Elevator Pitch

Crafting Your “Elevator Pitch”

As a job seeker, you are effectively a salesperson—selling your skills, experiences and brand. Therefore, it is important to have a short pitch, often called an elevator pitch or elevator speech (because you should be able to deliver it in the brief duration of an elevator ride). Of course, you are actually unlikely to be in a small confined space when you need to use it!  You may be at a conference, a networking event or a cocktail party. You never know when you might bump into a hiring manager, a potential employer, or someone who can be a valuable professional contact, connecting you to other people who can help you. It is important to get familiar with preparing and perfecting your elevator pitch, so that you will be able to make a good impression when opportunity knocks.

Preparing your elevator pitch will also prepare you for one of the most common interview questions: “Tell me about yourself.” Just like your answer to this question, your elevator pitch should be:

• Brief (:30 seconds to a minute)
• Tailored to your audience
• Descriptive of what you offer/what sets you apart
• Enthusiastic—it is important to smile and be confident

In addition, after you deliver your pitch in a networking situation, it is important to make a move for next steps—either by asking the individual for an informational interview, appointment or a business card.

Since your elevator pitch needs to be tailored to your audience, you will likely have more than one version of it. It is important to practice multiple versions of your pitch with friends, family—and of course—Career Services.

Please see: How to Structure Your Elevator Pitch, Sample Elevator Pitches (Indeed.com)