes”.

For a mentor :

“Adjunct professor of creative writing at Columbia University, published author, former lifestyle editor at Esquire, the New York Times. I can teach you how to find, shape, pitch, and publish stories for web & print.”

For a student: 

“Third-year Marine Biology student at Denver State Uni. Volunteer at Lake Life Protection NGO, climate change activist, looking to expand my research about water conservation”.

3. Answer Popular Questions or Assumptions 

If you are a frequent presenter , chances are you get asked a lot of the same “About Me questions” after your speeches and during the networking bits. So why not address a roaster of these in your About Me slide? Select 4-5 most common questions and list them as quick FAQs on your slide deck. 

4. Focus on Telling a Story 

Strong introductions are personable. They are meant to offer a sneak-peak into your personality and the passion behind your work. That’s why for less formal presentations, you can (and should!) start with a short personal story. 

Remember: reliability is important to “click” with your audience. 

For instance, neuroscience research of political ads recently found that ads featuring real people performed better than those with genetic stock footage. Among viewers, emotional engagement and memory encoding (recall) increased dramatically when political ads showed relatable people. 

The same holds true for commerce. In 2015, GE launched a viral “What’s the Matter With Owen?” video ad series to attract more young talent to the company. The clips featured a relatable protagonist, struggling to explain what his work at GE entails e.g. that the company isn’t building railroads, but actually does some very innovative pilots. Many engineers related to the promo and work applications to GE shoot up by 800% ! 

As the above examples show, a good relatable story can go a long way. So think about how you can make a PowerPoint presentation about yourself more representative of who you really are as a person. 

How to Give a Presentation About Yourself: 4 Fool-Proof Tips

On other occasions, you may be asked to give a full-length “about me” presentation. Typically, this is the case during a second interview, onboarding , or if you are in attending a training program or workshop where everyone needs to present themselves and their work. 

Obviously, you’ll need more than one good about me slide in this case. So here’s how to prepare a superb presentation about me. 

What to Put in a Presentation About Yourself?

The audience will expect to learn a mix of personal and professional facts about you. Thus, it’s a good idea to include the following information: 

• Your name, contact info, website , social media handles, digital portfolio .
• Short bio or some interesting snippets. 
• Career timeline (if applicable).
• Main achievements (preferably quantifiable).
• Education, special training.
• Digital badging awards , accolades, and other types of recognition.
• Something more personal — an interest, hobby, aspiration. 

The above mix of items will change a bit, depending on whether you are giving an interview presentation about yourself or introduce yourself post-hiring. For example, in some cases a dedicated bio slide may be useful, but other times focusing on main achievements and goals can be better.

That being said, let’s take a closer look at how to organize the above information in a memorable presentation. 

P.S. Grab an about me slide template to make the design process easier! 

1. Create a List of “Facts About Me”

The easiest way to answer the “tell me about yourself” question is by having an array of facts you can easily fetch from your brain. 

When it comes to a full-length about me presentation , it’s best to have a longer list ready. To keep your brainstorming process productive, organize all your ideas in the following buckets: 

• Key skills (soft and hard)
• Educational accolades, training
• Accomplishments and other “bragging rights”
• Personal tidbits (a.k.a. fun facts ) 

Once you have a list, it gets easier to build a series of slides around it. 

2. Think Like Your Audience 

Most likely you’d be asked to make a presentation about yourself by a recruiter. There’s a good reason why many ask this — they want to determine if you are a good “cultural fit” for their organization. 

After all, 33% of people quit within the first 3 months of accepting a new job. Among these:

• 43% of employees quit because their day-to-day role was different than what they were told it would be during the hiring process.
• 32% cite company culture as a factor for leaving within the first three months. 

About me presentations often serve as an extra “filter” helping both parties ensure that they are on the same page expectations- and work style-wise. Thus, when you prepare your slide deck, do some background company research. Then try to align the presentation with it by matching the company tone, communication style, and cultural values. 

3. Include Testimonials and Recommendations

Use the voice of others to back up the claims you are making in your presentation. After all, trumping your own horn is what you are expected to do in such a presentation. But the voices of others can strengthen the claims you are personally making. 

Depending on your role and industry, try to sprinkle some of the following testimonials: 

• LinkedIn recommendations
• Quotes from personal or professional references
• Social media comments 
• Data metrics of your performance
• Funny assessments from your colleagues/friends 

The above not just strengthen your narrative, but also help the audience learn some extras about you and your background. Testimonial slides can be of help for this purpose.

4. Include a Case Study 

One of the best ways to illustrate who you are is to show what you are best in. Remember, an about me presentation often needs to “soft sell” your qualifications, experience, and personality. 

One of the best ways to do that is to showcase how you can feel in a specific need and solve issues the business is facing. 

So if you have the timeframe, use some of the ending slides to deliver a quick case study. You can present: 

• Short retrospective of a past successful project
• Before-after transformations you’ve achieved 
• Spotlight of the main accomplishments within the previous role 
• Main customer results obtained
• Specific solution delivered by you (or the team you’ve worked with) 

Ending your presentation on such a high note will leave the audience positively impressed and wondering what results you could achieve for them.

To Conclude 

It’s easy to feel stumped when you are asked to talk about yourself. Because there are so many things you could mention (but not necessarily should). At the same time, you don’t want to make your introduction sound like a bragging context. So always think from the position of your audience. Do the facts you choose to share benefit them in any way? If yes, place them confidently on your About Me slides! 

1. Personal Self Introduction PowerPoint Template

Use This Template

2. Self Introduction PowerPoint Template

3. Meet the Team PowerPoint Template Slides

4. Introduce Company Profile PowerPoint Template

5. Modern 1-Page Resume Template for PowerPoint

6. Modern Resume Presentation Template

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Introduce Yourself, Introduction, Presentation Ideas Filed under Presentation Ideas

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How to Introduce Yourself in a Presentation [with Examples]

In this post, we are going to cover the best way, a very simple three-step process that will help you introduce yourself in a presentation. A summary of the steps is below.

• Start with your name and company (or organization or school).
• Tell your audience what problem you can solve for them.
• Share some type of proof (social proof works best) that you can solve this problem.

I will break down each step into a simple-to-follow process. But first… a little background.

First, Identify What Your Audience Wants from Your Presentation

So, before you design your introduction, think about what your audience wants from your presentation. Why do they want to spend their valuable time listening to you? Are going to waste their time? Or, are you going to provide them with something valuable?

For instance, I have expertise in a number of different areas. I’m a public speaking coach, a keynote speaker, a best-selling author, a search engine optimization specialist, and a popular podcaster. However, if I delivered that sentence to any audience, the most likely reaction would be, “So what?” That sentence doesn’t answer any of the above questions. The statement is also really “me-focused” not “audience-focused.”

So, when I start to design my self-introduction, I want to focus just on the area of expertise related to my topic. I’m then going to answer the questions above about that particular topic. Once you have these answers, set them aside for a second. They will be important later.

How to Introduce Yourself in a Presentation in Class.

Instead, you probably want to add in a fun way to start a speech . For example, instead of introducing yourself in your class speech and starting in an awkward way, start with a startling statistic. Or start with a summary of your conclusion. Or, you could start the presentation with an inspirational quote.

Each of these presentation starters will help you lower your nervousness and decrease your awkwardness.

If you are delivering a speech in a speech competition or to an audience who doesn’t know you try this technique. Just introduce yourself by saying your name , the school you represent , and your topic . Make it easy. This way you get to your content more quickly and lower your nervousness.

Typically, after you get the first few sentences out of the way, your nervousness will drop dramatically. Since your name, school, and topic should be very easy to remember, this takes the pressure off you during the most nervous moments.

Obviously, follow the guidelines that your teacher or coach gives you. (The competition may have specific ways they want you to introduce yourself.)

How to Introduce Yourself in a Business Presentation — A Step-by-Step Guide.

In a professional setting, when new people walk into a meeting and don’t know what to expect, they will feel uncomfortable. The easiest way to ease some of that tension is to chat with your audience as they come into the room.

By the way, if you are looking for a template for an Elevator Speech , make sure to click this link.

Step #1: Start with your name and company name (or organization).

This one is easy. Just tell your audience your name and the organization that you are representing. If your organization is not a well-known brand name, you might add a short clarifying description. For instance, most people outside of the training industry have never heard of The Leader’s Institute ®. So, my step #1 might sound something like…

Hi, I’m Doug Staneart with The Leader’s Institute ®, an international leadership development company…

Still short and sweet, but a little more clear to someone who has never heard of my company.

Should you give your job title? Well… Maybe and sometimes. Add your title into the introduction only if your title adds to your credibility.

For example, if you are delivering a financial presentation and you are the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of your company, you might mention that. Your title adds to your credibility. However, if the CFO is delivering a presentation about the value of joining a trade association, the CFO title adds little credibility. So, there is very little value in adding the title.

Step #2: Tell your audience what problem you can solve for them.

For instance, if my topic is how to deliver presentations, I have to determine why the audience would care. What problem will they have that I can help them with? For my audiences, the problem that I most often help people with is how to eliminate public speaking fear. Once I have the problem, I add that to my introduction by using the words, “I help people…”

Hi, I’m Doug Staneart with The Leader’s Institute ®, an international leadership development company, and I help people eliminate public speaking fear.

However, if my topic is How to Close a Higher Percentage of Sales Presentations , I’d likely want to alter my introduction a little. I might say something like…

Hi, I’m Doug Staneart with The Leader’s Institute ®, an international leadership development company, and I help people design more persuasive sales presentations.

I have expertise in both areas. However, I focus my introduction on just the expertise that is applicable to this audience. If I gave the first introduction to the second audience, they will likely respond by thinking, well, I don’t really get nervous speaking, so I guess I can tune out of this speech .

So, create a problem statement starting with, “I help people…” Make the statement apply to what your audience really wants.

Step #3: Share some type of proof (social proof works best) that you can solve this problem.

By the way, if you just do steps #1 and #2, your introduction will be better than most that you will hear. However, if you add Step #3, you will gain more respect (and attention) from your audience. Without adding some type of proof that you can solve this problem, you are just giving your opinion that you are an expert. However, if you can prove it, you are also proving that you are an expert.

This is the tricky part. For some reason, most people who get to this part feel like they haven’t accomplished great things, so they diminish the great accomplishments that they do have.

For instance, an easy way to offer proof is with a personal story of how you have solved that problem in the past.

A Few Examples of How to Introduce Yourself Before a Presentation.

For instance, one of my early clients was a young accountant. When I was working with him, he came up with the following introduction, “I’m Gary Gorman with Gorman and Associates CPA’s, and I help small businesses avoid IRS audits.” It was a great, audience-focused attention-getter. (No one wants to get audited.) However, as an accountant, it wasn’t like his company was getting a lot of five-star reviews on Yelp! So, he was kind of struggling with his social proof. So, I asked him a series of questions.

Me, “How many clients do you have?”

Gary, “Over 300.”

Me, “How many small business tax returns have you processed?”

Gary, “Well, at least a couple hundred a year for 15 years.”

Me, “So, at least 3000?” He nodded. “How many of your 300 clients have been audited since you have been representing them?”

He looked at me and said, “Well, none.”

So, we just added that piece of proof to his talk of introduction.

I’m Gary Gorman with Gorman and Associates CPA’s, and I help small businesses avoid IRS audits. In fact, in my career, I’ve helped clients complete over 3000 tax returns, and not a single one has ever been audited.

Here Is How I Adjust My Introduction Based on What I Want the Audience to Do.

For my proof, I have a number of options. Just like Gary, I have had a lot of clients who have had great successes. In addition, I have published two best-selling books about public speaking. I also have hundreds of thousands of people who listen to my podcast each week. So, I can pick my evidence based on what I want my audience to do.

For instance, if I’m speaking at a convention, and I want the audience to come by my booth to purchase my books, my introduction might sound like this.

Hi, I’m Doug Staneart with The Leader’s Institute ®, an international leadership development company, and I help people eliminate public speaking fear. One of the things that I’m most know for is being the author of two best-selling books, Fearless Presentations and Mastering Presentations.

However, if I’m leading a webinar, I may want the audience to purchase a seat in one of my classes. In that case, my introduction might sound like this.

Hi, I’m Doug Staneart with The Leader’s Institute ®, an international leadership development company, and I help people eliminate public speaking fear. For instance, for the last 20 years, I’ve taught public speaking classes to over 20,000 people, and I haven’t had a single person fail to reduce their nervousness significantly in just two days.

If my goal is to get the audience to subscribe to my podcast, my intro might sound like…

Hi, I’m Doug Staneart with The Leader’s Institute ®, an international leadership development company, and I help people eliminate public speaking fear. One of the ways that I do this is with my weekly podcast called, Fearless Presentations, which has over one million downloads, so far.

Use the Form Below to Organize How to Introduce Yourself in a Presentation.

The point is that you want to design your introduction in a way that makes people pause and think, “Really? That sounds pretty good.” You want to avoid introductions that make your audience think, “So what?”

If you have a speech coming up and need a good introduction, complete the form below. We will send you your answers via email!

Can You Replace Your Introduction with a PowerPoint Slide?

Is it okay to make your first slide (or second slide) in your presentation slides an introduction? Sure. A good public speaker will often add an introduction slide with a biography, portrait, and maybe even contact information. I sometimes do this myself.

However, I NEVER read the slide to my audience. I often just have it showing while I deliver the short introduction using the guide above. This is a great way to share more of your work experience without sounding like you are bragging.

For tips about how many powerpoint slides to use in a presentation , click here.

Remember that There Is a Big Difference Between Your Introduction in a Presentation and Your Presentation Starter.

When you introduce yourself in a presentation, you will often just use a single sentence to tell the audience who you are. You only use this intro if the audience doesn’t know who you are. Your presentation starter, though, is quite different. Your presentation starter should be a brief introduction with relevant details about what you will cover in your presentation.

For details, see Great Ways to Start a Presentation . In that post, we show ways to get the attention of the audience. We also give examples of how to use an interesting hook, personal stories, and how to use humor to start a presentation.

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How to Introduce Yourself in a Presentation: Guide to a Killer Opener

Hrideep barot.

• Body Language & Delivery , Speech Writing

Not sure how to introduce yourself in a presentation? Hang on till the end of this article.

Giving a presentation can be unnerving. And introducing yourself can be nerve-wracking.

But, without a fitting introduction, you would just be hitting the dart in a dark room.

The usual “Good Morning! I’m Neil, and I work as a Designer at…” is boring and doesn’t cut the ice anymore.

So, how to Introduce yourself in a presentation or start with a killer opener?

Introducing yourself in a presentation is pitching yourself to the audience so they stick around for the rest of your talk. Include your background, your unique trait, and who you are while sticking to the context in the first 30-60 seconds of your introduction.

Your introduction should be effective and have an interesting hook. You’ve got to nail your introduction in one shot.

A make or break moment indeed.

But, fret not! We’ve outlined what to say before starting a presentation to help get your next presentation right.

Occasions Where you Might Have to Introduce Yourself in a Presentation

Here is what to say to start a presentation on some of the occasions where you would have to introduce yourself before the presentation.

Though the principle focus will be about yourself, tweaking your intro to the context and the place is essential.

The self-introduction should be compelling enough to woo your audience to sit for the next couple of minutes.

1.How to Introduce Yourself in a Business Environment

Introducing yourself in your workplace can be rather common. But, it’s during business meetings and conferences where you need to stand out.

Every time you meet senior managers, introducing yourself with your name and job title doesn’t grab eyeballs anymore.

However, taking the first step matters. Here are certain scenarios where you might be called upon to introduce yourself in your workplace.

How to Introduce Yourself in an Interview Presentation

The “Tell me about yourself” in interviews is intimidating. If you’ve found alibi’s to every presentation in your school and college, it doesn’t work here anymore.

Prepare a short introduction about yourself and be interview-ready. Anytime someone hits you up with that question, you need to be able to answer it with the snap of a finger.

Here is an example of a self-intro during an interview.

“As a skilled designer, with two years of freelance experience, I’ve worked for clients with diverse needs. I’ve also designed brochures, magazines, logo , and packaging materials for my friend’s company. I’m confident that I can leverage my skills and bring in the best for your brand.

How to Introduce Yourself and Your Team in a presentation

Business meetings can be boring. But there are times where you might have to introduce yourself to a new co-worker or a senior leader.

As a team leader yourself, you might have to introduce yourself and your team to present on the performance of the company the previous month.

Presentation introduction ideas if you’re a marketing executive can be,

An increased conversion of 130%, that’s what our marketing team achieved last quarter making our campaign a massive success. The soldiers who made this possible are Ryan, who made sure the User Experience on our website was flawless. Sean who ensured seamless technical functioning, and Abby who is responsible for all the copies on our major assets. I’m John, who heads the marketing team and we want to take you through all the activities we actioned, the metrics we achieved, and the lessons we learned from our recent efforts.

In case you are giving a group presentation , you can check out this video to see how you can introduce different members of your group for seamless transitioning:

How to Introduce Yourself in a Conference Presentation

In a conference presentation, you’re expected to be a little formal. While you can adhere to that school of thought, don’t forget to story tell. That’s what hooks an audience! Here is an example of how to introduce yourself in a business conference:

“Today, I’m going to share a story of how someone with zero marketing skills and training made it to the top by creating massive revenue streams through online campaigns and paid advertising in just 6 months. If you’re passionate about digital marketing, this is for you. Stay tuned till the end for better insights.

If you’re presenting at a business conference, take a look at these 11 tips for presenting at a conference by Brian Campbell.

How to Introduce Yourself in a Business Pitch Presentation

Now, this is for entrepreneurs who are starting out. If you need investors to fund your start-up, you need to have a solid pitch.

 Let’s say, your product is AI-driven that alerts drivers who doze off while driving.

Talk about the benefits of it in a single sentence and highlight the downsides of dozing off while driving with stats and figures.

Check out this Crucial Public Speaking Tips for Startup Founders written by us that’ll help you nail your pitch.

Also, have a look at this video below. In this, Josh Light introduces himself in just two simple sentences and moves on to talk about his start-up. It is simple yet effective.

How to Introduce Yourself in Client Presentation

If you’re a freelancer, talking to clients can be a daunting task.

Let’s say you’re an engineer turned copywriter. That’s an interesting combo out there, and if you put it out in a way you write your copy, it would benefit you to a whole another level.

“I’m an experienced travel copywriter and I’ve written ad copies, sales pages, newsletters, landing pages for some of the top travel brands. I have over 5 years of expertise in this niche. One of my landing page copy at XYZ converted 50% of eyeballs into leads thus scaling up revenue drastically and I’m here to do the same if you see me fit after this call.”

2 . How to Introduce Yourself in a Presentation as a Student

Are you that kid/student who always shied away from giving presentations? Did you always come up with excuses and ended up giving barely one or two presentations your whole school life?

Yes? Well, it’s time to come out of your cocoon as it won’t work out that way in college or at work.

Whether it’s a small project presentation or giving a speech in your English class, here is how you can introduce yourself as a student.

How to Introduce Yourself in a Seminar Presentation

We’ve all been there. Hundreds of projects and assignments, be it school or college.

And that’s where you have to introduce yourself before jumping into your project. No matter how good your project, a solid introduction can put you ahead of the game.

“ As a tech enthusiast myself, I was intrigued by blockchain technology for a long time and today I have my project built using that very technology. I’m so excited to share with you all the working of this model and its benefits. Let’s jump right in.

It’s pretty easy and to-the-point. You need to be self-confident while saying those two lines and try to avoid fillers.

3. How to Introduce Yourself as a Trainer

As a trainer or teacher, your audience may be high-school students, undergrads, or even professionals.

Depending on the setting and the audience, you can craft your intro effectively and be of interest to the listeners.

How to Introduce Yourself to Students

As a teacher in a new school or college, introducing yourself is obligatory.

You can go about it this way if you’re a Moral Science teacher or Counselor:

“Hi everyone! I’m Alexandra. Call me Alex for short. We are going to have loads of fun for the next couple of months as I will be handling your Moral Science classes from today. If you are stuck in a dilemma or facing challenges, you can talk to me personally anytime and I’ll help you find a way out.

How to Introduce Yourself in a Workshop

Workshops are where you learn about a subject.  What if you’re the one who is conducting the workshop or needs to fill in for your friend for a couple of minutes, you need to introduce yourself.

 If you’re an Economics Graduate who is conducting a Calligraphy workshop, your presentation starting words can be something like,

  “Back when I was a kid, I used to scribble down letters I saw on posters and fell in love with the notion of lettering and calligraphy. I wanted to get into design, but I thought it was a fleeting moment and took Economics. Little did I know how much it meant to me. I finally figured what to do in life, and here I’m helping and teaching you to do what you love after years of learning and unlearning.”

How to Introduce Yourself in Training Sessions

Whether you’re a corporate trainer or getting into training students after years of experience, introducing yourself never gets old.

You can emphasize your past experiences in the form of a story or start with how it was when you worked with one of the top clients in the industry.

Below is an example to give you a precise picture.

“How excited are you to get your first gig? I’ve been a freelance writer for over a decade now. And freelancing is one of the best jobs as it gives you financial freedom and lets you work from the comforts of your couch or at your favorite café. So, I’m here to teach you to do the exact same thing and help you find your passion.”

5 . How to Introduce Yourself in a Video Presentation

Virtual presentations are a thing right now. If you’re a camera conscious person, you might have a hard time giving a presentation.

Dressing well and looking at the camera and not the screen can help present better. And always, look into the camera and not the screen when it comes to virtual presentations.

No matter how tensed you are, do not reflect it on your face. Have a bottle of water beside you to buy time and calm your nerves.

Here are two possible situations where you might have to introduce yourself virtually. 

How to Introduce Yourself in Webinars

Webinars are ever-increasing and if your introduction is not crisp and strong enough, building an online presence can be challenging.

Here is how you can introduce yourself in a webinar:

“ Hi, guys and welcome to this long-awaited session. How excited are you all? I know I am! We’re live and will be having John in a while. I’m so thrilled to see hundreds of you all attending this webinar live. It’s going to be a great session. I’m Patrick and the head of Marketing at XYZ. We started this webinar series two months ago and received phenomenal feedback from you all. And that’s why we’re back again with another one. Thank you and welcome again! Hope you find this session valuable.”

How to Introduce Yourself in a Virtual Presentation

Now, this is for freshers whose onboarding is going virtual. Whether it’s training sessions, virtual presentations, or virtual meetings, you are asked to introduce yourself to every manager and executive multiple times in a day.

Hey everyone! I’ve always loved meeting new people and though this is virtual now, just so thrilled to see you all on screen. If you see a new face popping on your screen during meetings and conferences, that’s me, John the new joinee. Can’t wait to meet you all in-person. Excited to jump-start my career here.

You can also check out this video we made to know certain ninja hacks to engage a virtual audience:

Related Article: All You Need To Know About Presenting Remotely

How to Structure an Intro – How to Start and End

• Add a Compelling Hook

You can begin your speech with a fact or a question to pique curiosity of your audience.

• A Brief Overview about Yourself

In those initial few seconds, greet the audience and talk about your strength or any unique trait in a word or two.

You can mention your achievements or contributions before talking about your background.

• A Quick history or Timeline of your Career/Education

In any context, a brief background or history about yourself should be talked about to let your audience know a little more about you.

It helps them gain trust and reliability.

• Smooth transition to the main topic

You shouldn’t abruptly move to the heart of your speech post introduction. There should be a subtle transition to make it effective.

Here is a presentation introduction example,

“Would you believe if I told you that you could reach 15k+ people on LinkedIn in just 30 days? No? Stick around for the next 7 minutes as I’m going to teach you all about it so you can get started as a rookie with zero connections.” Hi everyone! I’m XYZ – a Linked Growth Hacker. I’ve been helping businesses grow and build a strong personal brand for five years now. If you’re wondering how to generate leads on LinkedIn, take note of the pointers I’ll be sharing with you today.”

Magic ingredients to Introduce Yourself in a Presentation

You’ve got to nail your introduction no matter where you give the presentation.

You need to learn the art of introducing yourself because that’s the one thing you’ll be asked everywhere when you meet new people.

Introducing yourself is like marketing yourself. A stellar introduction can make a difference.

Here are some surefire ways to stand out in a crowd with your introduction.

With practice, your self-introduction will improve over time if you follow these tips. 

1 . Brevity is Key

We all know this by now. No matter how many years of experience you have or how much you’ve contributed to the team, your introduction should be short yet powerful.

With an impressive introduction about yourself, your audience will be keen on listening to you more. 

2 . Talk about Your Contribution

Instead of starting with your name and your job title, craft a story about the time you have to strive hard to achieve a goal be it personal or professional.

Speak about your contribution subtly without coming off as someone narcissistic. Unfold the little moments and share them with the audience.

Ensure it is related to your speech. Don’t go off course.  

3 . Understand Where You Are

The place where you present matters though it is about you. You need to research about the people, the place and craft an introduction aligning with it.

Keep it relatable. Get the audience to be on track with you. Keep your message clear and introduce it in a way it is memorable. 

4. Be as Real as Possible

Since you are introducing yourself, be as real as possible.

No, you don’t have to be extremely personal, but you can keep it minimal and include a common ground so that the audience can resonate with you.

5. A Smooth Transition is Essential

Transitioning from your intro to the main speech needs to be done right to keep the flow going.

Craft an intro and shift to the main topic without a pause after the introduction.

6. Create a Hook

Creating a hook is essential no matter the setting you’re introducing yourself in.

You need to grab the attention of the audience with your first sentence. You can quickly introduce yourself in a few sentences without taking much time.

Begin with a question or an interesting fact to hook the listeners every time you introduce yourself.

Want some inspiration? Here is a very practical video we have made on different opening lines from some of the most powerful speeches. Hopefully, it will get your creative juices flowing for what your hook should be:

Level up your public speaking in 15 minutes!

Get the exclusive Masterclass video delivered to your inbox to see immediate speaking results.

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Concluding Thoughts

Introducing yourself in a presentation can be stressful. You won’t get it right on your first. Nope. Not on your third attempt.

Heck! Not even on your sixth introduction too.

But, here’s the thing.

You need to keep sailing and believe in yourself. That’s what can make you better.

If you want to evolve as an individual, learning how to introduce yourself can immensely contribute to your professional and personal growth.

Push your boundaries and cross your personal threshold. You will get there one day. And introducing yourself will no longer be a daunting task.

Enroll in our transformative 1:1 Coaching Program

Schedule a call with our expert communication coach to know if this program would be the right fit for you

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How to Introduce Yourself in a Presentation

Last Updated: October 4, 2023 Fact Checked

This article was co-authored by Patrick Muñoz . Patrick is an internationally recognized Voice & Speech Coach, focusing on public speaking, vocal power, accent and dialects, accent reduction, voiceover, acting and speech therapy. He has worked with clients such as Penelope Cruz, Eva Longoria, and Roselyn Sanchez. He was voted LA's Favorite Voice and Dialect Coach by BACKSTAGE, is the voice and speech coach for Disney and Turner Classic Movies, and is a member of Voice and Speech Trainers Association. There are 11 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 125,187 times.

Introducing yourself in a presentation is more than just saying your name. It’s an opportunity for you to share relevant details about yourself and connect with your audience. It also sets the tone for the rest of the talk. How you introduce yourself will influence how your audience receives the message you want to get across. Make your next introduction flawless by presenting the most engaging information about yourself. Be sure to prepare the introduction in advance and start with an attention-grabbing technique to connect to the audience.

Including Relevant Information in Your Introduction

• If you have an unusual or difficult to pronounce name, you may want to add a small remark to help your audience remember it. For example, you can say “My name is Jacob Misen, like ‘risen’ but with an M.”
• Try to make eye contact with parts of audience during your presentation as well. [1] X Research source

• If you are VP of Marketing at a large company, it can actually be much more effective to say something like “I have more than a decade of experience using Facebook marketing ads to target clients in the dance industry” rather than simply stating your job title.

• You can also specifically refer your audience to the handout or powerpoint for more information. For example, if you want to let them know that you have articles in many international newspapers but you don’t want to list them all out, simply say “I’ve written for a number of internationally recognized news organizations. You can find the full list on the first page of my handout.”

• For example, you could say “when I designed a website for Richard Branson last year …” to inform your audience that you have an impressive resume, without having to list it all for them in your introduction.

• Try concluding your introduction by mentioning a client or project you were working on that directly relates to the topic of your presentation. For example: “I’ve had the pleasure of working with NXP Semiconductors for the past three years. Just last week we encountered a problem with our logistical database...” and then lead into your presentation about a new software that will solve everyone’s logistical hiccups.

Grabbing Your Audience’s Attention Before Your Introduction

• If you don’t have music that can tie to your presentation, you can use a song with the theme of beginning. For example, if you are presenting at a sales meeting, play some soft jazz as participants enter. Then, when it’s time for you to start, play the Black Eyed Peas chorus of “Let’s Get it Started” to get your audience’s attention. You can then open with an energetic “Good morning!” or “Good Afternoon” as the music ends.
• Remember to choose music that’s appropriate to the event. An academic conference may not be the best place for pop music, for example (unless you are presenting research on pop music, of course).

• For example, if you are presenting on the design of a new user-friendly coffee machine, you may start your presentation by referencing Elon Musk: “Any product that needs a manual to work is broken,” and then go on to say “My name is Laurie Higgens, and my coffee machine doesn’t come with a manual.” Speak briefly about your relevant experience and qualifications, and then dive into presenting your design.
• Avoid cliche or overused motivational quotes the audience has probably already heard many times.
• Be sure to correctly cite your quote.

• For example, you might start with “According to Time magazine, Americans filled 4.3 billion prescriptions and doled out $374 billion on medicine in 2014.” Then, introduce yourself and your qualifications in medical research and transition into a presentation about how to prevent doctors from over prescribing medication to their patients.
• Remember to cite the source of your statistics. You will look more professional and reliable, and the audience will be able to follow up on the information if they wish.

• If you are giving a presentation about a new airport security-friendly travel bag, try starting your presentation with “How many of you have ever stood in line at airport security and nearly missed your flight?”
• You can also invite your audience to close their eyes and imagine something as you lead up to your question.
• Don’t be discouraged if your audience doesn’t raise their hands when you ask a question. Sometimes these questions seem more rhetorical to an audience, or maybe they are just shy. You can often see signs that they are still engaging with the question if people are nodding or smiling after you ask it.

• Try telling stories, showing pictures on a powerpoint, or using quotations.
• Being funny not only puts your audience at ease, but it also helps them remember you after the presentation. [10] X Research source

• For example, if you are making a presentation about a pizza delivery app, ask your audience members to tell their name, their favorite pizza topping, and a situation where they’ve had a particularly amazing or awful experience with food delivery.

Preparing Before Your Presentation

• When it’s time to present, it’s probably best to just write down a few notes or key words to remind you of what you want to say so you don’t just read off your note cards.
• Think about your overall intention as a speaker. Are you trying to educate, enlighten, or entertain the audience? Figure out the effect you want to have on the listener so your presentation is impactful.

• If you don’t have a friend to watch your presentation, record yourself on video and play it back later to refine your presentation skills. It can be uncomfortable to watch yourself on video, but it will help you nail your introduction. You can even record your whole presentation. Keep recording and re-recording until you are happy with it. Then you know the audience will be happy too.

• The best resource to learn about the local culture is the locals themselves. If you have a contact where you will be speaking, ask them about customs, dress code, and how humor is usually received. If you don’t know anyone personally, try searching in industry-specific online forums. Find YouTube videos of presentations given in the area that are relevant to your industry.

What Is The Best Way To Start a Presentation?

Expert Q&A

• Don’t spend too much time introducing yourself. Your introduction should be short and to the point so you can get on to your main presentation material. Depending on the length of your presentation, your introduction should be between 20 seconds and 2 minutes long. Thanks Helpful 1 Not Helpful 0

You Might Also Like

• ↑ https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/eye_contact_tips_to_make_your_presentations_stronger
• ↑ https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/introduce-yourself-professionally
• ↑ https://www.washington.edu/doit/presentation-tips-0
• ↑ https://www.gvsu.edu/ours/oral-presentation-tips-30.htm
• ↑ https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbescoachescouncil/2018/09/27/15-hacks-for-making-your-presentation-more-creative-and-engaging/
• ↑ https://www.hamilton.edu/academics/centers/oralcommunication/guides/how-to-engage-your-audience-and-keep-them-with-you
• ↑ https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/make-em-laugh-ten-tips-using-humor-presentations-judy-romano-mba?trk=portfolio_article-card_title
• ↑ https://www.ncsl.org/legislators-staff/legislative-staff/legislative-staff-coordinating-committee/tips-for-making-effective-powerpoint-presentations.aspx
• ↑ https://crln.acrl.org/index.php/crlnews/article/view/19102/22119
• ↑ https://www.forbes.com/sites/tjwalker/2011/06/07/should-i-rehearse-and-for-how-long-presentation-training/

About This Article

To introduce yourself at the start of your presentation, all you need to do is state your name and tell the audience any relevant experience or skills you have. For example, say something like, “My name is Jacob Misen, and I have over a decade of experience using Facebook marketing ads in the dance industry.” If you have a broad range of relevant experience, you can bullet point a few examples on your opening slide instead of reading them out. Once you’ve introduced yourself, smoothly transition into your presentation. For instance, you can mention a client or project you’ve recently worked on that relates to the topic of your presentation. For more tips, including how to practice your presentation, read on! Did this summary help you? Yes No

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How to do a Presentation About Yourself

‘A presentation about myself’ – I think this is one of the most dreaded speech topics.  Talking about yourself – it’s difficult to know what your audience want to know, and how much you should tell them.

Its all about you 

Unfortunately this also happens to be one of the most common speeches you will be asked to give. Whether you are applying for a new job, or starting a new course/class, quite often the first meeting will involve getting to know each other and this will often mean saying a little bit about yourself. Luckily this often has a short time scale, perhaps five or ten minutes so it isn’t as daunting as it sounds.

Firstly when planning your speech, break it down into three sections – a beginning, a middle and a conclusion. This will not only give your speech some structure but will also help with the writing of it.

To start with

The most important thing to remember with the beginning is that it doesn’t really contain any real information. Greet your audience with a warm welcome, tell them who you are and what you are going to talk about, and tell them why you are going to talk about it. Take a look at Making a Presentation:Part One .

The middle section

This is where you tell them about you, tell them about your hobbies, your hopes, your dreams, your goals. Don’t brag about what you have achieved but be informative about it. If it is relevant then you should definitely include achievements.

If you are at a job interview discuss the reasons for wanting the job, touch on some past experience and tell them why you think you are suitable. Back this up with an anecdote from your past if it is related. Tell them what you pride yourself on. This might be time-keeping, efficiency, people skills, or all of these. Be prepared for questions on this because they may ask for examples of when you have shown these skills.

If you are at school, or starting a new college course then tell them why you chose to go for the course, what interests you about that particular job or career, what experience you have had previously, and where you hope it will take you.

For some pointers, have a look at this article on Making a Presentation: Part Two 

Wrapping it up 

The most important point to remember here is never to add any extra information at this point, this is where you should ask the audience if they have any questions. Do a little preparation for this beforehand so that you are prepared for questions about something that you have not covered. Have a look at this article about preparing for your presentation. Finally, you should thank them for their time and attention. And that’s it, finished.

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i have been asked to do a presentation tomorrow, topic ” WHO AM I” i just dont know where to start, or what exactly to tell, should i just tell whats on my resume?

The position is Sales Manager i have exentensive experieince in Sales and Executive Account management.

Can anyone please give tips..

Yes, First you strat looking at the audience and tell them that you wish give details about you.

Greet and welcome the audience if you have Standard Slide you can use.

Tell about Strength of your point by point

Address they af if you are more interactive and confidence person.

Well I am participating in a tv show about new politicans and i don’t know how to do a presantation of my self.. 🙁 I know what to tell about me but not exactly what the others need to hear from me ..

my skool sed we needed 2 do a presentation about our selves 2 the class but i dnt no how 2 present it or wat 2 do so does any1 hav any ideas???

I have to give presentation in my class on many topics like About yourself, success to me, business attributes, your Hero/ your inspiration, personal attributes, happiest moment ( moments), Efficiency norms, Handling mails- incoming and outgoing, your goal/ Ambition, Agenda, if you born again who would like to be?, Minutes, Your Dreams, Five years from now, Filling, Best Friend, Do you believe in luck/ hard-work/ destiny/ God, about my institute named as stenodac. please help me out i have never faced audience i am confused about these topics i don’t know what to say, how to present.

hey i have to do 5 minutes presentation about my self .i dont know where to start please give me ideas

thax very much for this valuable information.

I want a presentation on myself.which should be at a level of entrance examination.n should b fasinating.

Hi everyone.plsss.tel me exactly the point.i have a presentation Tomorrow im a teller but i dont know how to start presentation thank you

I need a big help on this please. How can I create who I am topic ?

going for an interview tomorrow of being a drill and blast clerk…have no idea on how to present my introduction…the job requires an individual who have knowledge on the use of microsoft suite and should be desirable on business administration …please hep

i have to tell a speech ‘who am i ‘ i don’t know how to start. pls help me i am still a student who goes to school.

by the way this info helped me alot:)

I’m need where to start and habby,weaknesses, strength,activities,

It’s good…………

tomorrow is my presentation on role of computers in education sector.

hi this was great but i want the audiance to knd of help me or choose questions for it, its next week so i have time but my other presentations have been so good i dont want this one to drag behind! plus i know that they dont have a long attention span so it needs to be very intersting! #HELP!!!

hey i need an introduction for a report onpresenting ideas.

i have to do a video presentation for a pageant. any ideas of what to say?

well done. it’s helps me alot

i need to do a self introduction presentation for my placements. the problem i have is it should be just 3 slides with welcome and thank you slide if any. Can anyone help me out with this???

Hi I’m going for a promotion and I’ve been asked to do a 10 min presentation on 5 sections, why you believe the position is right for you, what skills and attributes you believe you will bring to the role, what you believe is essential to be successful in the role, what you think the main challengers will be and anything else that you think will add value to the application. I have a few ideas but not to sure how to start it and set it out. can you help

Tomorrow i will have a presentation about myself.can u show me an example how can i do at the first at the middle and at the end

I am very confused Because tomorrow i present my self in 2 minuts and i don’t know how can i..

Wow this really helped me with my presentation about my life. Thank you So Much!!!!!!!! 😉

I am a new employee and I am asked to do a presentation to introduce myself and my role to the top management. What should I name it?

I need the basic equipment for presentatating myself in my class.

Hey I’m doing a presentation tomorrow for second part of a interview, I have been told it can be anything from hobbies to a object. I don’t know where to start or what to do it on, it’s only 5 minutes in front of one manager. The company is a sale advisor I’m going for, anybody got any pointers or ideas Thanks

Hello Students, Before I start my presentation I would thank My Teacher__________ and you. My name is_________ and I will present for you about __________ And then you can start your presentation.

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Introducing Me – Best Way to Introduce Yourself in a Presentation

Tips for giving a better presentation.

Home / Business / How to Introduce Yourself in a Presentation (With Tips and Free Templates)

How to Introduce Yourself in a Presentation (With Tips and Free Templates)

Giving a presentation can be nerve-wracking and introducing yourself can be daunting. But without an engaging introduction, you just be hitting the dart in the darkroom.

One of the most challenging tasks of any presentation is introducing yourself. Knowing how to start a presentation is key for effective speech or discussion. By coming up with newer and innovative techniques, you can capture your audience’s interest & help them focus on what you are going to share.

If you wonder how to introduce yourself at the presentation’s start, you aren’t alone. As we start the presentation, our nervousness diminishes significantly for most of us. So initial self-intro is important.

The usual introduction, “Hello, Everyone! I’m Ashley, working as Digital marketing head at…….” It is a boring start and won’t cut the ice anymore .

So how to introduce yourself or have a killer presentation start?

Don’t fret! We have outlined what you should say before starting a presentation to help you get the next presentation right.

It’s an adage, ” You only get a single chance to make a first impression.” It’s very true. The first impression really counts, especially during a presentation. An introduction is the key building block of a memorable and convincing presentation.

Before introducing yourself in a presentation, it’s crucial to welcome your audience, so they feel valued and interested for the presentation, we have got you set of free welcome PPT templates .

So, if you are looking for a creative way to introduce yourself in a presentation that will set the scene for the rest of the meeting, we have the best tips to help you introduce yourself and create a great first impression online.

• Know Your Audience and Wants from Your Presentation: Knowing your audience is crucial as it helps to figure out what content and message they care about. You won’t be able to successfully pitch an idea to your audience unless you know what makes them tick. So, before a presentation, have answers to questions like, what do they like? Dislikes? What do they need? What proof will they need to make decisions? Once you have an idea regarding all this, you can draft a successful presentation.

• Our marketing team has achieved an increased conversion of 130% within the last quarter, making our campaign a massive success.
• Commands who made this possible are Ryan, who made sure our user experience was flawless.
• Sean, who maintained the technical functioning and Abby, our accounting head, was responsible for all copies of our major assets.
• Introducing Yourself in a Client Presentation: If you are a freelancer, interacting with clients can really be a daunting task. If you are an experienced copywriter, you can present it interestingly. For example:” I am an experienced copywriter; I have written many ad copies, sales pages, landing pages, newsletters. I have over five years of expertise in this niche. One of my landing pages has converted 50% eyeballs into leads, thus drastically skyrocketing sales.

• Hello, I am Jamie and welcome to our long-awaited session. How are you all? I am too excited. We are living here, and Alec will be joining us in a while.
• Hello everyone, I am mike; I’m so thrilled to see hundreds of you attending today’s webinar. It’s going to be a fantastic session.
• State the Purpose of the Presentation: As of now, you have built a connection with your audience. It’s now the time to summarize the aim of your speech. Of course, your audience will already be aware of your topic. You should make sure it’s clear to everyone. A simple one-line statement is enough, but it should give an overview of the presentation idea.

• Ask for Audience Participation: An attentive audience is more likely to be engaged throughout the presentation. The best way to make your audience participate is by asking them questions that require them to raise their hands or stand up to answer the question.

There’s nothing more daunting than having a big presentation the next day and feeling unprepared. Public speaking can be difficult, and not feeling ready makes it even more arduous when you like not ready. So let’s look at the essential steps to make the best presentation.

• Use of Visuals: Visuals are worth including as it makes your presentation more interesting and helps you explain your points more coherently, enabling learning easier for your audience. Moreover, it makes a long-lasting impression on the minds, making the audience remember the information longer. If you are looking for top-notch visuals for your next presentation, then do check out SlideChef’s creative templates gallery .
• Be Excited and Connect with Your Audience: Show your audience you are super-excited about the presentation by being an energetic speaker. It’s hard to be excited same time when you are nervous. Along with maintaining the tone of voice, make sure you use hand gestures and a smiling face throughout.
• Ask Questions Throughout : Attentive audience is always an engaging audience. Try asking your audience questions periodically. Thus, encouraging them to be more attentive listeners and reflect on the content of your presentation.

• Thank your audience : Effective communication goes beyond just conveying information; it’s about building connections and leaving a lasting impression. One simple yet often overlooked way to enhance your presentation is by expressing gratitude to your audience at the conclusion. I recommend using the Free Thank You templates library for amazing thank you slides.

The introduction is very important, in fact, the most important – part of the presentation as it sets the tone for the entire presentation. An introduction is primarily used to capture the audience’s attention, usually within 15 seconds of the presentation. So make those words count and get the audience’s attention.

We all easily get stumped when asked to talk about ourselves because there are a lot of things you could mention. But at the same time, you want to make your introduction to be short and simple & sound like a bragging context. So always think from the perspective of your audience. Whether the facts you want to share benefit them in any way. If yes, confidently add in your introduction slides.

About The Author

Priyanshu Bharat

Priyanshu is a copywriter who loves to tune into what makes people tick. He believes in presenting his ideas with flair and wit, which has made him an expert at standing on stage and charming the pants off of any audience he's faced with. Priyanshu lives for learning as much as he can, so if you ever need help understanding something - just ask!

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Top 10 Self-Introduction Templates with Samples and Examples

Neha Parmar

Andy completed his studies and searched for a job after that. He applied for jobs but did not get a response from anywhere, but still, he did not give up. He kept on applying for jobs. Finally, one company called him for an interview. He went and met the owner and gave a great interview and told them that he was capable of working well in the company. The owner was influenced by his way of presenting himself using self-introduction slides, and he got the job. 

Andy connects with the owner and presents himself impressively. A self introduction templates helps you make connections with the right person. It is one of the best ways to introduce yourself.

Self Introduction Slide Templates for the First Impression

“ You only have one first chance to make one first impression that lasts a lifetime.”

                   - Nas

Top 10 Self-Introduction Templates

Template 1: 10 minutes powerpoint presentation about myself.

With the help of a PowerPoint Presentation, you can introduce yourself well. You create your presentation, and include your qualifications, weaknesses, hobbies, and work experience in it. In no  time, you will be introducing yourself with confidence. If you want to show yourself in the best light, download the self introduction ppt  theme now.

Download Now!

Template 2: Self Introduction For Job Interview By PowerPoint Presentation

With the help of PowerPoint Presentation Slides, we introduce ourselves. Multi-color visuals are used in these slides. A proper self-introduction is vital for making a great first impression on your audience. It includes content-ready slides such as the path to a career, SWOT analysis, personal qualifications, skills, and more. In addition, you bring tables, charts, and graphs, so the audience is impressed and sees you are perfect for the job. Grab this slide.

Template 3: Self-introduction In Interview For Experienced Candidate PowerPoint Presentation Slide

Use this Personal introduction PPT Slide to impress our audience. This complete deck contains slides like SWOT Analysis, personal qualifications, achievements, training, experience, case study, language skills, and hobbies.

Template 4: Self Introduction Model PowerPoint Presentation Slide

With the help of a PowerPoint Presentation, you create a profile for yourself in which you  state your qualifications, work experience, skills, education, hobbies, and much more. If you want to show your aptitude for the job, download this PPT Theme now.

Template 5: Professional Self Introduction PowerPoint Presentation Slide

Professional Self Introduction PowerPoint presentation slides with suitable graphics and subject-driven content are here. All templates are completely editable for your convenience. This theme includes high-grade icons; Use this slide for short and long-term goals in the context of your strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and treats. Get this slide now.

Template 6: Personal Professional Self Introduction With Icon 

The PowerPoint Templates are designed to help job-seekers  to understand the challenges they will face. These templates are fully editable and easy to use. Download this template to impress the interviewer.

Template 7: About Me Slide For Self Introduction In PowerPoint Presentation

Including self-introduction slides at the beginning of your presentation is a good practice. You can use the PPT Design to describe your profile, educational background, work experience, awards, achievements, and more. This PPT slide allows you to create a presentation that will help you tell your story clearly and concisely.

Template 8: Self Introduction Slide About Me PowerPoint Guide

Your introduction slide will help capture the audience’s attention. This PPT Template is used to illustrate skills, hobbies, work experience, and career choices in a clear and organized manner. Your audience will connect with you throughout the speech or presentation. A presentation like this includes your professional and personal information. Making the presentation takes time and effort. Download this self-introduction slide to create a presentation faster.

Template 9: Self Introduction of Digital Marketing Professional 

Presenting our well-structured icons slide for digital marketing. Employ strategic thinking by using this complete deck and present  yourself  with a self-introduction format for digital marketing. Persuade your audience using this icon illustrating digital marketing PPT Theme. This slide has stages that include interest, education, and experience. It is entirely editable and is available for immediate download.

Template 10: Self Introduction CV For Job Search

A creative resume is a great way to stand out from other applicants. Catch the attention of potential employers. You can use these PowerPoint Slides to present your CV or resume to a potential employer. Each template utilizes creative slide designs and innovative visual elements to ensure that it is unique and engages the audience. Mention your skills to crack every interview by downloading ready-to-use samples.

You should always feel like a million dollars when introducing yourself. Your personal or self introduction is the first way to get any opportunity. No one is perfect but by doing it again and again the perfection will come to your interviews.

FAQs on Self Introduction Templates

How can i introduce myself.

Introducing oneself is the most common question asked in an interview. When an interviewer asks about yourself, they seek information about how your qualities and characteristics that align with the skills they need. That you are passionate about your work and you are ambitious and driven. 

How can I introduce myself in an interview?

The first impression happens quite fast . You introduce yourself  to an audience or the owner through a PowerPoint presentation. The audience likes something that shocks and shakes them hard enough to get their attention .Try to make them so intrigued that the desire makes them want to  know who you are. Show the audience what makes you unique. Connect with the audience . This is difficult, but we crack it with confidence. T Body language is a vital part of communication. For example:-

“I am John Smith. I will be here at noon for a job interview for a graphic designer. I have over five years of experience specializing in creating beautiful, unique website experiences that makes the users' time with a brand more enjoyable. I am looking forward to growing my management skills and  develop and inspire a team.”

Always end the interview on a positive note. 

“ It was a pleasure meeting with you. I appreciate the opportunity. .”

How will you describe yourself? 

In any interview, you must make the interviewer think, “Wow! This person would be perfect for position !” The first thing to describe yourself as is  a self-motivated person. You are comfortable taking the initiative and doing things independently. You will explain your experiences and qualifications. For example:

Suppose you have an English literature degree and want to work as a writer for a tech business. Be professional when you speak.

• Communicate well
• Be knowledgeable  in your field of expertise
• Be inquisitive 
• Be a leader , not a boss
• Ask for help when you need 
• Don’t be afraid of failure

Related posts:

• Top 10 Templates to Design an Introduction Slide About Yourself (Samples and Examples Included)
• Top 10 Personal Introduction Slide Templates to Make Yourself Unforgettable
• Top 10 Autobiography Templates to Portray Your Learnings and Achievements [Free PDF Attached]
• Top 7 Introduction Templates with Samples and Examples

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Self-introduction for Students [With Sample Intros]

• Updated on Jan 13, 2023

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You would want to make a good impression on your friends when you introduce yourself on the first day in class at your school or college – or at some other gathering. Wouldn’t you?

A small note before we dive into thick of things: Self-introductions can be context-driven, implying that because of unique situation you’re in, you may have to customize some part of the introduction. So, feel free to add or subtract to what’s covered here.

What to include in self-introduction?

Is there a format (for the introduction) to follow? The organizer, for example, may ask to include your name, place you come from, and your hobbies in the introduction.

If there is a format, follow it, but feel free to venture into areas that aren’t included in the format if they provide a more complete picture of yours.

You may include following in your introduction:

1. The start

You can start with the obvious – your name.

But that’s a common start. You can be bit innovative by starting with an attention-grabber. Watch the beginning of this video on marketing to get a feel of what I’m saying (watch the first 15 seconds):

Neil didn’t start with his name. He started with things that will grab people’s attention immediately and came to his name later on.

You can follow the same strategy to stand out among your classmates, most of whom would be following the standard ‘name first’ approach. You can start with a unique experience or a peculiar fact about your city or your uncommon hobby. The first sample intro (later in the post) follows this strategy.

More resources on conversations and introductions:

• How to introduce yourself in different settings?
• How to say ‘thank you’?
• How to respond when someone asks ‘how are you’?

2. Where are you from?

Mention the city you come from. You may add a sentence or two about the city as well if there is something interesting to talk about. Maybe the city is known for historic monuments. Maybe it’s known for natural resources.

And if you’ve lived in multiple cities, you may briefly mention the names and, as mentioned above, a sentence or two on the most interesting of them.

3. Where did you last attend the school?

If you recently moved to a new school (or college) and are introducing yourself there, you can briefly talk about your last school. Are there any interesting facts about your last school? If yes, mention them. Maybe it was established a long, long time ago. Maybe it has produced few famous alumni.

If you’re continuing in the same school, you may mention how many years you’ve been studying there.

4. Interests, hobbies, and achievements

What are your interests and hobbies?

Playing a sport? Traveling? Hiking? Reading? Kite flying? Or something unusual, say bull fighting?

Go into details if you’ve pursued the hobby with serious interest. For example, if you’re into reading, mention what genres you read, your favorite books, your favorite author, and how reading has affected you.

Don’t forget to mention your participation in extracurricular activities in school, if you did. Don’t forget to mention any significant achievements you’ve had?

5. Which stream/department/subject have you enrolled in?

You can briefly talk about which subjects (math, science, arts, commerce, biology, and so on) you’ve picked or you intend to pick in future. Optionally, you may also mention why you made the choice you have. Was it because you love it? Was it because it’ll help you achieve your career goals?

If you’re a college student, you can mention the department you’ve enrolled in. Are you in Arts, Commerce, Mechanical Engineering, Science, or Economics?

This doesn’t apply though if you’re introducing yourself to students who’re all from the same stream/department/subject.

6. Do you’ve clarity on interests/goals you want to pursue in future?

If you’re in K-12, you may not have seriously evaluated what career path you want to follow, and that’s fine. But if you’ve certain career aspiration and if you want to talk about it, you can. Some want to become engineer. Some, astronaut. Some, doctor. Some, model. Speak out what you aspire to become.

Most college students though have more concrete idea on post-college career. If you’ve decided the career path you want to pursue after college, you can share it with your classmates. You never know few of your classmates harboring same career aspirations may just approach you to be friends. You may also mention professional clubs you want to join to hone your skills.

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7. Where can you help others?

If you’ve a strength others in your class can benefit from, feel free to share it. For example, if you’re good in dancing, you can offer to teach the ropes to anyone interested. If you’re strong in a particular subject that is part of your syllabus, you can offer to help others in that subject.

If people know of your strengths, they’ll readily approach you when they need help. This is an easy way to make friends in college. And if you think helping others may be a time waster, you should remember that you too may need help in areas where others are stronger.

This is also a good stage – by offering help – to finish your intro. (See the first sample intro.)

Should I talk about my family?

Avoid it unless the format of the intro requires you to talk about your family as well. You need not go into what your parents do and which class your siblings study in.

Should I mention my last year’s grades?

You shouldn’t unless specifically asked to or others are mentioning it. Top grades can lend a snobbish air to your intro, even if you’re otherwise. Students may make an impression that you’re flaunting your grades, even if you aren’t.

Remember, the primary goal of your intro is to make friends, find people with shared interests.

Four do’s and don’ts when introducing yourself

1. listen to other intros.

Listen to intros that come before yours. If you can refer to someone else’s point or two seamlessly in your intro, you’ll impress people around.

2. Practice, but don’t cram

People often go blank on some of the points or get nervous when they stand up to speak. The best long-term way to overcome this is exposure to such speaking experiences . But in the immediate term, practice what you want to say few times (don’t cram though) to increase your odds of speaking with confidence.

3. Appear confident even if you’re not

After the presentations by executives and entrepreneurs (presumably confident speakers) as part of an executive program at Harvard University, Carmine Gallo , one of the judges, asked them how their presentations went. He heard following comments:

“I was so nervous. I was shaking.”

“I forgot what to say about a slide.”

“I stumbled over my words.”

“I totally lost my place.”

But, no one in the audience spotted those mistakes.

This phenomenon is called spotlight effect , which in nutshell means that people overestimate how much others are noticing their actions and appearance.

What’s the lesson?

If you’re nervous or you make few mistakes, don’t let them rattle you. Most won’t even notice them. Caroline Goyder captures this sentiment aptly in her book Find Your Voice: The Secret to Talking with Confidence in Any Situation :

When you dive into contribution [speaking], and move beyond the anxious competing, you realize that all the worry was such a waste of time. No one is ever judging you as harshly as you judge yourself. Because the truth is that most people are thinking about themselves.

But if you let nervousness and mistakes overpower you, you may make a mistake or display body language that will be noticed by all. And once you’re through the first few lines in your intro, your nerves will start easing.

So, stay composed and carry on. Many in the audience in fact wouldn’t even be listening to most introductions, as they would be busy silently rehearsing their own lines.

4. Make eye contact and be enthusiastic

Make eye contact with other students while speaking. Don’t fix your eyes on a familiar section of the audience. Move your eyes around. And, last but important, your voice and body language should show enthusiasm.

Here are few sample self-introductions for you to get a hang of how they’re done:

Sample self-introductions

Introduction 1

I once spent an entire night in a dense forest with a friend. Well, this act was not to show off how brave I was, but it was forced on me… by my foolishness. During a trek in [name of the region], I and a friend got too adventurous and strayed from our regular route despite instructions to the contrary by our trek guide. We got lost. We survived somehow (that’s a story for another day), but I haven’t given up on my adventure streak and love for outdoors.

Friends, I’m [your first name] and I love outdoors. I’ve been to treks in Himalayas on multiple occasions. These outdoor expeditions have also forced me to learn basic cooking. Well, I don’t boast of cooking dishes you’ll relish, but yes when you’re dying of hunger in the middle of night, you can count on me. I also love cycling long distances – 20+ kilometers in a stretch – and I can manage singing which some may find intolerable.

I’m from [name of the city]. It’s not a big place, but it somehow exists on the map. I’m really excited to be here. I look forward to having some fun, making friends, and building myself up for college. If you’re organizing any outdoor event in future, you can always count on me for help.

Thanks for giving me this opportunity to introduce myself.

Introduction 2

My name is [your first name]. I’m from [name of the city] where I finished my schooling last year from [name of the school]. Is there anyone here from my city? (Changes tack to engage with the audience.) OK, few.

I like watching movies, at least once a month. I play basketball on weekends and chess whenever I get time. I’m into reading thriller novels as well, Dan Brown being my favorite novelist.

I’m happy to step into college life, which provides more freedom and where, finally, I don’t have to come in a uniform. Post-college, I aspire to work in consulting industry.

I’m particularly strong in Excel worksheets and creating well-designed banners and documents. If anyone requires support in these areas, I’ll be glad to help. I look forward to meeting each one of you in the coming days.

Thanks. Have a great day.

Anil is the person behind content on this website, which is visited by 3,000,000+ learners every year. He writes on most aspects of English Language Skills. More about him here:

15 Comments

This really helped me… Thank you so so much.

Thank u….this is quite helpful to overcome my nervousness and get into action..Cheers?

Man, I was so nervous about my interview for school admission. But after reading this, I felt comfortable. Thanks, this was a great explanation.

It helped me a lot. Thank you so much. It was like I was the center of attraction. Thank you again.

Thanx…. It really helped on my first day of college.

Dude, this is another level. Thanks a lot.

Thanks a lot. It was useful. Now, I should be able to introduce my self without nerves ????

Thank you. Now I get some ideas for self intro and thank you for your brief explanation.

I was a little nervous about my varsity first introduction and my confidence increased after watching it.

Intro 2 was like fire…. It helped me a lot, thanx!!

Thanks, dude!!!! I am a school-level student and the introduction part really helped me.

I have a virtual introduction meeting with my seniors in college. I am so nervous about it. This piece is so helpful. Thanks.

Excellent. I like this a lot. I searched for this type of introduction on many websites, but this post is so interesting and good enough to impress my teacher and classmates.

My name is Yeabkal Solomon. I’m a first year student at Arba minch University. It helped me when I was gave my oral presentation.

I was very scared. I was really scared. Thank you very much for helping with the interview. It was very helpful for me

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What to Say in a College Interview: Responding to ‘Tell Me About Yourself’

What’s covered:, setting the tone, topics to cover, 4 examples of how to respond, topics to avoid, 5 tips to prepare for this prompt.

Are you worried about your admissions interview? If so, you’re not alone. Many students are like you and want to be as well-prepared as possible, which means anticipating and practicing responding to the questions you will be asked ahead of time.

While there’s no way of knowing exactly what you’ll be asked, there’s one question you can always prepare for — the classic, “Tell me about yourself.” Although this question may seem open-ended (and daunting), there are some tips and tricks you can rely on to ensure your response is informative, personal, and natural.

In this post, we’ll outline why this question is important, the topics you should cover in your answer, and a few example responses to inspire your preparation!

You should see the “tell me about yourself” prompt as an opportunity to show the interviewer your most important qualities and give them an initial sense of how you might contribute to the school’s community. In any interview you have over the course of your college years and beyond, this prompt is meant to give the interviewer an idea of what you would bring to the position at hand — in this case, as a member of the college’s matriculating class.

Unsurprisingly, you want to talk about yourself and your background, but in a focused way that paints an accurate portrait of yourself as a productive, insightful member of the incoming freshman class. Stand-alone details and dead-end stories are rarely relevant in answers to this kind of question. Additionally, this is not an invitation to share your life story or overly personal information with your interviewer — doing so will make you appear unprofessional and unprepared.

That being said, you won’t want to sound like just another drone looking to fulfill pre-med requirements at any old college with a good biology program. So, you also want to be careful to not just rattle off a bullet-point list of repetitive or generic information. Rather, you should work to connect your unique past experiences with your future goals, and to explain why this institution is the perfect place for you to achieve those goals.

You should also be aware that this will often be the interviewer’s first question, which means it will set the tone for the rest of the interview. Starting strong is especially important since most college interviewers are alumni volunteers who haven’t, and won’t, see your grades, essays, or anything else in your application. Since they won’t have any prior familiarity with your profile, part of your responsibility when responding to this question is to lay a solid foundation for the rest of the interview, by having a thoughtful, cohesive, but not overly rehearsed answer at the ready.

There’s no one right way to respond to this question, because for different students, certain aspects of their lives will be more or less relevant to understanding who they are. That being said, here is an initial list of topics that many students end up discussing in their answers:

• Where you grew up
• What you want to study (and why)
• Unique personality traits
• Academic interests
• Extracurricular activities
• Why you want to attend the college

Keep in mind that you probably don’t want to talk about every single one of these things, as you don’t want your answer to be too long — about 2-3 minutes maximum. While this question is important, you have a whole interview to go, so you don’t need to jam every single thing you want to say into your first answer. You’ll have plenty of other opportunities to discuss things you don’t get to in this first response. Plus, your interviewer may feel awkward if you start off by monologuing at them for 10 minutes, or confused if you mention dozens of unrelated things.

In general, though, it is a good idea to begin by mentioning the area in which you grew up, or some other foundational aspect of your upbringing, like your parents’ professions or your cultural heritage. Don’t spend too much time discussing the intricacies of your hometown or home life, but try to connect where you’re coming from to your interest in the college’s location, size, or campus culture.

You’ll also want to tell the interviewer about your prospective major, if you have one, or, if you’re undecided, what some of your main areas of interest are. While laying out your academic background, describing two or three of your most important broader personality traits will give your interviewer a clearer sense of why these subjects are important to you. You may also touch on a key extracurricular that further illuminates who you are. End your answer with a quick explanation of why you want to attend this particular college.

Since you should have researched the school thoroughly before the interview, you will hopefully already have a good idea of how your personality, as well as academic and extracurricular interests, will fit in there. Your response should concretely connect your personal strengths and experiences to the school’s offerings and overall culture. 

Crucially, you shouldn’t assume that your interviewer can figure out how your background aligns with the school’s culture on their own. While they are obviously familiar with the school, colleges and universities have hundreds if not thousands of different opportunities available, so they may not have heard of the offerings in your particular area(s) of interest. Be clear about why and how your past experiences have set you up to succeed at this institution.

Finally, admissions officers want to be confident that you’ll accept your offer of admission, if you receive one. So, you should make sure to express how interested you are in attending this particular school, rather than speaking about broad goals for college that you could achieve anywhere.

Response #1

“ I grew up in a small town in Connecticut and have lived there my whole life, so I’d really love to experience city life in college. Since I live relatively close to New York, I’ve had the opportunity to visit a few times, and it has so much to offer, especially in terms of the literary scene. I love reading and writing, so I’m thinking of majoring in English or journalism. Journalism seems like a good fit because I’m good at noticing details and know how to dig to the core of an issue. 

My attention to detail is something I’ve been able to rely on to help me overcome challenges. Junior year, I was having a hard time in trig. When I met with my teacher outside of class, though, we were able to determine that I had a solid grasp of simple concepts like sine and cosine, but was struggling with bigger picture concepts. Moving forward, breaking down tricky problems into their core ideas and solving them one step at a time proved to be an effective strategy for me, and I ended up earning an A in the class.

In general, though, my interests are more humanities leaning. I especially enjoy writing and foreign languages, which is why I’m a columnist for my school newspaper and the president of the Spanish club. I also tutor English and Spanish at an after-school program in my town. 

NYU seems like the perfect school for me because it has such strong English and journalism programs, including honors programs in both fields, and amazing study abroad programs through its campuses all over the world–I’d love to learn Italian, Chinese, or Arabic to become tri- or even polylingual!”

This interviewee touches on her interests in a way that shows her qualifications to attend NYU. She references her passion for English, journalism, and foreign languages several times throughout her response, and explains what she has done to explore them both inside and outside school. At the end of her response, she also identifies specific attributes of NYU that appeal to her (honors programs in English and journalism; campuses around the world), which clearly fit with the details she’s provided about her own background.

Additionally, she reveals some of her key personality traits, such as her attention to detail and her resilience, and provides examples that illustrate these attributes. These examples make her response memorable, whereas if she were to just say “I’m a resilient person with good attention to detail,” it would come across as cliché or generic.

Response #2

“As a kid, I frequently visited family in Los Angeles. During those trips, my aunt would take me to see musicals at the Orpheum Theatre, which sparked my love for drama. Since then, I’ve been in over 30 musicals at my school and through my local theater, although my favorite role still has to be Georg von Trapp in “The Sound of Music.” I’m planning to major in musical theater because being in so many productions has made me a talented singer and dancer, and I’m confident in my own skin, both on-stage and off-stage.

I wasn’t always confident, though. Despite my passion for theater, I was incredibly shy as a kid. It took me several years to work up the courage to even audition for a show. I am grateful for how my involvement in theater has helped me become more secure in expressing myself. I also work as an instructor for elementary-aged students at a local dance studio, and I try to bring out that same confidence in them.

Aside from theater, I’m really passionate about reading. I started a book club at my high school that meets weekly, and I also run a book blog, where I analyze and review novels I read. I find that this side project helps me connect more deeply with the characters I play on stage. 

I’d love to attend UCLA because the Ray Bolger Musical Theater Program will give me the opportunity to grow and develop my skills as an actress. As an avid reader, I’m also extremely interested in UCLA’s Comparative Literature minor. Plus, Los Angeles is the ideal location for an aspiring actor to launch his career.”

This response is centered on one of the interviewee’s particular interests, his associated professional goals, and how the school could help him achieve them. He highlights his major of interest (musical theater), and explains how his involvement in theater has helped him become more confident and better and expressing himself — some of his key personality traits.

This interviewee’s discussion of his academic and extracurricular interests frames him as someone who is prepared to thrive at UCLA. Most importantly, though, he doesn’t leave that to be inferred by his interviewer. Rather, he gives relevant, personal reasons for why he’s interested in attending UCLA related to the university’s programs and location.

Response #3

“I come from three generations of farmers. My family lives on a corn farm in a small town in Nebraska. I always thought I would be a farmer, just like my dad, until my family took a vacation to Hawaii after my freshman year of high school. We went snorkeling almost every day, and I became fascinated with marine life. When we returned home, I started researching marine biology majors, and since then, I’ve been set on studying marine biology at the University of Maine.

As part of my pursuit of this goal, last year I became scuba certified, and I started bi-weekly diving lessons at the nearest scuba diving school. It’s a 75-minute drive from where I live, so I’m proud of my determination to continue attending the classes, even when they conflict with my busy schedule. I also play on the football and basketball teams, am the student council secretary, and help my dad on the farm on the weekends.

I’d love to attend the University of Maine because it has such a large concentration of professors who specialize in marine sciences, and access to two research centers, the Darling Marine Center and Aquaculture Research Center. And after spending 18 years of my life landlocked in Nebraska, I am excited for the chance to live near the coast!”

This interviewee tells a compelling story about how he unexpectedly became interested in his intended major, marine biology, and how that in turn led him to apply to the University of Maine. He also shares a story that showcases one of his best character qualities, determination, and how it has helped him advance towards his goal of becoming a marine biologist.

The student also shares some of his on-campus and off-campus extracurriculars to showcase that he is well-rounded. He ends by describing why the University of Maine is a great fit for him, and the unusual perspective he could bring to campus.

Response #4

“I grew up in Atlanta, but my family spends every summer at Tybee Island. I love that Savannah offers a similar small-town feel with plenty of history, art, and culture. It’ll be a refreshing reprieve from the big city, while still providing ample opportunity for an aspiring artist.

I’ve been artistic for as long as I can remember. Growing up, I was always painting, sketching, or drawing. When I was young, my dream was to move to Paris after high school to be an artist. So I started taking French in eighth grade, and now, I’m nearly fluent. However, as college neared, my pragmatic side convinced me to get a degree that led to a more secure career path. Graphic design seemed like a great option because it would give me an avenue to still pursue art, while leaving plenty of professional doors open.

SCAD’s graphic design program is particularly appealing to me because of how many events the program hosts for students to learn from graphic designers who have been successful in the world of business. The cutting-edge technology and facilities available to students will also ensure I’m ready to use all the tools I’ll need as a professional. Maybe most importantly, I’m also interested in studying abroad at SCAD Lacoste to practice my French and finally fulfill my dream of creating art in France!”

In this response, the interviewee explains how her background led her to discover both her major, graphic design, and SCAD. The student highlights her qualifications as an artist, while also giving her interviewer a more nuanced understanding of who she is by describing her practical side.

One unique, especially satisfying part of this response is that the student connects a life-long dream of hers (creating art in France) to a specialized study-abroad program offered by SCAD. Thanks to this connection, her answer comes full circle, which makes it feel like a single, cohesive unit.

Although the “tell me about yourself” prompt may seem entirely open-ended, there are specific things the interviewer does want to learn about you as a candidate, while other aspects of your life may be irrelevant or even inappropriate to mention. Your interviewer does not need to learn everything there is to know about you.

For example, don’t tell your interviewer about personal hobbies that aren’t relevant to the school or interview, or talk too much about friends, family, and other aspects of your life that don’t show your potential as a college student. You should also avoid saying anything negative about the school, or indicate that you are not particularly invested or interested in attending it. 

Weak Response #1

“I grew up in a small town in Connecticut, but I don’t want to stay here. It’s just a little too small. I’m not entirely sure what environment I want to live in as an adult, though. Mainly, I want to enjoy myself while I figure it out, and some neighborhood friends of mine have told me the weather and school spirit at USC are unparalleled!

I definitely want to study Hotel Management, though. My mom’s whole family works in hospitality, so I’ve seen firsthand how many great perks there are if you’re in the industry. For example, my parents don’t make a lot of money, but we’ve been able to travel a lot thanks to discounted stays. I’m looking forward to further broadening my horizons in college, maybe through a study abroad program or just meeting peers from other places in the world.”

While this interviewee comes across as well-intentioned, there are several red flags. First, he doesn’t seem to have any personal connection to USC, and only chose to apply based on others’ recommendations. Feeling uncertain about your future is completely normal, and even something you can discuss in your college interview. However, you want to provide personal, specific reasons why this school will give you more direction, not give only vague or shallow reasons for applying.

Another, related issue is that USC doesn’t have a hotel management major. While the interviewer may not know every program offered off the top of their head, they are going to write a report for the admissions committee after your conversation. Admissions officers are incredibly well-versed in what their institution offers, so they’ll immediately see that this student isn’t genuinely interested in USC.

Finally, even if USC did offer hotel management, this student’s reasons for wanting to study the field come across as superficial, and not rooted in genuine intellectual curiosity. Wanting to travel isn’t inherently a bad goal, but the student should have connected it to his interest in the history of other parts of the world, a desire to learn another language, or something else with more of an academic focus. He also should have been more specific about how USC will help him broaden his horizons, as studying abroad or meeting peers from different backgrounds are things you could do at any school.

Weak Response #2

“Because I grew up in Seattle, my summers were always full of camping or backpacking trips, and I became a total nut about the outdoors as a result. So, when it came time to apply to college, I knew Dartmouth was the place for me.

Dartmouth is also a good fit for me academically, because of the unique possibility of modifying your major. I love economics, but I also have a humanities lean and enjoy learning about American history, so it’s great I won’t have to pick one or the other. And, even though it’s far from home, both my parents went to Dartmouth and I have an aunt in Vermont, so I don’t think I’ll have any trouble making Hanover my home away from home.”

The biggest issue with this response is that the student is making her interviewer do her work for her. While Dartmouth is indeed known to be an outdoorsy school, she doesn’t mention anything specific that tangibly captures that general reputation. Her response would be much stronger if she mentioned something like the First Year Trips program as a means of building community, or her desire to get involved in a Dartmouth Outing Club sub-club to learn a new skill like canoeing.

Similarly, the modified major is unique to Dartmouth, but the student doesn’t explain how she would take advantage of it. Just stating that she has multiple interests isn’t sufficient, because that will be true of just about every applicant to Dartmouth — she needs to describe the intersection(s) she sees between economics and American history, and how the modified major will help her explore them more productively than, say, just double majoring, which you can do at nearly any school.

Finally, while it’s okay to mention connections you have to the school or surrounding area, you need to illustrate how they’ve shaped your own perspective on the institution. For example, this student could talk about how she was originally apprehensive about attending school in such a small town, but attending reunions with her parents showed her that the strength of the Dartmouth community fends off feelings of isolation. Right now, though, that personal element is missing, and thus saying her parents are Dartmouth alums just comes across as name-droppy and braggy.

It’s almost guaranteed that this “Tell me about yourself” question will come up during your interview, often as the very first question. To ensure you aren’t caught off-guard, here are some tips for how you can prepare:

1. Reflect on the Past

Brainstorm at least five important events in your life that have helped shape you into who you are today. Ideally, these events will align with your major and broader goals for the future. Sift through them to decide which story is most relevant to understanding what you have to contribute to a college campus.

It’s especially wise to choose an event that connects to some of your most important character traits. That way, your interviewer will start to get a sense of who you are not only as a student, but as a whole person.

2. Evaluate Your Interests

What are your favorite classes? What clubs or teams are you a part of? Did you start an organization yourself, or do you have a leadership position? What hobbies do you have when you’re not at school? Do you have a part-time job you love?

Your academic and extracurricular interests are given a great deal of weight by college admissions officers. In your interview, you want to be able to easily reference specific examples of how you’ve pursued your passions, as well as how you developed them, so that your interviewer gets to see your eyes light up, so to speak, and gets a clearer sense of what sets you apart from other applicants.

3. Pinpoint Your Major

If you’ve decided on a major, highlight why you’re interested in this major and why the university is ideal for this area of focus. If you’re still undecided, that’s perfectly fine, but you should be able to discuss your broader academic interests and why this college is a good place for you to hone in on one particular area. 

For example, maybe you’re interested in medicine, but also love animals, and don’t know if you want to be a doctor or a veterinarian. You might talk about how Washington State University has excellent graduate schools in both fields, with plenty of courses and extracurriculars available to undergrads as well, and thus is the perfect place for you to figure out which path is right for you.

4. Research the University

One of the best ways you can stand out from other students while answering this question is to connect your background to programs, classes, professors, and other unique offerings at the college, and explain how these resources will launch you into your future. These school-specific details will not only make your answer more thorough, but will also demonstrate that you are well-prepared and genuinely interested in attending the college.

Make sure, though, that you aren’t just saying something generic that could apply to any institution. Perhaps you’ve heard that a school has great professors, but that’s true of most colleges. So, you’ll want to instead zoom in on one or two particular professors whose work aligns well with your own interests, so that your interviewer can clearly see what sets this school apart in your mind.

5. Practice, Practice, Practice

After thinking about how you’ll answer the question, it’s important to run through your response with family and friends. Although you don’t want to sound too rehearsed, as you can then come across as stiff, you also don’t want to be stumbling over your words. Plus, those close to you may have suggestions for details you might include that you didn’t think of yourself.

How Much Do College Interviews Matter?

College interviews matter , but they won’t make or break your application. In fact, they account for only around 5% of an admissions decision. That said, they are a great way to showcase your personality and character, your ability to engage in conversations and answer questions, and your overall maturity and professionalism. Your college interview is unique in that it allows you to put a face, personality, and voice to your name, so you still want to take it seriously and prepare thoroughly.

You can also use your interview as a way to determine if the university is the right fit for you. After all, you’ll likely be matched with an alum who will be able to answer questions about their experience at the school — their insights could be invaluable if you’re eventually accepted and need to decide between this institution and your other options!

That being said, other factors such as academics and extracurriculars will have a much larger impact on your chances of acceptance. If you’d like to know how your profile stacks up, we recommend using our free chancing engine . This tool will give you personalized odds of acceptance at over 1500 schools in the US, based on how well your profile aligns with that of an average accepted student!

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