How to Introduce Yourself to a New Team in English

Your first introduction to a new team sets the tone for how people see you. It does not need to be long or perfect. It needs to be clear, friendly and easy to remember. Here is what to include, with sample intros for different situations.

What to include

A good team introduction answers four questions. Keep it to about 30 to 60 seconds when you speak.

1. Who are you? Your name, and how you like to be called. "Hi everyone, I'm Priya. Most people call me Pri."
2. What is your role? Your job title and what you will do, in plain words. "I've joined as a data analyst, so I'll be working on the sales reports."
3. Where are you from (professionally)? One or two lines about your background. "Before this, I spent four years at a logistics company."
4. How can you work together? What you look forward to, or how people can reach you. "I'd love to hear how you use the reports, so please come and say hi."

A personal detail is optional but helpful. One short fact, like a hobby or where you live, gives people something to talk to you about later: "Outside work, I'm a big football fan." Keep it light. Don't share too much in the first meeting.

This is a different job from a job interview intro. In an interview, you sell your experience. With a new team, you want to build trust and connections. If you need the interview version, see how to introduce yourself in a job interview.

Useful phrases for each part

Opening

• "Hi everyone, I'm Daniel. I just joined the team this week."
• "Thanks for having me. I'm Sofia, and I'm the new project coordinator."
• "Hello, I'm Kenji. It's great to finally meet you all."

Your role

• "I'll be looking after..."
• "My main focus will be..."
• "I'll be working closely with [name] on..."
• "I've taken over from [name], so I'll be handling..."

Your background

• "Before joining, I worked at... as a..."
• "I've spent the last few years working on..."
• "My background is mainly in..."

Closing

• "I'm really looking forward to working with you all."
• "I'm still learning how everything works here, so please be patient with my questions."
• "Feel free to reach out any time."

Sample intro 1: In a team meeting

Your manager says, "Let's welcome our new team member. Do you want to say a few words?"

"Thanks, Sarah. Hi everyone, I'm Ahmed. I've joined as a software developer on the payments team. Before this, I spent five years building mobile apps for a bank in Dubai, so I'm excited to work on something customer-facing again. I'm still finding my way around, so I'll probably have lots of questions in the first few weeks. Outside work, I like cooking and I'm always looking for good lunch spots, so recommendations are welcome. Looking forward to working with you all."

Why it works: it is short, it says what he will do, and the lunch line gives people an easy way to start a conversation.

Sample intro 2: One-to-one with a colleague

One-to-one intros are more of a conversation. Say less about yourself and ask more about them.

• You: Hi, are you Maria? I'm Luca. I just started in the marketing team.
• Maria: Oh, welcome! Yes, I'm in sales.
• You: Nice to meet you. Anna said we'll be working together on the product launch.
• Maria: That's right. We usually meet every Tuesday about it.
• You: Great. I'm still getting up to speed, so if there's anything I should read before Tuesday, I'd really appreciate it.
• Maria: Sure, I'll send you the plan.
• You: Thanks. And how long have you been here?

Useful phrases here: "I'm still getting up to speed" (still learning the basics), "What does a typical week look like for you?", and "Who else should I talk to?"

Sample intro 3: On a video call

Video calls need a little extra structure. People can't see your body language well, and there is often a small delay.

• Unmute, smile and wait a second before you start.
• Speak a little slower than normal.
• Say your name clearly, and spell it if it is unusual.
• End with a clear signal, so people know you have finished.

"Hi everyone, can you hear me OK? Great. I'm Mei Lin, that's M-E-I, and I've just joined as the UX designer for the mobile app. I'm based in Singapore, so I'm a few hours ahead of most of you. I'll be running some user interviews over the next month, so you'll probably hear from me soon. I'll drop my email in the chat. That's all from me. Thanks!"

"That's all from me" and "Over to you" are useful endings on a call. For more call language, see English phrases for client and video calls.

Follow-up phrases after the intro

The first intro is only the start. These phrases help you keep the connection going in the first weeks:

• "It was great to meet you this morning. Could we grab a coffee this week?"
• "Would you have 15 minutes to walk me through how your team works?"
• "You mentioned you work on the client reports. Could I ask you a few questions about them?"
• "Thanks for your help yesterday. It made my first week much easier."
• "I'm not sure who to ask about this. Do you know who handles...?"

Getting to know your colleagues

Good questions make people like talking to you. Start with work, then move to light personal topics as you get to know people.

Work questions

• "What are you working on at the moment?"
• "How long have you been on the team?"
• "What's the best way to work with you? Email, chat or a quick call?"
• "Is there anything you wish you'd known in your first month here?"

Light personal questions

• "Did you do anything nice at the weekend?"
• "Have you got any lunch recommendations around here?"
• "Are you from this area originally?"

Avoid questions about salary, age, religion or relationships until you know someone well. For more ideas, read our guide to small talk at work.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Reading your CV aloud. Your team doesn't need every job you've had. One or two lines is enough.
• Speaking too fast because of nerves. Slow down and pause between ideas. It sounds more confident.
• Only saying your title. "I'm the new account manager" doesn't tell people what you do. Add one line: "...so I'll be the main contact for our retail clients."
• Apologising for your English. Avoid opening with "Sorry, my English is not good." It makes people focus on your English instead of on you. If you need someone to repeat, just say, "Sorry, could you say that again?"
• Not asking anything back. In one-to-one intros, ask at least one question about the other person.

Practise this with Katie AI

A self-introduction is one of the easiest things to rehearse before the day. With Katie AI, you can practise your team intro out loud, try the meeting, one-to-one and video call versions, and get corrections on grammar, word choice and pronunciation for every sentence. If first days make you nervous, see the best apps for nervous English speakers.