Me in 30 Seconds

As I talked about yesterday, it's important to have a prepared 30-second introduction – this is mine.  Remember, though that each time is different, depending on the person and the situation.  Below are two general examples of what I might say in two different situations.

So without further ado, I give you –

Paco In 30 Seconds!*

1.  Informational Interview
Scenario 1 is for an informational interview.  These are interviews I've set up beforehand.  I've never actually met these people, but I have emailed them to introduce myself, inform them that I'm coming, and why.  This 30 second introduction is to reintroduce myself, and let them know where I'd like the conversation to go.  I walk into their office, shake their hand, and when we sit down, I say, “Let me tell you a little about my situation:”

I've been teaching English to international students for the past 6 years, and I'm currently working on the NACADA Master's degree in Academic Advising through Kansas State University.  I'll be done in December,  and I'm looking at full-time advising positions at colleges or universities, preferably working with non-traditional students.  What I'm doing is learning more about what I should be doing to be marketable when there are openings at schools like this one.

From there, we just go wherever the conversation leads.  I have some questions in mind, but with a good introduction, things just seem to fall into place.

2.  Introductions at a Conference
This is a new one for me, but it's what I worked out at the recent advising conference.  At the breakfast or lunch table, before a meeting started, or even while standing in line, I would look at another person's name tag, say their name, and ask them which school they worked for.  This would inevitably lead to them asking my name and my school.  This left a perfect opening for my introduction as follows:

I'm not actually with any school.  I'm getting my Master's degree in Academic Advising through Kansas State University, and am looking for an advising job right now.  I've been working with international students for the past 6 years at a private ESL school, but am trying to make the transition to full-time advising at a college.  I'm at the conference to meet other advisors, hear their experiences, etc.  How did you get into advising?

From there, I would learn more about their experience, and they would ask more about my story and hopefully they would remember me as that one guy who crashed the advising conference.  It worked at least once, as I received an email from one of them yesterday, telling me of a job opening.

So there you go.  This is me.  I wouldn't recommend plagiarizing my exact introduction, but I hope this helps you see how to do it.


*Actually, when I timed these, they were more like 18 seconds.