Sometimes all we have is a few moments to make an impression on a hiring manager for a company we’re interested in. Whether you bump into them in public, are attending a job fair, or happen to see them while waiting for an interview, you will always want to create a dialogue. This is the perfect time to break out your elevator pitch. These are quick and concise explanations of who you are as a professional, and they get their name by being delivered in the time it takes for an average elevator ride: about 30-45 seconds. Think of it as the cliff-notes version of your resume where speed and clarity is the name of the game. Follow these tips to make sure you make the most of those few precious moments and make the best impression you can.
Attention Grabbing Hook
First things first, you want to make sure that when you start your elevator pitch you grab the person’s attention. Have an interesting stat or piece of information at the ready, or maybe a funny quote, something to break the ice. This gives you something to be remembered by. You also want to make sure you introduce yourself as well during this step. The last thing you want is to absolutely nail your pitch and then realize you forgot to tell them your name.
Define Who You Are
This step is fairly simple. You want to create a one or two sentence explanation of who you are as a professional. This can be as easy as stating your current profession or any work you have done in the past. A good way to get a few ideas for this portion is to create a list of the ten most important pieces of information you want to share about yourself, and then hone that list down to three or four options to include in your pitch.
Describe What You Do
When giving your elevator pitch, one of the most crucial things to include is what you do. You can have all kinds of unique skills, have a great attention grabber, and be incredibly sociable, but none of that matters if you don’t also explain the type of work you use these skills for! It also leaves the person you’re talking to wondering if you would even be a good fit for their organization, and it can lead to some confusion if they want to schedule an interview. Say you list off skills that lead to you scheduling an interview! You’re excited and ready to absolutely knock it out of the park. You walk in the door, and after a few moments you realize your’re being interviewed for an accounting position… but you do advertising. While this is an extreme example, its still important to be upfront and direct when it comes to the type of work you do.
Explain What Makes You Unique
This is arguably the most important part of your elevator pitch: the part where you make yourself stand out from everyone else. You want to work in any unique experiences, skills, or qualifications that sets you apart from every other candidate that does what you do. Keep in mind that your elevator pitch is about speed; you’re giving the person a cliff-notes version of your skills. While you may want to try to list all the experience that separates you from the crowd, its better to spend your time explaining one or two things. That way you can give a more in-depth, detailed explanation with the time you have.
Describe Your Plans For The Future
This is a two part section. You not only want to express your career aspirations, but also a plan to meet with the person in the future for a formal interview. For your career aspirations, you want to be realistic and communicate the positions you are most interested in attaining. If all goes well and you end up setting up an interview with them, be considerate of their time and accommodate their schedule. This would also be the best time to present them with your business card if you have any with you.