Powerful Introductions

Meet John

John, a 1st-year computer science undergrad from Nairobi, nervously settled into his study space for his first Zoom interview. His heart pounded as he checked the lighting, tested the audio, and adjusted the angle of his webcam. He wanted to make sure he looked and sounded his best for the interview. He joined the call and came face to face with his interviewer, Peter.

Peter greeted him with a friendly smile and gave him context about the structure of the interview before diving into the inevitable opener: "Tell me about yourself."

John felt a mixture of anxiety and excitement. It was the kind of question he'd rehearsed countless times in front of the mirror, but now, facing a real interview, the words seemed to slip away. Taking a deep breath, he leaned forward and began to speak.

"Well, I'm a first-year computer science student at Kibo School of Technology. I've always been fascinated by how technology can solve real-world problems. Growing up, I spent hours tinkering with computers, trying to understand how they worked. That curiosity led me to pursue computer science as my major."

As he spoke, John could feel the tension easing. He continued, "During high school, I participated in coding competitions and even developed a simple app that helped local businesses keep track of their inventory. It wasn't anything groundbreaking, but it taught me the value of practical solutions." The interviewer nodded, encouraging him to go on.

"On campus, I've been involved in a few coding projects with my peers, and I've also taken on a role in a student tech club. It's been a great learning experience, collaborating with others who share my passion for technology. I believe that this combination of hands-on projects and teamwork has honed my problem-solving skills."

John paused, briefly reflecting on his journey so far. He then concluded, "In essence, I'm a driven and curious individual, eager to contribute my skills and learn from the industry. I'm here to absorb as much as I can and make a meaningful impact."

The interviewer appreciated John's candid response. "That's great to hear," they said, genuinely impressed. "Tell me about a specific project or challenge you've faced and how you tackled it."

As the conversation flowed into more technical details, John felt a sense of confidence building. The nerves of the initial question had faded, replaced by the enthusiasm to share his experiences and knowledge. The interview became a genuine exchange, and by the end, John couldn't help but feel a sense of accomplishment. The simple, honest approach to "tell me about yourself" had set the tone for a successful interview, showcasing both his passion for computer science and his ability to articulate it under pressure.

When searching for a job, there are numerous situations that will require you to introduce yourself to people. These range from very formal situations like Job Interviews to more informal contexts such as Career Fairs, Networking Events, or Informational Interviews with industry professionals. This question can come in a variety of formats, such as:

  1. "Can you tell me a bit about yourself?"
    • This is the most straightforward and commonly used variation of the question. It invites you to provide a brief overview of your background.
  2. "Walk me through your resume."
    • This request prompts you to discuss your professional journey chronologically, starting from your education to your current position.
  3. "Share a little about your background and what brought you here."
    • This phrasing invites a more narrative and personal touch, encouraging you to discuss not only your professional journey but also the factors that led you to the present situation.

Or there might be no question at all, and instead, you are trying to capture the attention and interest of a potential professional contact unprompted. However the situation arises, it is important for you to use your introduction to spark interest in who you are. While John was able to do this successfully, most students struggle with this. Here is an example of the experience of one of John’s classmates, Sarah.

Meet Sarah

As Sarah sat down for her Zoom interview with Peter, she fidgeted with her hair, a clear sign of her nervousness. Peter began with the same question: "Tell me about yourself."

Sarah's mind raced, and for a moment, she drew a blank. The weight of the question pressed on her, and her initial attempt at an answer felt disjointed. "Uh, well, I'm Sarah. I'm a computer science student, and, um, I've always liked computers and stuff." Peter raised an eyebrow, awaiting a more substantial response.

Sarah's discomfort grew, and she stumbled through a brief overview of her academic background. "I graduated from high school last year and joined the computer science program at Kibo School because, you know, I thought it would be interesting."

The interviewer, sensing Sarah's struggle, tried to guide her with a follow-up question, "Can you share a bit about any projects or experiences that have shaped your interest in computer science?" Caught off guard, Sarah hesitated. "Um, well, not really. I mean, I've done some coding assignments for class, but nothing major. I guess I'm still figuring things out." The uncomfortable silence hung in the air as the interviewer waited for more substance. Sarah's anxiety intensified, and her attempt to articulate her journey in computer science felt forced and unconvincing.

Discuss

❓ Think back to your interview for the Automation Assistant program. The first question that we ask all candidates is: Tell me about yourself. Reflect on your experience answering that question by responding to the following questions.

  • Was your experience positive like John’s or negative like Sarah's?
  • How well do you think you answered the question? What did you do well? What could you have improved?
  • Did you specifically prepare to answer that question?

If your experience was not positive, that’s ok. Most people struggle to introduce themselves, especially in high-stakes situations like interviews. While a lot of things can go wrong when trying to introduce yourself, here are the top 10 errors that people make:

  1. Lack of Focus: It's easy to veer off-topic and provide irrelevant details, especially when individuals are unsure about what aspects of their background to emphasize.
  2. Overwhelming Nervousness: The pressure of the interview setting can make individuals nervous, leading to stumbling over words, forgetting key details, or providing vague responses.
  3. Balancing Personal and Professional Information: Striking the right balance between sharing personal anecdotes and professional achievements can be challenging. Some people may struggle to decide how much personal information is appropriate in a professional setting.
  4. Difficulty Prioritizing Information: Deciding which aspects of one's background, skills, or experiences to highlight can be a struggle. This is especially true when individuals have varied experiences and are unsure about what the interviewer is looking for.
  5. Underestimating the Question: Some may underestimate the importance of the question and provide overly brief or generic answers, missing the opportunity to create a positive first impression.
  6. Lack of Preparation: Not having a well-thought-out response can result in a rambling, disorganized answer. Adequate preparation is crucial to ensuring a concise and impactful reply.
  7. Fear of Oversharing or Undersharing: Striking the right level of detail is crucial. People might fear sharing too much personal information or, conversely, not providing enough context to make their response compelling.
  8. Difficulty Connecting Past Experiences to the Role: Linking past experiences to the requirements of the job can be challenging, especially if the person hasn't thoroughly researched the position beforehand.
  9. Cultural Differences: In some cultures, there may be different expectations regarding how much personal information is appropriate to share in a professional context, leading to potential discomfort.
  10. Not Tailoring the Response: Failing to tailor the response to the specific job or industry can make the answer seem generic and less compelling. Customizing the information to match the requirements of the position is crucial.

Structuring Your Introduction

📺 Watch the following video for some tips on how to approach self-introductions in interviews, specifically for first-year university students.

Here is a structure that you can use when crafting and practicing your introduction:

  1. Start with a Concise Introduction: Begin with a brief introduction that includes your name and current professional status or role.
  2. Express Your Interest and Motivation: Convey your genuine interest in the position or field. Share what motivates you and why you are excited about the opportunity.
  3. Provide a Snapshot of Your Professional Background: Offer a concise overview of your professional background. Mention your education, relevant work experience, and any key milestones or achievements.
  4. Highlight Key Skills and Strengths: Transition to highlighting your key skills and strengths. Focus on qualities that are directly relevant to the role you are applying for or the context of the introduction.
  5. Connect Your Experiences to the Role: Articulate how your past experiences have prepared you for the current opportunity. Emphasize specific achievements or projects that demonstrate your capabilities.
  6. Wrap Up with a Future-oriented Statement: Conclude by expressing your enthusiasm for the future and how you see your skills and experiences contributing to the success of the team or organization.

Your career narrative is a great starting point for creating your self-introduction or elevator pitch. It will help you determine your overall message, as well as the main themes that you want to touch on. Utilizing your career narrative as a starting point will also ensure that your self-introduction is consistent with the way you present yourself on your resume, LinkedIn, and other hiring artifacts.

Practice

❓ Imagine you are in the first round of interviews for an Automation Assistant entry-level position. The interviewer asks you: “Tell me about yourself”. Using what you have learned in this section, create each of the following:

  • A 150-300 word career narrative. Note: You can use the guidance provided in the "Do You Have a Career Narrative?" lesson.
  • A 150 - 300 word written introduction to answer the "Tell me about yourself" question.
  • A 30 - 60 second video of yourself giving your introduction.

Keep a copy of your written narrative and introduction in a document. You will refer to them as you prepare your application artifacts (e.g., resume).