How often are you asked what you do for a living? What do you answer? In fact, only a few people take this opportunity to "anchor" themselves in the minds of the person they are talking to. It usually doesn't take more than 7 to 10 seconds to introduce yourself - whether it's in an introductory session at an event, on a phone call, at a trade show, etc. In such situations, use a well-thought-out short introduction to make the most of the opportunity of the first impression - regardless of whether your counterpart is "important" to you or not.
In concrete terms, this means: Don't just use standard phrases like "I work in controlling" or "I'm a project manager". Also mention what benefits you bring with your work. For example: "I am the head of the development department of the company Telemobil and work on making it possible for people to use inexpensive smartphones without having to sacrifice quality."
In these three steps you will develop your short presentation:
1. Collecting material
Describe your current job in keywords. Consider:
- What makes your work stand out? What is special about it?
- What makes you different from other people in the same industry?
- Is there a feature of your job that everyone knows or deals with?
- What benefits does your work provide?
2. The first draft
Now formulate the first draft of your brief introduction based on your notes. The most important points are:
- Your brief introduction should be authentic and flow easily from your lips.
- It should contain active, dynamic verbs. Avoid non-specific words that leave too much room for interpretation.
- The short introduction is formulated in a generally understandable way and does not contain overly technical terms.
3. Fine-tuning
A really suitable short introduction does not emerge from now on. It must grow. Try out different versions again and again, in front of the mirror and finally also on public occasions. Test it:
- How is the short introduction received? Does it arouse curiosity? If others approach you and want to know more, you are on the right track.
- Do others understand what you do? You can tell, for example, when the person you are talking to not only nods politely, but also follows up, asks questions, adds something.
- Does the performance seem coherent and appropriate? Does it come effortlessly from your lips?
