Introducing yourself without mentioning your job
Not so long ago, I always said: “Hi, I am Adeline and I am the editor-in-chief of two online magazines.” But when that suddenly was no longer the case, I didn't know what to say for a moment. Freelance writer, self-employed or maybe just that I am addicted to ice pops? I had a big fat error. It created some rather special situations during a meeting, by the way.
My work is part of my identity, there is of course nothing wrong with that. But I am still more than my name and my job? I can never get enough of a slightly out-of-hand evening with friends. I make an attempt to learn Greek, but I am still on page ten of the book. At 32, I suddenly decided to get a tattoo during a trip to Copenhagen. I am known for my love of food and wine. Preferably, I plan my next trip during my travels. On vacation, I read one book every two days. And all of this says more about me than what kind of work I do.
In the whole spiel before this, I haven't even talked about love, about family or about my friends. All things that say something about you and me as a person. Is it because we live in a society where your job gives you status or is it because we become our work for at least 40 hours a week? It's as if you hang a success label on yourself during an introduction and when I think about it a bit longer, that's quite strange.
Work has become status, explains Marjolein ten Hoonte, director of the labor market and CSR at Randstad Groep Nederland, to evajinek.nl. Industrialization could be the cause, as we have been working longer hours since that time. But research shows that no less than 80 percent of working people do not derive their joy of life from work. So why on earth would you start a meeting by saying what job you have?
I think it's time for a challenge. Try not to introduce yourself with your name and your job the next five times at an introduction . I am considering saying “Hi, I am Adeline and I have started watching Friends for the first time in my 34-year life this month.” Or: “Adeline, nice to meet you. I am really quite skilled at drinking wine on a terrace.” I wonder how people will react to that. Although I think it would be very pleasant to talk to someone like that, but who am I?
