Also known as an elevator pitch, 60-second intro, or a personal commercial.
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.
Here's what employers have to say about your personal introduction