How to Introduce Yourself at a New Job

This illustration depicts making introductions at a new job including "Familiarize yourself with the company organization chart," "Ask your superior to introduce you," "Or introduce yourself," and "Send a follow-up introduction email." — Photo:
Brooke Pelczynski / The Balance

Whether you're the new kid on the block at a company with five employees or 50, introductions can be difficult. However, properly introducing yourself is a very important step in building both professional and personal relationships with your coworkers.

Note

You first should find out if your hiring manager is planning on sending out an email or introducing you at a team meeting.

Then you will know your next steps, but ultimately it should be up to the human resources department or your supervisor to initiate early introductions. If he or she doesn’t follow through, then you may need to take matters into your own hands.

If that's the case, be proactive by implementing some or all of these tips for introducing yourself at your new job.

01 of 07

Ask for a Round of Introductions

Business people shaking hands as a way of introduction in a meeting. — Caia Images / Getty Images

If you haven't been introduced to everyone already, don't be afraid to ask your supervisor if he or she is willing to introduce you to people. You can broach it casually, so as not to sound demanding or upset.

Just say, “I’ve started getting a feel for who works here and who I’ll be working with, but I’m still a little unclear. Would you have 10 minutes or so for a round of introductions this morning?”

02 of 07

Take the Initiative to Introduce Yourself

A man and a woman shaking hands in a cafe. — Sued Hang / Getty Images

If your supervisor is inaccessible, use your common sense (or ask around) to figure out who you likely will be interacting with and then introduce yourself to them in person if possible. If you work at a small company, it should be relatively easy to figure out who you’ll be collaborating with on a day-to-day basis.

Once you establish that much, be sure to introduce yourself in person and be as friendly and as engaging as possible. Your introduction can be simple. You should, of course, state your name and the role you are taking on. It also can be helpful to share a tidbit of your experience (like where you last worked and what you did there), so your coworkers can get a sense of your perspective and processes. It's common to also share one or two personal "fun" facts, such as your kids' names or a hobby.

The elevator pitch—a pitch no longer than the time it takes to ride an elevator—you may have used when job searching will work well for quick introductions.

03 of 07

Ask for an Organization Chart

It will give you a clear idea of who you will be reporting to, who you will be managing, and who you will be working with laterally. If you work at a large company, the structure of your organization may not be immediately apparent.

Don’t be afraid to approach your contact in human resources to ask if he or she can provide an "org chart" so you can get a sense of who you’ll be reporting to and who you might be managing.

04 of 07

Acknowledge Everyone in Your Workplace

Business people speaking casually in a break area. — XiXi Xing / Getty Images

Ask your supervisor who you will be interacting with most often and take extra care to make a good impression.

Make yourself available for any questions they might have about you and be receptive to any feedback or insights they might have on your role and your future working relationship. It might even be a good idea to ask coworkers who you’ll work with closely to get a coffee, lunch, or a drink after work to get to know them in a slightly less formal setting.

At the same time, start on a good foot and make an effort to acknowledge everyone in your workplace, even if it’s just with a smile and a hello.

05 of 07

Send a Follow-Up Email

Female architect working at laptop in office — Hero Images / Getty Images

You don't have to follow up with every single individual, but after you are introduced to people who you will be working with closely, it's always a good idea to send along a note.

It doesn't have to be complicated:

Hi Susan,

It was great to meet you today! Thank you for the background information you provided.

I look forward to working with you, and please do reach out if you can think of anything else that would be useful to me or if you have any questions.

Best,

Janna

06 of 07

Follow a Similar Approach if Your Job Is Remote

Young woman on a video conference using laptop working at home — Oscar Wong / Getty Images

When your job is remote, being introduced to coworkers is just as important—if not more so—than with an in-person job. Even if most of your communications happen over email, chat programs, and video meetings, you'll still need to know the names and titles of the people you interact with frequently, and feel comfortable talking with them.

Hopefully, your manager will send email introductions to your whole team and to other key people who you'll be collaborating with. If not, use the same strategies as above—request an introduction. Then, you can set up quick meetings over video chat or the phone, or use chat programs to have "getting to know you" conversations.

07 of 07

Don't Be Offended If You Aren't Introduced to Everyone

Business people shaking hands. — Eric Audras / Getty Images

Don’t take it personally if not everyone has time for introductions. People are busy, and depending on their status in the company, they may not even be aware of (or involved in) the hiring process for your position.

That being said, you may feel there’s someone you need to meet. Whether it's someone who will be making decisions about your pay and promotions later on, is in your department, is important to get your work done, or was involved in your interview process, don’t hesitate to reach out to your supervisor or human resources contact and ask for, at the least, an email introduction.

Was this page helpful?

Thanks for your feedback!

Tell us why!