Self-presentation at a job interview is about the right impression. Prepare yourself so that the story about yourself at the interview will be successful. What self-presentation should be and how to prepare for it, I propose to consider below.
SELF-PRESENTATION AT THE INTERVIEW
Step 1: First, you need to make a plan. Think about what the self-presentation will be. What is its main purpose, and what methods will be used to sell yourself? It’s a serious thing to think about. I advise you to include in your plan the items below.
What are your accomplishments that will be of interest to this company?
What skills will be useful in this position?
What is the STP – the difference from other candidates?
What is of interest to this particular company?
Self-presentation should be informative. When asked to “tell about yourself,” do not retell your resume. Say what the employer wants to hear. To do this, research the job position thoroughly. Try to see the employer’s pain. You need to understand what problem the company wants to solve with the specialist they are looking for. And be sure to include a solution to that problem in the plan.
Use numbers so that the self-presentation at the interview is salesy. Try to digitize everything: achievements, results of completed projects and performance indicators.
Such a presentation should not take more than three minutes. Otherwise, the interlocutor’s attention will be scattered. So no water, just the point.
Step 2: Once your self-presentation is complete, I suggest you prepare a short version. Just in case you only have a minute and it’s an expedited interview.
EXPRESS SELF-PRESENTATION EXAMPLE
As an express version, I suggest composing an Elevator Speech. It should not exceed 60 seconds. And it is on the average about a hundred words. Here you can not answer all the prepared questions and describe all the thoughts colorfully.
Self-presentation example
I suggest building such a self-presentation at a job interview in the following format:
What is your main experience: a couple of major accomplishments.
What position do you hold now: main 2-3 areas of the position.
What plans for the future and how do you associate those plans with the company.
You should talk quickly, but clearly.
Step 3: Preparing a self-presentation is not just a text. Mimics and gestures can tell a lot more about you. Non-verbal communication also needs to be thought through and honed for each action. Well control can be one thing: either words, or non-verbal behavior. Therefore, it is advisable to rehearse the future interview as much as possible. Only in this way will it be possible to monitor the correct hand posture and facial expressions at the meeting.
Step 4: Appearance is part of self-presentation. The way you behave, what you say and how you speak is already a picture. Complement it with the right look. Business style for executives is a must. Neatness and tidiness is a must for everyone.
FIRST IMPRESSION
Step 5: First impression. Once the self-presentation for the interview is made and the suit is prepared, there is an interview ahead. The important thing to remember here is that you won’t get a second chance to make a first impression.
The impression of the first seven seconds. You appear in your interviewer’s field of vision. His attention falls on your appearance and posture. This assessment usually takes place before the handshake and the first small talk.
The impression is 30 seconds. After the greeting, the recruiter will assess in more detail what you are wearing and whether your shoes are polished. In what condition are your hands and nails, and how calm you look in general. It’s not a search, of course. But your interlocutor’s eyes will involuntarily run through the main points.
These are steps you need to think about in preparation for the interview, too. Sometimes those 30 seconds become crucial.
Now you know enough to put together a selling self-presentation. Good luck in future interviews!
