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NETWORKING. Presentation and self-introduction. Business connections.
I don’t know how to present myself. How can I do it right?
How to Talk About Yourself Clearly and Engagingly — Even If You Don’t Like “Selling Yourself”
— What do you do for a living?
You walk into a meeting. You introduce yourself. And at some point, the question comes up:
— What do you do?
And that’s when it starts…
I begin to answer. My voice sounds fine, but inside the tension is already rising. It’s like a slight trembling in my chest. My cheeks start to warm up. Somewhere around my neck — that familiar tingling. I can feel myself blushing.
I try to explain. I want the other person to understand how I can be useful. I start from afar, go into details, give examples. I stumble over words. I either say too much or, наоборот, stay too vague. And all this time there’s a voice inside: “you’re saying it wrong again.” My hands get a little cold, and my palms turn damp.
The other person nods. Politely. But the interest fades. I lose the moment. And then comes irritation. At myself. At the situation. At the fact that it didn’t work again.
Because I do have something to say. I have experience. Cases. Results. I really can be useful. But talking about myself simply and confidently — that’s the part that doesn’t work. Because I’m not a salesperson. I’m an expert. And this “I don’t know how to present myself” stands between me and the right person once again.
Being able to talk about yourself in a way that engages people — that’s a skill in itself.
Here’s the point: you don’t have to be a salesperson. But if you can’t clearly and briefly explain what you do and the value you bring, you won’t be remembered — and you definitely won’t be recommended.
What helps:
One sentence that includes who you are, who you help, and what your superpower is;
Examples: — I work with teams that are stuck — I help them align and move forward; — I’m a lawyer who speaks the language of developers. I help close IT deals faster; — I’m a marketer who speaks the language of sales. We figure out what actually works — and do more of it; — I create presentations that close deals. Even if your “chart slide” is a mess; — I’m a mentor for C-level and C-1 executives (e.g., CFOs). I speak through numbers — but about freedom and strategy; — I work with products that are “stuck.” I help teams identify bottlenecks — and relaunch.
Being a hero is a job. And it’s a hard one.
Let me remind myself once again, “unique and contemplative” as I am: start with a sentence that sounds confident. One that reflects the real you.
The kind of sentence that helps others understand why they might come to you.
And why you’re not just another expert, but someone they actually want to keep talking to.
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