introduction for recruitment essay

Get science-backed answers as you write with Paperpal's Research feature

How to Write an Essay Introduction (with Examples)   

The introduction of an essay plays a critical role in engaging the reader and providing contextual information about the topic. It sets the stage for the rest of the essay, establishes the tone and style, and motivates the reader to continue reading. 

Table of Contents

What is an essay introduction , what to include in an essay introduction, how to create an essay structure , step-by-step process for writing an essay introduction , how to write an introduction paragraph , how to write a hook for your essay , how to include background information , how to write a thesis statement .

• Argumentative Essay Introduction Example: 
• Expository Essay Introduction Example 

Literary Analysis Essay Introduction Example

Check and revise – checklist for essay introduction , key takeaways , frequently asked questions .

An introduction is the opening section of an essay, paper, or other written work. It introduces the topic and provides background information, context, and an overview of what the reader can expect from the rest of the work. 1 The key is to be concise and to the point, providing enough information to engage the reader without delving into excessive detail. 

The essay introduction is crucial as it sets the tone for the entire piece and provides the reader with a roadmap of what to expect. Here are key elements to include in your essay introduction: 

• Hook : Start with an attention-grabbing statement or question to engage the reader. This could be a surprising fact, a relevant quote, or a compelling anecdote. 
• Background information : Provide context and background information to help the reader understand the topic. This can include historical information, definitions of key terms, or an overview of the current state of affairs related to your topic. 
• Thesis statement : Clearly state your main argument or position on the topic. Your thesis should be concise and specific, providing a clear direction for your essay. 

Before we get into how to write an essay introduction, we need to know how it is structured. The structure of an essay is crucial for organizing your thoughts and presenting them clearly and logically. It is divided as follows: 2  

• Introduction:  The introduction should grab the reader’s attention with a hook, provide context, and include a thesis statement that presents the main argument or purpose of the essay.  
• Body:  The body should consist of focused paragraphs that support your thesis statement using evidence and analysis. Each paragraph should concentrate on a single central idea or argument and provide evidence, examples, or analysis to back it up.  
• Conclusion:  The conclusion should summarize the main points and restate the thesis differently. End with a final statement that leaves a lasting impression on the reader. Avoid new information or arguments. 

Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to write an essay introduction: 

• Start with a Hook : Begin your introduction paragraph with an attention-grabbing statement, question, quote, or anecdote related to your topic. The hook should pique the reader’s interest and encourage them to continue reading. 
• Provide Background Information : This helps the reader understand the relevance and importance of the topic. 
• State Your Thesis Statement : The last sentence is the main argument or point of your essay. It should be clear, concise, and directly address the topic of your essay. 
• Preview the Main Points : This gives the reader an idea of what to expect and how you will support your thesis. 
• Keep it Concise and Clear : Avoid going into too much detail or including information not directly relevant to your topic. 
• Revise : Revise your introduction after you’ve written the rest of your essay to ensure it aligns with your final argument. 

Here’s an example of an essay introduction paragraph about the importance of education: 

Education is often viewed as a fundamental human right and a key social and economic development driver. As Nelson Mandela once famously said, “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” It is the key to unlocking a wide range of opportunities and benefits for individuals, societies, and nations. In today’s constantly evolving world, education has become even more critical. It has expanded beyond traditional classroom learning to include digital and remote learning, making education more accessible and convenient. This essay will delve into the importance of education in empowering individuals to achieve their dreams, improving societies by promoting social justice and equality, and driving economic growth by developing a skilled workforce and promoting innovation. 

This introduction paragraph example includes a hook (the quote by Nelson Mandela), provides some background information on education, and states the thesis statement (the importance of education). 

This is one of the key steps in how to write an essay introduction. Crafting a compelling hook is vital because it sets the tone for your entire essay and determines whether your readers will stay interested. A good hook draws the reader in and sets the stage for the rest of your essay.  

• Avoid Dry Fact : Instead of simply stating a bland fact, try to make it engaging and relevant to your topic. For example, if you’re writing about the benefits of exercise, you could start with a startling statistic like, “Did you know that regular exercise can increase your lifespan by up to seven years?” 
• Avoid Using a Dictionary Definition : While definitions can be informative, they’re not always the most captivating way to start an essay. Instead, try to use a quote, anecdote, or provocative question to pique the reader’s interest. For instance, if you’re writing about freedom, you could begin with a quote from a famous freedom fighter or philosopher. 
• Do Not Just State a Fact That the Reader Already Knows : This ties back to the first point—your hook should surprise or intrigue the reader. For Here’s an introduction paragraph example, if you’re writing about climate change, you could start with a thought-provoking statement like, “Despite overwhelming evidence, many people still refuse to believe in the reality of climate change.” 

Including background information in the introduction section of your essay is important to provide context and establish the relevance of your topic. When writing the background information, you can follow these steps: 

• Start with a General Statement:  Begin with a general statement about the topic and gradually narrow it down to your specific focus. For example, when discussing the impact of social media, you can begin by making a broad statement about social media and its widespread use in today’s society, as follows: “Social media has become an integral part of modern life, with billions of users worldwide.” 
• Define Key Terms : Define any key terms or concepts that may be unfamiliar to your readers but are essential for understanding your argument. 
• Provide Relevant Statistics:  Use statistics or facts to highlight the significance of the issue you’re discussing. For instance, “According to a report by Statista, the number of social media users is expected to reach 4.41 billion by 2025.” 
• Discuss the Evolution:  Mention previous research or studies that have been conducted on the topic, especially those that are relevant to your argument. Mention key milestones or developments that have shaped its current impact. You can also outline some of the major effects of social media. For example, you can briefly describe how social media has evolved, including positives such as increased connectivity and issues like cyberbullying and privacy concerns. 
• Transition to Your Thesis:  Use the background information to lead into your thesis statement, which should clearly state the main argument or purpose of your essay. For example, “Given its pervasive influence, it is crucial to examine the impact of social media on mental health.” 

A thesis statement is a concise summary of the main point or claim of an essay, research paper, or other type of academic writing. It appears near the end of the introduction. Here’s how to write a thesis statement: 

• Identify the topic:  Start by identifying the topic of your essay. For example, if your essay is about the importance of exercise for overall health, your topic is “exercise.” 
• State your position:  Next, state your position or claim about the topic. This is the main argument or point you want to make. For example, if you believe that regular exercise is crucial for maintaining good health, your position could be: “Regular exercise is essential for maintaining good health.” 
• Support your position:  Provide a brief overview of the reasons or evidence that support your position. These will be the main points of your essay. For example, if you’re writing an essay about the importance of exercise, you could mention the physical health benefits, mental health benefits, and the role of exercise in disease prevention. 
• Make it specific:  Ensure your thesis statement clearly states what you will discuss in your essay. For example, instead of saying, “Exercise is good for you,” you could say, “Regular exercise, including cardiovascular and strength training, can improve overall health and reduce the risk of chronic diseases.” 

Examples of essay introduction 

Here are examples of essay introductions for different types of essays: 

Argumentative Essay Introduction Example:  

Topic: Should the voting age be lowered to 16? 

“The question of whether the voting age should be lowered to 16 has sparked nationwide debate. While some argue that 16-year-olds lack the requisite maturity and knowledge to make informed decisions, others argue that doing so would imbue young people with agency and give them a voice in shaping their future.” 

Expository Essay Introduction Example  

Topic: The benefits of regular exercise 

“In today’s fast-paced world, the importance of regular exercise cannot be overstated. From improving physical health to boosting mental well-being, the benefits of exercise are numerous and far-reaching. This essay will examine the various advantages of regular exercise and provide tips on incorporating it into your daily routine.” 

Text: “To Kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee 

“Harper Lee’s novel, ‘To Kill a Mockingbird,’ is a timeless classic that explores themes of racism, injustice, and morality in the American South. Through the eyes of young Scout Finch, the reader is taken on a journey that challenges societal norms and forces characters to confront their prejudices. This essay will analyze the novel’s use of symbolism, character development, and narrative structure to uncover its deeper meaning and relevance to contemporary society.” 

• Engaging and Relevant First Sentence : The opening sentence captures the reader’s attention and relates directly to the topic. 
• Background Information : Enough background information is introduced to provide context for the thesis statement. 
• Definition of Important Terms : Key terms or concepts that might be unfamiliar to the audience or are central to the argument are defined. 
• Clear Thesis Statement : The thesis statement presents the main point or argument of the essay. 
• Relevance to Main Body : Everything in the introduction directly relates to and sets up the discussion in the main body of the essay. 

Writing a strong introduction is crucial for setting the tone and context of your essay. Here are the key takeaways for how to write essay introduction: 3  

• Hook the Reader : Start with an engaging hook to grab the reader’s attention. This could be a compelling question, a surprising fact, a relevant quote, or an anecdote. 
• Provide Background : Give a brief overview of the topic, setting the context and stage for the discussion. 
• Thesis Statement : State your thesis, which is the main argument or point of your essay. It should be concise, clear, and specific. 
• Preview the Structure : Outline the main points or arguments to help the reader understand the organization of your essay. 
• Keep it Concise : Avoid including unnecessary details or information not directly related to your thesis. 
• Revise and Edit : Revise your introduction to ensure clarity, coherence, and relevance. Check for grammar and spelling errors. 
• Seek Feedback : Get feedback from peers or instructors to improve your introduction further. 

The purpose of an essay introduction is to give an overview of the topic, context, and main ideas of the essay. It is meant to engage the reader, establish the tone for the rest of the essay, and introduce the thesis statement or central argument.  

An essay introduction typically ranges from 5-10% of the total word count. For example, in a 1,000-word essay, the introduction would be roughly 50-100 words. However, the length can vary depending on the complexity of the topic and the overall length of the essay.

An essay introduction is critical in engaging the reader and providing contextual information about the topic. To ensure its effectiveness, consider incorporating these key elements: a compelling hook, background information, a clear thesis statement, an outline of the essay’s scope, a smooth transition to the body, and optional signposting sentences.  

The process of writing an essay introduction is not necessarily straightforward, but there are several strategies that can be employed to achieve this end. When experiencing difficulty initiating the process, consider the following techniques: begin with an anecdote, a quotation, an image, a question, or a startling fact to pique the reader’s interest. It may also be helpful to consider the five W’s of journalism: who, what, when, where, why, and how.   For instance, an anecdotal opening could be structured as follows: “As I ascended the stage, momentarily blinded by the intense lights, I could sense the weight of a hundred eyes upon me, anticipating my next move. The topic of discussion was climate change, a subject I was passionate about, and it was my first public speaking event. Little did I know , that pivotal moment would not only alter my perspective but also chart my life’s course.” 

Crafting a compelling thesis statement for your introduction paragraph is crucial to grab your reader’s attention. To achieve this, avoid using overused phrases such as “In this paper, I will write about” or “I will focus on” as they lack originality. Instead, strive to engage your reader by substantiating your stance or proposition with a “so what” clause. While writing your thesis statement, aim to be precise, succinct, and clear in conveying your main argument.  

To create an effective essay introduction, ensure it is clear, engaging, relevant, and contains a concise thesis statement. It should transition smoothly into the essay and be long enough to cover necessary points but not become overwhelming. Seek feedback from peers or instructors to assess its effectiveness. 

References  

• Cui, L. (2022). Unit 6 Essay Introduction.  Building Academic Writing Skills . 
• West, H., Malcolm, G., Keywood, S., & Hill, J. (2019). Writing a successful essay.  Journal of Geography in Higher Education ,  43 (4), 609-617. 
• Beavers, M. E., Thoune, D. L., & McBeth, M. (2023). Bibliographic Essay: Reading, Researching, Teaching, and Writing with Hooks: A Queer Literacy Sponsorship. College English, 85(3), 230-242. 

Paperpal is a comprehensive AI writing toolkit that helps students and researchers achieve 2x the writing in half the time. It leverages 21+ years of STM experience and insights from millions of research articles to provide in-depth academic writing, language editing, and submission readiness support to help you write better, faster.  

Get accurate academic translations, rewriting support, grammar checks, vocabulary suggestions, and generative AI assistance that delivers human precision at machine speed. Try for free or upgrade to Paperpal Prime starting at US$19 a month to access premium features, including consistency, plagiarism, and 30+ submission readiness checks to help you succeed.  

Experience the future of academic writing – Sign up to Paperpal and start writing for free!  

Related Reads:

• What is an Argumentative Essay? How to Write It (With Examples)
• How to Paraphrase Research Papers Effectively
• How to Cite Social Media Sources in Academic Writing? 
• How Long Should a Chapter Be?

Similarity Checks: The Author’s Guide to Plagiarism and Responsible Writing

Types of plagiarism and 6 tips to avoid it in your writing , you may also like, how to write a high-quality conference paper, how paperpal’s research feature helps you develop and..., how paperpal is enhancing academic productivity and accelerating..., academic editing: how to self-edit academic text with..., 4 ways paperpal encourages responsible writing with ai, what are scholarly sources and where can you..., how to write a hypothesis types and examples , what is academic writing: tips for students, what is hedging in academic writing  , how to use ai to enhance your college....

Human Resources Recruiting Essay

Introduction Significantly, it is vital to mention some of the functional areas embraced within the human resource field, which include recruiting and staffing, benefits and compensation, employee relations, as well as human resource compliance, organisational design, in addition to training and development, as well as human resource information systems and payrolls (Yanadori, 2014). In normal cases, this wide array of field tend to require on individual who has attained tremendous amounts of work within their career, to be more capable of integrating all these mentioned functions within their mission, vision as well relative business objectives of any given organisation (Rodgers, 2016). Below is elucidations of what some of the functional areas embrace. Recruiting and staffing The Human Resource (HR) professional works with hiring managers in a company to create action plans mostly for hiring a diversified workforce. This normally embrace, and not limited to: sourcing for candidates; posting open jobs; screening resume as well as applications; conduct telephone interviews; schedule in-houses interviews; conduct appropriate background checks on applicants; recommend appropriate compensation packages; make offers as well as prepare offer letters in addition to benefits information; conduct new employee orientation programs; as well as make sure that every new employee is enrolled within the organization’s benefits program.

Benefits The HR ensures the appropriate coordination with the relative benefit brokers to frequently review every employer-sponsored benefit plans for the renewal as well as compliance; conduct open enrollment educational meetings with the employees; ensure that every employee is enrolled as well as terminated from every benefit program; and assist the management with the coordination of employee’s compensations (Rodgers, 2016).

Compensation The HR is often involved in aiding hiring managers with starting and updating job descriptions as well as maintain them frequently; review the salary survey information to ensure that the organization is paying its employees competitively in the market; maintain internal hierarchy in relation to pay; develop as well as maintain salary administration plans for the company; make recommendations in relation to pay, meriting increases, salary structure maintenance among others; write as well as recommend variable compensation plans; ensure that the company is complying with the numerous wage as well as hour laws; implement as well as maintain creative performance evaluation systems for every employee (Yanadori, 2014).

Employee Relations HR professionals are often associated with maintaining every employment-related issues within a company. As such, they tend to promote ‘open door’ environments with every employee as well as act as active ‘listeners’ employees’ needs besides concerns without disregarding and taking ownership for their relative issues. Additionally, they also appear to work alongside the management to proactively resolve any employee relation matters, conducting investigations as well as making recommendations for the relevant resolution; documenting disciplinary actions in addition to making recommendations while regarding non-monetary rewards as well as recognition. Thus, HR professionals are actively tangled in employee terminations as well as tend to comprehend the unemployment claims in addition to appealing processes. As such, most inclined to conduct exit interviews with terminating workers and providing information in relation to the continuation of the relevant benefits after employment.

HR Compliance Most HR professionals ensure that companies are compliant with the relative employment-related regulations as well as requirements from the federal, state as well as local perspective. Hence, this often embraces ensuring employee policies as per the employee handbook; employee file maintenance, in addition to completion of every verification of employment, and reference checks among others for the past as well as present employees.

Organizational design This function involves strategically aiding the management teams with furthering the linking mission, vision as well as business objectives of the company via a solid organisational structure, which is paramount (Rodgers, 2016). HR professionals will usually maintain every organizational chart; making recommendations as to alterations within the involved structure that can benefit the organization; comprehending how to manage the relevant ‘white spaces’ on the company charts; tracking turnover rates as well as reasons; developing career ladders in job specifications; succession planning, in addition to promoting active employee engagement activities within the entire organization.

Training and development Most HR professionals recommend and develop as well as conduct training in addition to development programs for the whole company to embrace: anti-harassment as well as discrimination avoidance, diversity, business communication skills and client service skills among others. Additionally, most tend to work alongside managers to develop and implement on-the-job training prospects for every employee and track every training program as well as employee participation, in addition, to follow-ups with the managers and the employees to evaluate usage of the skills learnt and assessing the additional training resources and needs.

Human Resource Information Systems (HRIS) and Payroll The HR frequently reviews the requirements of the company in relation to payroll as well as HRIS. Subsequently, they often evaluate and assess the requirement for necessary upgrades and newer systems among others. As such, the HR better comprehends the payroll regulations and is capable of processing payroll in addition to utilising the HRIS to the fullest extents. While the functional areas, as mentioned above, appear to be the fundamental HR related areas, there exist other tasks in every area, which can be considered depending on the organisation (Yanadori, 2014). As such, this paper intends to look at the aspect of compensation as the chosen functional area in relation to the task’s requirement. This is because the compensation aspect plays a critical and huge role in aligning every employees’ behaviour with the organisation’s objectives. Hence, since the industrial age, there has been attributes such as the four Ms of company management that is Man, Material, Machine and Money, which are believed to contribute to an organisation’s success. As such, among these attribute, man has been mostly considered to be the most vital aspect that contributes to the organisational effectiveness as well as efficiency. Therefore, it is paramount that HRs acknowledge as well as announce the entire compensation to the relative employees, which ought to be done effectively so that the importance of what the HR is putting forth in compensations are clear and thus tend to attract and retain talent (Rodgers, 2016). Bryant, P. C., & Allen, D. G. (2013). Compensation, benefits and employee turnover: HR strategies for retaining top talent. Compensation & Benefits Review, 45(3), 171-175. This source has been chosen since employee turnover is often recognised as a costly and a disruptive. Hence, the authors mention that the costs of employee turnover usually exceeds 100% of the yearly salary for most vacated positions. However, managers are usually unaware of the relative full range of the tools as well as tactics that are available for effectively managing the employee turnover. Additionally, Bryant & Allen elucidate more on the relative direct financial costs of losing employees, which mostly tends to result in work disruptions, losing the organisational memory along with the relevant tactics and strategies. Thus, other attributes also include losses in the productivity and client services, loss of mentors, as well as minimised diversity and turnover contagion where other highly valued employees tend to follow the leavers out the door. The article also mentions that even when the tougher labour markets appear to prevent numerous employees from moving, there are possibilities of ‘penting-up’ turnover. Thus, when the job markets tend to improve, several employees can engage in looking for newer alternatives. The authors conclude by mentioning that despite the significance of successfully managing employee turnover, numerous retention efforts can be grounded on managerial gut instincts rather than research evidence. This qualitative study has synthesised its research on the relative employee turnover into the practical strategies for the HR managers. Hu, T. F. (2016). HRIR 6501: Compensation and Benefits Spring 2016. Compensation is perceived as an aspect that belongs to a sophisticated topic, which provides the main reason for the source selection. Hence, the author instigates that compensation does not only embrace salaries but inclusive of the direct as well as indirect rewards and relevant benefits that are provided to the employee in return for their relative contributions to the company. Subsequently, this qualitative research identifies compensations and the relevant aspects that companies ought to develop within their compensations as well as rewards programs. Hence, the program is expected to outline equitable processes for compensating the employees. Nonetheless, well-structure programs tend to possess a good balance of wages, the benefits as well as rewards in support to the organisation in maintaining its competitive spirit in the contemporary labour markets as well as ensuring sustainability in the speculated future. Additionally, Hu mentions that the appropriate compensation, as well as benefit schemes, often ensure that the hard-working employees are properly rewarded fairly beside in the most cost-effective ways for a company. Hence, this, in turn, motivates the employees to effectively sustain their performance. Nonetheless, the relevant compensation, benefits as well as reward schemes, which HR professionals incline to manage are significant for retaining and motivating the employees, and attracting new individuals to the company as well. Therefore, salary and the incentive packages are just one of the major reasons why individuals apply for some specific jobs. Hence, the study concludes by mentioning that the more attractive compensation in addition to benefit schemes, which appear to generate and develop more interest in newer positions. May, R., & Casey, P. (2014). Principles of an effective workers’ compensation system. Precedent (Sydney, NSW), (125), 31. Notably, it is usually the ability to attain results that are most critical to the organisation’s success and because of this reason this source has been considered for review. The contemporary system of employees’ compensation is sophisticated as well as arcane in producing grief to HR professionals who must deal with it every single day. However, such often cumbersome regulations and laws are ultimately significant to the society they appear, in every form that it takes, within every industrialised nation. The authors look into the employee’s regulations over the years, which demonstrates the failures of historical alternatives to the formal employees’ compensation systems that tend to meet either the aims of social justice or the economic efficiency. Subsequently, within the research, there is the mention of designing processes that are initiated by determining the desired outcomes as well as goals of the organisation. Hence, this is usually considered as developing the organisation’s compensation philosophy. Thus, the philosophy can be formed by considering numerous aspects. Additionally, the balance of direct as well as indirect rewards, the sophistication and responsibility of roles and the employees filling it, and the focus on the internal and external equity are some of the aspects that have been explored within the research. May & Casey mention that in determining effective compensation systems, the uniqueness of every employee ought to be taken into consideration. Individuals possess varying needs and reasons for working and the most considerable compensation will often meet such individuals’ needs. Therefore, to an as larger extent, adequate and fair compensation schemes are in the minds of employees. Additionally, good compensation schemes embrace a balance between the internal equity as well as external competitiveness. Nonetheless, compensations and benefits possess an impact on the productivity as well as the happiness of employees, and the ability of the organisation to effectively and efficiently attain its goals. The authors conclude their research by mentioning that it is to the HR’s advantage to ensure that the employees are creatively compensated as well as knowledgeable of their benefits.

Summary and Recommendations For compensation to be taken as a motivational aspect, it needs to be a variable, which the above-mentioned studies have clearly stated within their methodology. As such, the given studies have confirmed that compensation tends to vary proportionally to the outcome, target and goals that have mutually established. Nonetheless, the studies have considered compensation as a strategic matter (Yanadori, 2014). Therefore, HR professionals ought to design as well as develop compensations and reward systems to attract the right individuals for the right tasks. Subsequently, they would be expected to implement such systems effectively to ensure retention and utilise the system for talent management. Hence, compensation is one of the utilised technique for talent attraction as well as retention. Nonetheless, HR professionals are at liberty to utilise other talent management tools for instance measuring and talent mapping for the high potential, higher professionals and technical employees. As such, it is vital to develop compensations to motivate employees as team players, creative individuals as well as the productive workforce. Subsequently, the given studies have clearly pointed out the need to designing as well as developing rewards grounded on the profiles of the employees as well as nature of their work. Hence, rewards ought to be vital and meaningful to its relative recipients, for instance, the recipients have an option of choosing from a given range of rewards. In turn, this can make employees feel the rewards are personalised to them as they incline to produce their efforts to attain the company’s goals. Subsequently, there are some relevant recommendations open for HR professionals to assist them in improving HR practice, which include: providing structured governance as well as business case development; developing progressive workforce planning capabilities; implementing the “right” HR values; reducing the administrative work for most HR business partners; implementing flexible Human Resource organization designs; improving employee-facing HR structures; measuring and assessing both HR operational as well as business metrics; developing and establishing internal HR skills; improving and advancing line manager capabilities and; outsourcing HR services strategically.

References Bryant, P. C., & Allen, D. G. (2013). Compensation, benefits and employee turnover: HR strategies for retaining top talent. Compensation & Benefits Review, 45(3), 171-175. Hu, T. F. (2016). HRIR 6501: Compensation and Benefits Spring 2016. May, R., & Casey, P. (2014). Principles of an effective workers’ compensation system. Precedent (Sydney, NSW), (125), 31. Rogers, D. (2016). Compensation and benefits survey 2015. Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, 116(3), 378. Yanadori, Y. (2014). Compensation and benefits in the global organization. The Routledge companion to international human resource management, 190.

Contact Us At

• e-mail: info@theunitutor.com
• tel: +44 20 3286 9122

Brought to you by SiteJabber

• Terms & Conditions
• Privacy Policy

Copyright © 2002-2024 - The Uni Tutor - Custom Essays. 10347001, info@theunitutor.com, +44 20 3286 9122 , All Rights Reserved. - Terms and Conditions   |   Privacy Policy

The Uni Tutor : We are a company registered in the United Kingdom. Registered Address London, UK , London , England , EC2N 1HQ

Choose Your Test

Sat / act prep online guides and tips, how to write an introduction paragraph in 3 steps.

General Education

It’s the roadmap to your essay, it’s the forecast for your argument, it’s...your introduction paragraph, and writing one can feel pretty intimidating. The introduction paragraph is a part of just about every kind of academic writing , from persuasive essays to research papers. But that doesn’t mean writing one is easy!

If trying to write an intro paragraph makes you feel like a Muggle trying to do magic, trust us: you aren’t alone. But there are some tips and tricks that can make the process easier—and that’s where we come in.

In this article, we’re going to explain how to write a captivating intro paragraph by covering the following info:  

• A discussion of what an introduction paragraph is and its purpose in an essay
• An overview of the most effective introduction paragraph format, with explanations of the three main parts of an intro paragraph
• An analysis of real intro paragraph examples, with a discussion of what works and what doesn’t
• A list of four top tips on how to write an introduction paragraph

Are you ready? Let’s begin!

What Is an Introduction Paragraph? 

An introduction paragraph is the first paragraph of an essay , paper, or other type of academic writing. Argumentative essays , book reports, research papers, and even personal  essays are common types of writing that require an introduction paragraph. Whether you’re writing a research paper for a science course or an argumentative essay for English class , you’re going to have to write an intro paragraph. 

So what’s the purpose of an intro paragraph? As a reader’s first impression of your essay, the intro paragraph should introduce the topic of your paper. 

Your introduction will also state any claims, questions, or issues that your paper will focus on. This is commonly known as your paper’s thesis . This condenses the overall point of your paper into one or two short sentences that your reader can come back and reference later.

But intro paragraphs need to do a bit more than just introduce your topic. An intro paragraph is also supposed to grab your reader’s attention. The intro paragraph is your chance to provide just enough info and intrigue to make your reader say, “Hey, this topic sounds interesting. I think I’ll keep reading this essay!” That can help your essay stand out from the crowd.

In most cases, an intro paragraph will be relatively short. A good intro will be clear, brief, purposeful, and focused. While there are some exceptions to this rule, it’s common for intro paragraphs to consist of three to five sentences . 

Effectively introducing your essay’s topic, purpose, and getting your reader invested in your essay sounds like a lot to ask from one little paragraph, huh? In the next section, we’ll demystify the intro paragraph format by breaking it down into its core parts . When you learn how to approach each part of an intro, writing one won’t seem so scary!

Once you figure out the three parts of an intro paragraph, writing one will be a piece of cake!

The 3 Main Parts of an Intro Paragraph

In general, an intro paragraph is going to have three main parts: a hook, context, and a thesis statement . Each of these pieces of the intro plays a key role in acquainting the reader with the topic and purpose of your essay. 

Below, we’ll explain how to start an introduction paragraph by writing an effective hook, providing context, and crafting a thesis statement. When you put these elements together, you’ll have an intro paragraph that does a great job of making a great first impression on your audience!

Intro Paragraph Part 1: The Hook

When it comes to how to start an introduction paragraph, o ne of the most common approaches is to start with something called a hook. 

What does hook mean here, though? Think of it this way: it’s like when you start a new Netflix series: you look up a few hours (and a few episodes) later and you say, “Whoa. I guess I must be hooked on this show!” 

That’s how the hook is supposed to work in an intro paragrap h: it should get your reader interested enough that they don’t want to press the proverbial “pause” button while they’re reading it . In other words, a hook is designed to grab your reader’s attention and keep them reading your essay! 

This means that the hook comes first in the intro paragraph format—it’ll be the opening sentence of your intro. 

It’s important to realize  that there are many different ways to write a good hook. But generally speaking, hooks must include these two things: what your topic is, and the angle you’re taking on that topic in your essay. 

One approach to writing a hook that works is starting with a general, but interesting, statement on your topic. In this type of hook, you’re trying to provide a broad introduction to your topic and your angle on the topic in an engaging way . 

For example, if you’re writing an essay about the role of the government in the American healthcare system, your hook might look something like this: 

There's a growing movement to require that the federal government provide affordable, effective healthcare for all Americans. 

This hook introduces the essay topic in a broad way (government and healthcare) by presenting a general statement on the topic. But the assumption presented in the hook can also be seen as controversial, which gets readers interested in learning more about what the writer—and the essay—has to say.

In other words, the statement above fulfills the goals of a good hook: it’s intriguing and provides a general introduction to the essay topic.

Intro Paragraph Part 2: Context

Once you’ve provided an attention-grabbing hook, you’ll want to give more context about your essay topic. Context refers to additional details that reveal the specific focus of your paper. So, whereas the hook provides a general introduction to your topic, context starts helping readers understand what exactly you’re going to be writing about

You can include anywhere from one to several sentences of context in your intro, depending on your teacher’s expectations, the length of your paper, and complexity of your topic. In these context-providing sentences, you want to begin narrowing the focus of your intro. You can do this by describing a specific issue or question about your topic that you’ll address in your essay. It also helps readers start to understand why the topic you’re writing about matters and why they should read about it. 

So, what counts as context for an intro paragraph? Context can be any important details or descriptions that provide background on existing perspectives, common cultural attitudes, or a specific situation or controversy relating to your essay topic. The context you include should acquaint your reader with the issues, questions, or events that motivated you to write an essay on your topic...and that your reader should know in order to understand your thesis. 

For instance, if you’re writing an essay analyzing the consequences of sexism in Hollywood, the context you include after your hook might make reference to the #metoo and #timesup movements that have generated public support for victims of sexual harassment. 

The key takeaway here is that context establishes why you’re addressing your topic and what makes it important. It also sets you up for success on the final piece of an intro paragraph: the thesis statement.

Elle Woods' statement offers a specific point of view on the topic of murder...which means it could serve as a pretty decent thesis statement!

Intro Paragraph Part 3: The Thesis

The final key part of how to write an intro paragraph is the thesis statement. The thesis statement is the backbone of your introduction: it conveys your argument or point of view on your topic in a clear, concise, and compelling way . The thesis is usually the last sentence of your intro paragraph. 

Whether it’s making a claim, outlining key points, or stating a hypothesis, your thesis statement will tell your reader exactly what idea(s) are going to be addressed in your essay. A good thesis statement will be clear, straightforward, and highlight the overall point you’re trying to make.

Some instructors also ask students to include an essay map as part of their thesis. An essay map is a section that outlines the major topics a paper will address. So for instance, say you’re writing a paper that argues for the importance of public transport in rural communities. Your thesis and essay map might look like this: 

Having public transport in rural communities helps people improve their economic situation by giving them reliable transportation to their job, reducing the amount of money they spend on gas, and providing new and unionized work .

The underlined section is the essay map because it touches on the three big things the writer will talk about later. It literally maps out the rest of the essay!

So let’s review: Your thesis takes the idea you’ve introduced in your hook and context and wraps it up. Think of it like a television episode: the hook sets the scene by presenting a general statement and/or interesting idea that sucks you in. The context advances the plot by describing the topic in more detail and helping readers understand why the topic is important. And finally, the thesis statement provides the climax by telling the reader what you have to say about the topic. 

The thesis statement is the most important part of the intro. Without it, your reader won’t know what the purpose of your essay is! And for a piece of writing to be effective, it needs to have a clear purpose. Your thesis statement conveys that purpose , so it’s important to put careful thought into writing a clear and compelling thesis statement. 

How To Write an Introduction Paragraph: Example and Analysis

Now that we’ve provided an intro paragraph outline and have explained the three key parts of an intro paragraph, let’s take a look at an intro paragraph in action.

To show you how an intro paragraph works, we’ve included a sample introduction paragraph below, followed by an analysis of its strengths and weaknesses.

Example of Introduction Paragraph

While college students in the U.S. are struggling with how to pay for college, there is another surprising demographic that’s affected by the pressure to pay for college: families and parents. In the face of tuition price tags that total more than $100,000 (as a low estimate), families must make difficult decisions about how to save for their children’s college education. Charting a feasible path to saving for college is further complicated by the FAFSA’s estimates for an “Expected Family Contribution”—an amount of money that is rarely feasible for most American families. Due to these challenging financial circumstances and cultural pressure to give one’s children the best possible chance of success in adulthood, many families are going into serious debt to pay for their children’s college education. The U.S. government should move toward bearing more of the financial burden of college education. 

Example of Introduction Paragraph: Analysis

Before we dive into analyzing the strengths and weaknesses of this example intro paragraph, let’s establish the essay topic. The sample intro indicates that t he essay topic will focus on one specific issue: who should cover the cost of college education in the U.S., and why. Both the hook and the context help us identify the topic, while the thesis in the last sentence tells us why this topic matters to the writer—they think the U.S. Government needs to help finance college education. This is also the writer’s argument, which they’ll cover in the body of their essay. 

Now that we’ve identified the essay topic presented in the sample intro, let’s dig into some analysis. To pin down its strengths and weaknesses, we’re going to use the following three questions to guide our example of introduction paragraph analysis: 

• Does this intro provide an attention-grabbing opening sentence that conveys the essay topic? 
• Does this intro provide relevant, engaging context about the essay topic? 
• Does this intro provide a thesis statement that establishes the writer’s point of view on the topic and what specific aspects of the issue the essay will address? 

Now, let’s use the questions above to analyze the strengths and weaknesses of this sample intro paragraph. 

Does the Intro Have a Good Hook? 

First, the intro starts out with an attention-grabbing hook . The writer starts by presenting  an assumption (that the U.S. federal government bears most of the financial burden of college education), which makes the topic relatable to a wide audience of readers. Also note that the hook relates to the general topic of the essay, which is the high cost of college education. 

The hook then takes a surprising turn by presenting a counterclaim : that American families, rather than students, feel the true burden of paying for college. Some readers will have a strong emotional reaction to this provocative counterclaim, which will make them want to keep reading! As such, this intro provides an effective opening sentence that conveys the essay topic. 

Does the Intro Give Context?

T he second, third, and fourth sentences of the intro provide contextual details that reveal the specific focus of the writer’s paper . Remember: the context helps readers start to zoom in on what the paper will focus on, and what aspect of the general topic (college costs) will be discussed later on. 

The context in this intro reveals the intent and direction of the paper by explaining why the issue of families financing college is important. In other words, the context helps readers understand why this issue matters , and what aspects of this issue will be addressed in the paper.  

To provide effective context, the writer refers to issues (the exorbitant cost of college and high levels of family debt) that have received a lot of recent scholarly and media attention. These sentences of context also elaborate on the interesting perspective included in the hook: that American families are most affected by college costs.

Does the Intro Have a Thesis? 

Finally, this intro provides a thesis statement that conveys the writer’s point of view on the issue of financing college education. This writer believes that the U.S. government should do more to pay for students’ college educations. 

However, the thesis statement doesn’t give us any details about why the writer has made this claim or why this will help American families . There isn’t an essay map that helps readers understand what points the writer will make in the essay.

To revise this thesis statement so that it establishes the specific aspects of the topic that the essay will address, the writer could add the following to the beginning of the thesis statement:

The U.S. government should take on more of the financial burden of college education because other countries have shown this can improve education rates while reducing levels of familial poverty.

Check out the new section in bold. Not only does it clarify that the writer is talking about the pressure put on families, it touches on the big topics the writer will address in the paper: improving education rates and reduction of poverty. So not only do we have a clearer argumentative statement in this thesis, we also have an essay map!  

So, let’s recap our analysis. This sample intro paragraph does an effective job of providing an engaging hook and relatable, interesting context, but the thesis statement needs some work ! As you write your own intro paragraphs, you might consider using the questions above to evaluate and revise your work. Doing this will help ensure you’ve covered all of your bases and written an intro that your readers will find interesting!

4 Tips for How To Write an Introduction Paragraph

Now that we’ve gone over an example of introduction paragraph analysis, let’s talk about how to write an introduction paragraph of your own. Keep reading for four tips for writing a successful intro paragraph for any essay. 

Tip 1: Analyze Your Essay Prompt

If you’re having trouble with how to start an introduction paragraph, analyze your essay prompt! Most teachers give you some kind of assignment sheet, formal instructions, or prompt to set the expectations for an essay they’ve assigned, right? Those instructions can help guide you as you write your intro paragraph!

Because they’ll be reading and responding to your essay, you want to make sure you meet your teacher’s expectations for an intro paragraph . For instance, if they’ve provided specific instructions about how long the intro should be or where the thesis statement should be located, be sure to follow them!

The type of paper you’re writing can give you clues as to how to approach your intro as well. If you’re writing a research paper, your professor might expect you to provide a research question or state a hypothesis in your intro. If you’re writing an argumentative essay, you’ll need to make sure your intro overviews the context surrounding your argument and your thesis statement includes a clear, defensible claim. 

Using the parameters set out by your instructor and assignment sheet can put some easy-to-follow boundaries in place for things like your intro’s length, structure, and content. Following these guidelines can free you up to focus on other aspects of your intro... like coming up with an exciting hook and conveying your point of view on your topic!

Tip 2: Narrow Your Topic

You can’t write an intro paragraph without first identifying your topic. To make your intro as effective as possible, you need to define the parameters of your topic clearly—and you need to be specific. 

For example, let’s say you want to write about college football. “NCAA football” is too broad of a topic for a paper. There is a lot to talk about in terms of college football! It would be tough to write an intro paragraph that’s focused, purposeful, and engaging on this topic. In fact, if you did try to address this whole topic, you’d probably end up writing a book!

Instead, you should narrow broad topics to  identify a specific question, claim, or issue pertaining to some aspect of NCAA football for your intro to be effective. So, for instance, you could frame your topic as, “How can college professors better support NCAA football players in academics?” This focused topic pertaining to NCAA football would give you a more manageable angle to discuss in your paper.

So before you think about writing your intro, ask yourself: Is my essay topic specific, focused, and logical? Does it convey an issue or question that I can explore over the course of several pages? Once you’ve established a good topic, you’ll have the foundation you need to write an effective intro paragraph . 

Once you've figured out your topic, it's time to hit the books!

Tip 3: Do Your Research

This tip is tightly intertwined with the one above, and it’s crucial to writing a good intro: do your research! And, guess what? This tip applies to all papers—even ones that aren’t technically research papers. 

Here’s why you need to do some research: getting the lay of the land on what others have said about your topic—whether that’s scholars and researchers or the mass media— will help you narrow your topic, write an engaging hook, and provide relatable context. 

You don't want to sit down to write your intro without a solid understanding of the different perspectives on your topic. Whether those are the perspectives of experts or the general public, these points of view will help you write your intro in a way that is intriguing and compelling for your audience of readers. 

Tip 4: Write Multiple Drafts

Some say to write your intro first; others say write it last. The truth is, there isn’t a right or wrong time to write your intro—but you do need to have enough time to write multiple drafts . 

Oftentimes, your professor will ask you to write multiple drafts of your paper, which gives you a built-in way to make sure you revise your intro. Another approach you could take is to write out a rough draft of your intro before you begin writing your essay, then revise it multiple times as you draft out your paper. 

Here’s why this approach can work: as you write your paper, you’ll probably come up with new insights on your topic that you didn’t have right from the start. You can use these “light bulb” moments to reevaluate your intro and make revisions that keep it in line with your developing essay draft. 

Once you’ve written your entire essay, consider going back and revising your intro again . You can ask yourself these questions as you evaluate your intro: 

• Is my hook still relevant to the way I’ve approached the topic in my essay?
• Do I provide enough appropriate context to introduce my essay? 
• Now that my essay is written, does my thesis statement still accurately reflect the point of view that I present in my essay?

Using these questions as a guide and putting your intro through multiple revisions will help ensure that you’ve written the best intro for the final draft of your essay. Also, revising your writing is always a good thing to do—and this applies to your intro, too!

What's Next?

Your college essays also need great intro paragraphs. Here’s a guide that focuses on how to write the perfect intro for your admissions essays. 

Of course, the intro is just one part of your college essay . This article will teach you how to write a college essay that makes admissions counselors sit up and take notice.

Are you trying to write an analytical essay? Our step-by-step guide can help you knock it out of the park.

Ashley Sufflé Robinson has a Ph.D. in 19th Century English Literature. As a content writer for PrepScholar, Ashley is passionate about giving college-bound students the in-depth information they need to get into the school of their dreams.

Ask a Question Below

Have any questions about this article or other topics? Ask below and we'll reply!

Improve With Our Famous Guides

• For All Students

The 5 Strategies You Must Be Using to Improve 160+ SAT Points

How to Get a Perfect 1600, by a Perfect Scorer

Series: How to Get 800 on Each SAT Section:

Score 800 on SAT Math

Score 800 on SAT Reading

Score 800 on SAT Writing

Series: How to Get to 600 on Each SAT Section:

Score 600 on SAT Math

Score 600 on SAT Reading

Score 600 on SAT Writing

Free Complete Official SAT Practice Tests

What SAT Target Score Should You Be Aiming For?

15 Strategies to Improve Your SAT Essay

The 5 Strategies You Must Be Using to Improve 4+ ACT Points

How to Get a Perfect 36 ACT, by a Perfect Scorer

Series: How to Get 36 on Each ACT Section:

36 on ACT English

36 on ACT Math

36 on ACT Reading

36 on ACT Science

Series: How to Get to 24 on Each ACT Section:

24 on ACT English

24 on ACT Math

24 on ACT Reading

24 on ACT Science

What ACT target score should you be aiming for?

ACT Vocabulary You Must Know

ACT Writing: 15 Tips to Raise Your Essay Score

How to Get Into Harvard and the Ivy League

How to Get a Perfect 4.0 GPA

How to Write an Amazing College Essay

What Exactly Are Colleges Looking For?

Is the ACT easier than the SAT? A Comprehensive Guide

Should you retake your SAT or ACT?

When should you take the SAT or ACT?

Stay Informed

Get the latest articles and test prep tips!

Looking for Graduate School Test Prep?

Check out our top-rated graduate blogs here:

GRE Online Prep Blog

GMAT Online Prep Blog

TOEFL Online Prep Blog

Holly R. "I am absolutely overjoyed and cannot thank you enough for helping me!”

Suggestions or feedback?

MIT News | Massachusetts Institute of Technology

• Machine learning
• Social justice
• Black holes
• Classes and programs

Departments

• Aeronautics and Astronautics
• Brain and Cognitive Sciences
• Architecture
• Political Science
• Mechanical Engineering

Centers, Labs, & Programs

• Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL)
• Picower Institute for Learning and Memory
• Lincoln Laboratory
• School of Architecture + Planning
• School of Engineering
• School of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences
• Sloan School of Management
• School of Science
• MIT Schwarzman College of Computing

Faces of MIT: Reimi Hicks

Press contact :.

Previous image Next image

After almost 50 years at the Institute, the MIT Introduction to Technology, Engineering, and Science (MITES) programs for middle and high school students continue to evolve. MITES increases confidence, creates community, and offers a challenging foundation in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) topics for seventh through 12th grade students from diverse and underrepresented backgrounds. Someone who has overseen different aspects of the program over the last nine years is MITES Associate Director of Recruitment and Admissions Reimi Hicks.  

Hicks began her time with MITES by running MITES Summer, their flagship program since 1975, during which she lived with students in dorms on campus. As a testament to her leadership, her role expanded to oversee MITES’ suite of outreach programs. In her current role, Hicks manages all efforts related to student and staff recruitment. 

MITES advances equity and access in STEM through three outreach programs: MITES Saturdays, MITES Semester, and MITES Summer. The core of each program is college preparation activities, challenging coursework, and community building. Generous support from individuals, foundations, corporations, and MIT enables MITES to provide all programming and room and board at no cost to students or their families.   

MITES Summer is a six-week residential experience for rising seniors in high school. MITES Semester launched when a MITES Summer alum wanted to expand access to the program to more students. Out of the inquiry came MITES Semester, also for rising high school seniors, a virtual six-month enrichment program. MITES Saturdays is a hybrid initiative for students who attend public school in Boston, Cambridge, or Lawrence, Massachusetts, throughout the academic year. Students can enroll in MITES Saturdays as early as seventh grade and remain in the program until they graduate from high school.  

The focus of MITES is rigorous STEM academics. However, Hicks and the MITES team know that when students come to them the other parts of their lives do not fall away. For them to be effective, staff members need to engage with them in other, nonacademic ways. As a result, their programs include workshops, design challenges, mentor meetings, and social community-building events.  

Hicks refers to MITES as “a very high-touch program,” with one staff member for every five students. This ratio ensures that students feel seen, heard, and cared for. MITES instructors and mentors come from a variety of backgrounds and industries. Some are faculty or staff members at MIT, many are working professionals in STEM fields, and others are graduate students and postdocs from nearby colleges and universities. Each year, 100 temporary staff members join MITES to prepare students to attend college at places such as MIT, affirm their interest and their sense of belonging in STEM, and connect them with the information and the people they need to accomplish their goals. MITES alumni who volunteer to mentor students also play a pivotal role. 

Hicks and her colleagues take a multifaceted approach to outreach, and they prioritize proactively getting the word out to as many people as possible. They have built relationships with a wide network of schools and introduce hundreds of students to MITES programming each year. When Hicks visits schools, she opens the MIT Daily email newsletter and shows examples of how current MIT students are applying the nuts and bolts of the MITES programs to projects. Hicks notes that when she sees their eyes widen, it is a reminder that the work that happens at the Institute is extraordinary. 

Beyond leading the strategy of recruitment and admissions, Hicks’s job centers around relationship building. When telling high school students about MITES, Hicks and her colleagues take their role as people introducing students to college very seriously. While not all graduates of MITES attend MIT for higher education, it is the most popular school to which MITES alumni matriculate. 

“A lot of our work is about being positive ambassadors for the Institute,” Hicks explains. “It is very important to us to attract the most talented, motivated students, regardless of ZIP code, because our mission is to increase accessibility to STEM fields for young folks across the country.” 

The outreach is paying off. Over 4,000 students applied to MITES in 2024, the largest applicant pool in the program’s history. The MITES application is like a college application; students share a little bit about themselves including their backgrounds, their free time activities, work and volunteer experience, and extracurriculars in addition to their transcripts. Short-answer questions help the MITES team learn what is important to the students and what motivates them. The application process allows Hicks to get a sense of each student beyond their transcript. 

An important thought partner in the recruitment and marketing process are MITES alumni. This tight-knit group spreads the word about MITES to their networks and communities. In fact, MITES alumni were a part of Hicks’s interview process.  

“The alumni spoke about the importance of community,” Hicks recalls. “I cannot tell you how many alumni I have spoken to, and I have seen thousands of students come through our programs, who tell us that even 30 years later they are still friends with the people they met through MITES. They are study buddies at the same college, they become business partners, or they are best friends. That connection is important for the program's peers and instructors.” 

MITES uses the saying “It’s all about the Delta,” in reference to the Greek letter that symbolizes a measure of change. In other words, their programs are not about competing with other students for the best grades; instead, it is about individual growth over time. In the face of challenging coursework and high expectations, Hicks and her colleagues want participants to have personal growth and lift others up as they grow themselves. 

Soundbytes 

Q: What about your job brings you the most pride?  

A : What brings me the most pride is when I see students who participated in MITES ultimately find a home at MIT for college. When a student I spoke to as a sixth grader or one that I lived in the dorms with over a summer enrolls at MIT, I had the privilege of being a small part of their MIT journey. 

Q: What do you like the most about the people at MIT?  

A: What I appreciate the most about my colleagues is that they are all mission-driven. They care genuinely about the work that we do, which I find motivating. MIT attracts people who are open to feedback, willing to challenge themselves and their assumptions, and who work hard in the pursuit of solving a problem or accomplishing a goal. 

Q: What advice would you give to a new staff member at MIT?  

A: Find the right balance between doing and learning. The pace and volume of work can sometimes be a lot, but take the time to watch, learn, and collect information about how MIT operates. It will help you become effective in whatever role that you are in. 

Share this news article on:

Related links.

• MITES programs

Related Topics

• STEM education
• Diversity and inclusion
• Volunteering, outreach, public service
• Cambridge, Boston and region

Related Articles

Faces of MIT: Lydia Brosnahan

Faces of MIT: Abisola Okuk

Faces of MIT: Mary Niskala

Previous item Next item

More MIT News

Janabel Xia: Algorithms, dance rhythms, and the drive to succeed

Read full story →

Jonathan Byrnes, MIT Center for Transportation and Logistics senior lecturer and visionary in supply chain management, dies at 75

Researchers develop a detector for continuously monitoring toxic gases

The beauty of biology

Navigating longevity with industry leaders at MIT AgeLab PLAN Forum

Jeong Min Park earns 2024 Schmidt Science Fellowship

• More news on MIT News homepage →

Massachusetts Institute of Technology 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA, USA

• Map (opens in new window)
• Events (opens in new window)
• People (opens in new window)
• Careers (opens in new window)
• Accessibility
• Social Media Hub
• MIT on Facebook
• MIT on YouTube
• MIT on Instagram

Introduction Interviews and Staff Recruitment Descriptive Essay

Behavioral criteria, the screening criteria, planning for the interview, preparation for the interview, the introduction and conclusion, reference list.

This interview package gives a reflection on the position of the Chief Accounting Officer. The package also provides the criteria which shall be used when interviewing the candidates for the position of the Chief Accounting Officer. It contains a series of areas which are going to be points of focus.

These areas include the role of the interview panel, the relevance of the interview process and the aspects of the interviewee which are going to be analyzed. This document is based on theoretical and scientific approaches which have been researched and utilized in the past. Thus, it is based on what scholars have identified as key areas which are fundamental within the interview process.

Introduction Interviews are critical processes which guide in the process of recruiting staff in organizations. This paper is based on the above premise. In this light, this paper presents a process which shall be followed when recruiting an officer for the vacant position of the chief accounting officer. This segment sheds light into the requirements of the task at hand. It clarifies on the issues which need to be put into considerations highlighting the important values which the position requires.

The behavioral aspect will focus on the following behavioral aspects the candidates. Communication, interpersonal capabilities, networking abilities, motivation abilities, administrative abilities and the intrapersonal abilities. It is worth noting that the stated post requires a person who is able to manage oneself as well as others.

Due to the fact that this position is administrative, it is important for the candidate to be in a position of building links and managing the team members who one is working with. It is therefore central to this position that the candidate display high degree of self awareness. In addition, this person ought to be able to engage people in a manner which is logical and persuasive.

This is because this will enable the company to use this person as the central person with regard to the organization of financial records as well as mobilization of personnel to work in stated accounting fields when called upon to do so.

In this category, there is going to be an emphasis on intrapersonal and interpersonal skills. Due to the fact that this position requires an accountant who will assume the leadership role, it implies that the person to fit this position should be able to understand the organizational accounting dynamics as well as work with people from diverse background.

This is because as a multinational company, the chief accounting officer will have to work with accountants who hold similar positions in organizations which are across the globe. Secondly, one will have to be able to understand how to establish teams which will deliver results. Thus this calls for a person who is able to articulate a vision and state the objectives of that vision in a clear manner such that the subordinates will pursue it in a clear fashion without any confusion.

In addition, due to the fact that this position forms a central position within the organization, the holder of this position will have to be able to form links with other departments and offices within and without the organization to ensure that the needs and objectives of the organization are realized within the stipulated time.

This position will require someone who can be able to work under pressure. This is because it will entail working with people as well as ensuring that the results are achieved. Furthermore, it will need the holder to be conversant with the demands of accuracy and the international dynamics which are associated with commerce.

Thus, the employee should be a person who is aware of oneself in terms of ability to perform and at the same time should be able to communicate well when the occasion arises. This should be both in a written format and verbal form. Background and work experience

The candidate should bear a string background in organizational management with a bias in accounting. This will be in line with the organization’s objective of nurturing independent and hardworking employees. Furthermore, the applicant should highlight some experience in the field of management and accounting, preferably five years in a multinational organization.

The applicant should also illustrate depth in a variety of computer applications which will be needed in establishing digital accounting standards within the organization. Any qualification in computer applications will be an added advantage to the applicant.

The applicant must within the following criteria in order to considered for an interview; first, the candidate must have at least one year of professional work and experience in accounting and organizational management. The applicant should have served in active leadership positions and exhibited the drive to accomplish based on the achievements realized during the term of leadership. The applicant must possess at least a bachelor’s degree in business management.

The interview: Types of interviews There are several types of interviews. These include, the selection interview, the performance interview, the career development interview, information gathering interview and the problem solving interview. The process of interviewing among other things relies heavily in applying one of the stated approaches. In this case, the objective of the interview process is to get the right candidate for the stated post.

Thus, the interview panel is going to apply the selection interview. During this interview process, there are several techniques which might be preferred. In this case, the interview panel is going to consider the screening interviews, traditional interviews, behavioral interviews, the panel or group interviews and the case interviews.

This is because the objectives of the interview panel include weeding out any unqualified candidates who might turn out for the interview process, to evaluate the candidate’s ability to communicate, to match the candidate’s past performance to the job requirements basing the candidate’s ability on the past performances in similar positions, ascertain a candidate’s skills and approach to problem solving, problem diagnosis and communication.

This process entails several steps of analysis. First and foremost, it is important to establish the legislation governing the interview process. Determine the objective of the interview is also important. This is because this will enable the panel to find out which approach or combination of approaches will work.

Based on this, the panel should be able to formulate questions reflecting on each agenda which has been set. Developing an interview guide is an important aspect of this process. This is because it ensures that the objectives set are realized within the limits which have been set. The interview process

The interview process can go on for quite a while. First, the applicant will be asked to come in for a screening interview. The screening interview is the first interview with a particular candidate. In some cases it may even take place over the telephone. During a screening interview, the person interviewing you will usually be someone who works in the human resources department, and he will want to verify items that are on your resume, such as dates of employment and schooling.

These questions will pertain to the interviewee’s skills and abilities, accomplishments, education, and work history. Furthermore, the applicant will also be asked questions about one’s strengths and weaknesses, interests and hobbies, and likes and dislikes, all of which will enable the panel to learn about the applicant’s personal traits and characteristics. The goal on a job interview is to give the candidate an opportunity to express oneself through the best answers one can possibly give.

The applicant should be prepared to give detailed answers to job interview questions. The interviewer, for example will ask about skills. The applicant should know what skills one has and should be able to discuss how they acquired them. The interviewer will use the applicant’s resume to guide him through the interview. The applicant should be conversant with their personal; resumes and they must be prepared to talk about and elaborate every item on it since a resume, by definition, is a just a brief summary of the applicant’s work.

This should be a process that should be completed before the actual interviewing process begins. During this phase, the organization should have established the persons who are going to seat on the panel and the steps which are going to follow in line with the interview. In this case, the preparation of the interview should ensure that the fundamental aspects which are necessary during the interview are adhered to.

These include; the questions, the location, the date and time for the interview to take place. It is also important to give the interviewer’s time to seat together and reason together as they come up with a team which will ensure that the process runs smoothly. We are going to look at the aspects mentioned above in detail in the next section;

Questions: these should be clear and statements which are aimed at bringing to the fore the actual meaning of the subject at hand. The questions should be stated in line with the position at hand and they should free from any ambiguities which might confuse the interviewee.

It is also important to ensure that the questions which are going to be put across to the applicant are questions which have been agreed upon by the panel. There are cases whereby the applicant might be allowed to have a look at the questions, in this case, that should be done early in advance to ensure that there are no delays.

The venue: it is worth noting that the location of the interview has got a major impact on the outcome of the process. It is vital to ensure that the environment where the interview takes place is place which is away from any form of distractions. The furniture should be comfortable both to the interviewers and the panellists.

The candidates: it is important to ensure that the candidates have knowledge with regard to the interview process. They should not be ambushed on the last day, rather they should be given a prior notice to enable them prepare in advance for the interview. In cases where there are special considerations, it is also important to communicate the same to the candidates. Legal requirements for interview process

There are several aspects which need to be put into consideration with regard to interviewing. These are aspects such as discrimination based on race, sex, marital status, religion, sex, and sexuality. These are factors which the interview panel will seriously need to put into consideration when they are carrying out the interview.

In addition to this, ethics should be maintained. That is, there are various issues which need to be put into consideration during the interview process. These issues which are known as the ethical codes vary from one organization to another. This implies that the interview panel should consider the organizational procedures that are governing the given profession. The universally held ethics include the UN declaration of Human Rights.

The interview should commence with formal introductions. That is both the panel and the applicant are given an opportunity to introduce themselves before the panel. Secondly, the chair of the panel should give the objective of the interview in light of time allocated and the expectations from the interviewee or candidate.

The panel should give the client an opportunity to state their expectations and special requests, if any exists before the interview. The chairperson of the panel should guide the panel and the applicant during the conclusion and bring the process to an end. It is during this time that the applicant will be informed on when and how to get the results from the interview.

The introduction which is recommended for the interview is;

Good morning sir/madam,

First and foremost we want to thank you for taking your time to be part of this process. We highly appreciate the fact that you have chosen to take part in this interview process for the post of chief accounting officer. My name is Mr. XYZ and I am the chairman of this panel as well as the head of the human resource in this company.

The other panellists will introduce themselves as they put across their questions. The process will take approximately one hour. It will entail a series of questions from the panellists and they will expect responses from you. In case of anything, just let us know and we will be willing to step in and assist in any way possible.

The recommended conclusion should be;

Well that question marks the end of this session. We are grateful that you took your time to respond to our questions carefully. Unless you have any questions or comments, we shall get back to you in the next five days via the email address to notify you on the results. Thank you.

In conclusion, the preferred theoretical approach during this process will be the behaviourist approach. This is because this approach monitors progress in quantifiable terms. This is important when it comes to establishing tangible results which have been achieved and which are likely to be achieved by a person within a given duration of time under certain conditions.

Burns, D 2009, The First 60 Seconds:Win the Job Interview Before It Begins , Sourcebooks, Inc., London.

Catano, VM 2009, Recruitment and Selection in Canada , Cengage Learning, California.

Dale, M 2004 , Manager’s guide to recruitment and selection , Kogan Page Publishers, London.

Dale, M 2006, The essential guide to recruitment:how to conduct great interviews and select the best employees , Kogan Page Publishers, London.

Fontes, LA 2009, Interviewing Clients Across Cultures:A Practitioner’s Guide , Guilford Press, New York.

Gatewood, RD, Feild, HS & Barrick, MR 2008, Human resource selection , Cengage Learning, California.

McKay, DR 2009, The Everything Practice Interview Book:Make the Best Impression – and Get the Job You Want! , Everything Books, New York.

Nankervis, A, Compton, R & Morrissey, B 2009, Effective Recruitement and Selection Practices, 5th ed , CCH Australia Limited, Sydney.

• Chicago (A-D)
• Chicago (N-B)

IvyPanda. (2019, April 24). Introduction Interviews and Staff Recruitment. https://ivypanda.com/essays/interview-importance-essay/

"Introduction Interviews and Staff Recruitment." IvyPanda , 24 Apr. 2019, ivypanda.com/essays/interview-importance-essay/.

IvyPanda . (2019) 'Introduction Interviews and Staff Recruitment'. 24 April.

IvyPanda . 2019. "Introduction Interviews and Staff Recruitment." April 24, 2019. https://ivypanda.com/essays/interview-importance-essay/.

1. IvyPanda . "Introduction Interviews and Staff Recruitment." April 24, 2019. https://ivypanda.com/essays/interview-importance-essay/.

Bibliography

IvyPanda . "Introduction Interviews and Staff Recruitment." April 24, 2019. https://ivypanda.com/essays/interview-importance-essay/.

• Handling a Witnesses: Interviewing and Interrogations
• Motivational Interviewing in Psychology
• Job Interview: Preparation and Conduction
• The labour market value of STEM qualifications and occupations
• Employee Retention and Overall Profit Growth
• Approach of Narrative Library
• Library & Information Science Research
• Effective of library services