At one of London's finest clubs, Les Ambassadeurs, a glamorous woman is losing thousands of pounds to a well-dressed gentleman playing chemin de fer.
"I admire your courage, Miss.. er?" says a low, smooth voice.
"Trench," she replies. "Sylvia Trench.
And I admire your luck, Mr..?"
"Bond," says the gentleman, lighting a cigarette. "James Bond."
"Mr. Bond, I suppose you wouldn't care to raise the limit?"
"I have no objection," he says, with a hint of a smile.
After Ms. Trench loses her next hand, a man taps Bond on his shoulder, who politely excuses himself. As he makes for the exit, he books dinner with Ms. Trench and casually tips the doorman on the way out.
This is the opening scene of the first ever 007 movie, “Dr No.”
I bring it up because it’s the best intro to a character I’ve ever seen. In under 2 minutes, you know EVERYTHING you need to know about James Bond: smooth, debonair, and an appetite for high-risk.
My question for you:
When you introduce yourself - in an interview, to your favourite singer backstage, to your new colleagues, or on a first date - are you doing it as effectively as Bond, cutting to the essence of who you are and what you do?
Or are you making yourself look boring and bland?
The unfortunate reality is... most of us suck at introductions. We fumble, we ramble, we undersell ourselves.
And in a world where first impressions can make or break opportunities, that's a problem.
But don't worry. I've got your back.
I’ve put together some key ideas that will make sure you introduce yourself the right way in all kinds of situations you’ll find yourself in: at work, parties, or get-togethers with friends of friends.
🐦 Don’t get pidgeon-holed
When most people introduce themselves, they launch straight into their job title and where they work.
But here’s the thing:
When you say, “I’m a data analyst”, or “I’m a banker,” the other person is immediately gonna bucket you into their preconceived notion of that profession.
Instead?
Give them something that’ll activate their imagination:
- ❌ Bad: I’m a software engineer at Resume Worded.
- ✅ Good: I build tools for job seekers at a fun little startup called resume worded; it’s been cool! I’m technically an engineer by trade, but because of the role I find myself really in the weeds with product and design work which I’m starting to find I’m good at.
How do you do this?
📖 Tell a micro-story
Stories are “sticky” in the brain, because it’s how humans learn. So, if you want to be remembered, tell your “elevator pitch” in the form of a story.
But remember:
You want your story to be original.
- ❌ Bad: I moved to NYC for work, and I’m a data scientist at Resume Worded
That story’s boring because EVERYONE in New York moved to New York for work. This one’s much better:
- ✅ Good: I'm a bit of a third culture kid. Grew up in Singapore and London, which explains my funny accent. Decided to move to New York for the energy and ended up falling in love with data science.
🎣 Think of “hooks”
To make the convo afterwards easier, I always try to fill my intro stories with “hooks” - interesting nuggets that give the person an easy opportunity to ask follow-up questions.
If you don’t do this, it turns the exchange into a dead-end.
E.g
Q: “What do you do?”
- ❌ Bad: “I’m a financial lawyer.”
- ✅ Good: D’ya ever see that movie Dark Waters, about the guy who took Dupont to court for millions of dollars? Well, I’m kinda like that guy, only far less stressed & famous, but for the banking industry.
One kills the convo. One starts it.
Worst-case scenario, your hooks give the other person more small-talk fodder. Best-case, it gets them so curious they can’t stop themselves asking more.
🗺️ Highlight your unique journey
Everyone has a story. The key is finding the parts that make yours stand out.
If you're a stay-at-home mom returning to work, don't try to hide it. Lean in. It's what makes you even more interesting:
"I took a few years off to focus on raising my kids, and it was incredibly rewarding. But as they grew, I missed the challenge of my career. So I pivoted into marketing, blending my creativity with newfound strategic skills. It's been an exciting journey of rediscovery."
Or maybe you've had an unconventional career path:
"I started out as a barista, believe it or not. That experience taught me so much about customer service and efficiency. Now, I apply those skills to my work in project management, making sure…"
Some interesting tidbits you could weave into your story:
- Countries or cities you've lived in: "I've called three continents home..."
- An unusual hobby: "When I'm not crunching numbers, I'm usually rock climbing..."
- A volunteer experience: "I spend my weekends doing..."
- A personal challenge you've overcome: "After recovering from a major injury..."
- An unexpected skill: "My theater background surprisingly comes in handy in board meetings..."
🫵 Your exercise today
To help you craft the perfect micro-story with hooks, write down a few of the most interesting or unusual things about your career journey so far. Think…what’s interesting about my story?
Send me one or two things you come up with by replying to this :’) I’d love to learn a little bit more about our readers plus you’ll get elements of your intro story ready for the next time you meet someone new. Win-win!
