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Hi there, and welcome to Wall Street’s “Two-Minute English”.
Over the years, one skill which I have found extremely useful, whether it’s in a social context, a job interview or simply when making conversation, is to know how to introduce yourself. This comes naturally to some people, but for others it could be extremely difficult. Today, I’ll go over some basic things you can do and say when you introduce yourself.
Now, before we carry on, the key thing to remember – which applies to learning any new skill – is to practise, practise and practise. I can teach you the best tips and give you the best advice, but ultimately you’ll only improve with practice.
Let’s start with the things you could talk about when introducing yourself. Basically, you want to keep this short and to the point, and mainly to give the other person a fair idea of who you are and what you do without going on and on. The main things I would tell someone when introducing myself: my name, what I do for work, what I love to do. If it’s a social context, it’s always good to say why you are here or who you know so there is some kind of connection. I would also generally ask questions while I am introducing myself – obviously this is not appropriate at a job interview, but useful in a social setting. For example, if I am at a party hosted by John and I am talking to people I have just met, I might say something like this: “Hey, my name is Ben. What’s your name? How do you know John? I have known John for many years. We used to work together. I also work at a local TV and radio station. Apart from work, I love music and I play in a band. Do you like music?” and so on.
Apart from what to say, always smile, be polite, make eye contact and don’t be afraid to initiate conversation. Practise with people you know first – family, friends and colleagues – and then try it with strangers.
Well, that’s all for this week’s “Two-Minute English”. Bye-bye.
