Personal Introduction

Also known as an elevator pitch, 60-second intro, or a personal commercial.

Student shaking hands with recruiter at Career Fair

What is a personal introduction?

A chance to highlight your skills, experience, education, and career interests to someone new in 30 to 60 seconds. It’s an easy way to start a career-related conversation and a great response to the interview question, “Tell me about yourself.”

When to use a personal introduction:

  • Networking events
  • Career fairs
  • Meeting a recruiter or employer for the first time
  • Graduate school interviews and fairs
  • Practicum interview

Personal introductions should include:

  • Name
  • Major
  • Expected graduation date
  • Career goals
  • Relevant experience (project, internship, co-op, etc.) 

Optional talking points:

  • Enterprise
  • Senior Design
  • Volunteer experience
  • Clubs
  • Hobbies
  • Hometown
  • Interest in the company

Personal Introduction Examples

Example #1 My name is Alice Awesome, and I’m a third-year biomedical engineering student at Michigan Tech. I just finished a six-month co-op at XYZ company, working as a quality engineer in the New Product Development Department.  I was responsible for product safety testing and assessment documentation. My engineering co-op and coursework in research methods has also prepared me to work in product development and design. I’m currently looking for a spring co-op for next year and would be thrilled to work for (your) ABC company.

Example #2 My name is Mark Marvelous, and I am graduating with my bachelor’s degree in marketing in December. I’m a member of the American Marketing Association and gained hands-on experience working with the Market Research Center last summer. In 2016, I competed in a business development competition with a team of four, and my team took second place. I’m also a member of XYZ fraternity and maintain our social media pages and outreach website. In the last two years, we’ve increased our membership by 20 percent. I work well on teams, have excellent communication skills, and I’m currently looking for a full-time marketing position.

Remember

Keep it brief. A personal introduction should be less than a minute. Practice it out loud—and show enthusiasm! You may want to end by asking an engaging question and thanking them for their time.

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