Do I Need an Elevator Pitch?
3 minute read
Yes.
I’m sorry - but we all knew where this was going. The answer is yes, you need an elevator pitch so that when someone says “Tell me about yourself” you are ready to go. The good news? It’s not as hard or daunting as you might think! A lot of times I find people are overthinking their elevator speech when they probably already have one, they just don’t know it.
Let’s break it down into its components:
My name is:
I currently work (or go to school) at:
I am currently:
My purpose for being here is:
Not too scary, right? You can always expand on this but remember the golden rule: your elevator pitch should be no longer than a ride on the elevator (about 30 seconds).
Let’s work through some examples.
Scenario 1: A student at a career fair looking for an internship position.
“Hi, my name is Michael and I am a Sophomore at (school). I am an accounting major and am on track to graduate in 2019. I am very interested in the public accounting route, specifically tax accounting and am looking for an internship for the upcoming summer. I was hoping to learn more about the programs your business might be offering. Can you share with me a little more about your company and the opportunities you might have for internships.
What do we know about this student? We know they are a sophomore in college, studying accounting and that they are looking for an internship. Done!
Scenario 2: A seasoned professional at a new networking event:
“Hi, my name is Kayla and I am an HR Generalist at (company), located in Seattle, Washington. I have been in the HR field for about 5 years with a focus in recruiting and professional development. I am here because I am hoping to grow my network in the area.
Scenario 3: A professional in a 1st round job interview - the personal conducting the interview has asked “Tell me about yourself”:
“My name is Kyle and I am an accountant with over 10 years of experience in the field. Most recently, I have been working as a Senior Manager for a public accounting firm in San Diego. In addition to my experience I hold a masters in tax accounting and am a Certified Public Accountant in California. I am looking for a role that will allow me to continue growing professionally within the nonprofit sector and I believe your organization can provide me with that opportunity.”
Simple! Keeping these 4 components in mind as you enter any situation will ensure you are always set up for success the next time someone says “So… tell me about yourself!”
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