I'm amazed at how candidates will often introduce themselves in a timid or uncertain way. This frequently happens when a candiate is applying for an opporunity they saw on my blog, or through Twitter (please follow me @HeadhunterBob). It's an approach that is not impressive and rarely results in moving forward in the recruiting process. It's also why I'm not posting as many positions to online job sites any more.
I'm sure you'll agree with me that it's imperative that a candidate consistently and confidently introduce themselves, then conduct themselves with confidence. Candidates will respond with an email asking "Do you think this position is right for me?" Or, they'll say, "Look at my LinkedIn Profile and let me know if you think I"m a good fit". If you don't know, you probably shouldn't introduce yourself or apply.
The first thing to do is decide if you're interested in the position, and if so, are you qualified for it. If those answers are both yes, introduce yourself like you're qualified and want the position. Think about it and decide how to best present yourself with impact.
It's important that you tell me why you're excited about the opportunity and why you believe you're qualified and ready to excel in the position. Get my attention with a powerful cover letter tht makes me want to know more about you. See "Cover Letters II". Write a resume to get the job. (See a previous post "Your Resume is Boring! How to Write a Resume to Get a Job"). Your whole goal at this point is simply to get the hiring manager's (or the recruiter's) attention, so that you move to the next step, a conversation with the hiring manager.
As I re-read this, it all seems so obvious. I guess that's what's so surprising to me. It's just hard to imagine the approaches that some take to introducing themselves. I hope I'm making the point that it's not extremely difficult, it simply takes some forethought. There's a best way to introduce yourself for each opportunity. It's not going to be using the same cover letter and resume that you used for the last position you applied for!