IMPACT Group career coach Pamela Helwig, who services clients in the NASA region, offers her advice on crafting an effective way to introduce yourself
while networking. “Having noticed that the majority of my participants either avoided creating a presentation statement or spent too much time trying
to perfect one,” says Pamela, “I created this three-step tool to assist them with introducing themselves in a simple way that creates rapport and encourages
a good conversation.”
Your networking introduction should naturally lead the other person to ask questions that show an interest in hearing more about you. Once this happens,
you can then go into your presentation statement.
Below are steps that will allow you to craft a clear, concise and value-based networking introduction. Begin by asking yourself three questions:
1. “Who am I?”
How would you like to describe yourself to a new contact? Think about your strengths and the skills you enjoy using the most. In your networking introduction,
you can mention a profession, a role or a skill. Here is an example:
- I’m a project manager
2. “Who do I work with, or want to work with?”
What kinds of organisations or people do you help or work with? For example:
- Cross-cultural teams
3. “What do I help these organisations or people do?”
You can also look at it as, “What problem do I help them solve? What solution do I offer?” For example:
- I work effectively with others to complete projects on time and within budget.
Now pull your three responses together in one sentence. For example:
- I’m a project manager who helps cross-cultural project teams complete projects on time and within budget.
Preparing an effective networking introduction before you start to network will increase your confidence and provide a way to open the door to good conversation
full of valuable information!
