Speeches about You: Self-Introduction

It’s likely that at some point in your life, you’ll have to do a self-introduction speech, even if it’s not in formal speech format.  People frequently have to introduce themselves to a group. For example, you might be asked the interview question, “Tell me about yourself.” You might be asked to introduce yourself informally to a new group of friends, colleagues at work, or community group or organization. Many of the principles of self-introduction remain the same, no matter what the format.

What Self-Introduction is Not

Make sure not to make the mistake of answering “Tell us about yourself” with a chronological narrative that starts at birth.  A self-introduction is not a biographical list. Most audiences in the present will not care about a list of past events you experienced, or the places you lived, or the jobs you had.  Although that information is about you, it’s so narrowly about you that audiences might have a hard time relating to it.

On the other hand, audiences can relate more easily to who you are currently as a person – your key qualities, something unique in your background, the way you compare yourself to something in the common human experience, or even something interesting about your name.  So in self-introductions, make sure not to fall into the trap of narrowly listing your experiences.

What Self-Introduction Is

A self-introduction speech is your chance to develop ethos or credibility and to give others a chance to learn something that’s key to who you are. You will want to identify a few points about your life, personality, or experience that offer insight into your values, beliefs, or some particular aspect of you. The goal of a self-introduction speech is to make others feel as though they know a little more about you through something they can relate to themselves. Through self-introduction, you can convey competence, integrity, likability, and vigor.

How to Create a Self-Introduction Speech

Decide on a Focus

The main thing to remember is that a speech of self-introduction requires a general theme or purpose. The following list offers different ways of creating that focus:

• Achievements: What have been your greatest successes in life?
• Geographic locations: Have you been shaped by where you grew up or by your culture?
• Important people: Who has made a great impact on you?
• Experience: Has some unique experience shaped your life?
• Activities: Why is a certain activity or hobby meaningful to you?
• Career or work: How are you defined by what you do for an occupation? How did you decide to participate in a certain occupation?
• Values: What key values are important in your life?
• Goals: What’s your overwhelming purpose in your life that defines what you do?
• Object that represents you: What object best represents you?
• Comparisons/Metaphors: What object, person, or place are you most like?
• Key Points: What are two – three main aspects of “you?”
• Name: What’s unique or interesting about your name?
• and more…

The main idea for a self-introduction speech is to have a focus, a “hook” that others can relate to and remember about you.

Here are some videos that show different ways of focusing a self-introduction speech. Note that they are not all perfect examples – they are mostly examples from students new to public speaking, students who will learn to polish public speaking techniques as they complete their studies.

This speaker talks about three key aspects of herself.

Here is the video with accurate captions: Self Introduction Speech (opens in new window).

This speaker focuses on one main theme.

Here is the video with accurate captions: Self-Introduction Speech: Scars and Bruises (opens in new window).

This speaker offers a self-introduction focused on an object that best describes her.

Here is the video with accurate captions: Introduction: an object that represents me (opens in new window).

This speaker introduces herself by using a comparison or metaphor with superheroes.

Here is the video with accurate captions: Public Speaking Self Introduction Speech (opens in new window).

Identify and Develop your Points

Once you have a focus, develop that focus with a few main points.  Since most self-introduction speeches are short, try to stick with just 2-3-4 main points, depending on your time limit.

Note that in each example above, speakers add more details, explanations, and examples after each main point. Given the brief nature of self-introduction speeches, you don’t have to use extended examples.  Add just enough so that your audience can understand and relate to your ideas.

Finalize your Structure

Make sure to have an effective introduction. Self-introduction speeches should begin with an introduction that introduces the speech’s focus, as opposed to listing the speaker’s biographical information.

Work on your conclusion.  The conclusion should summarize the main focus of the speech.

Add transitions, or linking words to show when you’re moving from one point to the next in the body of the speech, and when you’re moving to the conclusion.