Imagine: You and another professional enter an elevator. Suddenly, you realize this individual is the CEO of a company you have admired for a long time.
If the CEO asked you what you do for a living, could you convey your skills and experiences in a memorable way before the elevator gets to the top?
Enter the elevator pitch: a concise and compelling summary of your professional background. An elevator pitch is the perfect start for introductions at networking events or the infamous “Tell Me About Yourself” question at interviews. Best of all, it only takes about 30 seconds to deliver.
After all, sometimes you only have a matter of seconds to make an impression; therefore, an elevator pitch should fit in the time an elevator ride would take- while still being extraordinarily impactful.
Why Use an Elevator Pitch?
Why, exactly, is an elevator pitch so useful? First, an elevator pitch is short and sweet. Again, most agree that an elevator pitch should only be 30-60 seconds. This makes the pitch memorable to the person you deliver to, but this characteristic also has the added benefit of making your elevator pitch easier for you to remember than a long-form introduction.
Because the elevator pitch is shorter and easier to remember, it is also easier to deliver fluently. In a high-stakes networking conversation, anything to make the interaction less stressful and more polished is a keeper. Also, an elevator pitch is flexible. All elevator pitches should follow a basic logical flow, but the brevity of the pitch forces you to emphasize only the most relevant parts of your career trajectory.
In other words, you can easily tailor your elevator pitch to your audience. You may want to have an elevator pitch for networking within your organization and one for external events, for example. After getting oriented with what an elevator pitch is and its role in networking and interviewing, read on to see how to craft your own elevator pitch.
How to Create an Elevator Pitch
You may find it helpful to organize your elevator pitch using the Past, Present, Future method. You could also think of this method as Did, Doing, Will Do.
Step 1: Past
Introduce yourself and your background- where you went to school, what you studied, and relevant past professional experience, research, awards, or other accomplishments.
This sets the stage for your current experience and future goals and explains how you got to where you are now.
A word of caution: Because this section is so personal to people, often involving where they grew up or what first sparked their passion for their industry, it’s easy to run long here. Your goal should be to present the entire pitch in about 30 seconds and certainly no more than a minute. Remember that the key to a successful elevator pitch is keeping it brief: short and sweet.
Step 2: Present
Talk about your current role. Don’t just give out a job title- phrase your current experience in a way that is accessible and meaningful, even for those who may not be familiar with your field. Focus on what your impact is. Instead of simply saying, “I am a Financial Advisor,” you could say, “I help individuals and families meet their financial goals by advising them on their investment and saving strategies.”
After all, job titles for similar positions can vary widely across regions and organizations.
Plus, it’s easier for people to relate to what you do than what you are called.
Step 3: Future
This is your chance to convey what you are looking for next. This section should build on the two others. For example, if you are looking for a new opportunity, you could say, “My goal is to pivot into (new role) because my experiences showed me that I really enjoy (task or outcome) and could use (past/present skills/experiences).”
Perhaps you want to stay in your current role. In that case, use this section to showcase how you want to grow within the organization, whether by learning new skills, starting an employee resource group, or meeting more people outside your department.
In short, highlight your career goals and tie them to everything you have already accomplished.
Even if these goals feel ambitious to you, they will seem more reasonable to your audience after you have laid out your career trajectory as a series of logical steps- even if it did not unfold exactly like that!
Bonus Step: Practice!
By this point, you have probably come up with a few ideas or directions for each section. How do you know which points to keep or leave out? Make sure to practice out loud! You will quickly find which order feels more natural for you.
Rehearse your elevator pitch with a friend. They may identify blind spots in your elevator pitch and help you become more understandable and polished.
Finally, practice in real, live networking settings. Delivering your elevator pitch for the first few times might feel uncomfortable, but over time, it will roll off your tongue.
Conclusion
Elevator pitches prove that big things can come in small packages. These pitches provide a concise and confident way to introduce yourself to prospective colleagues, business partners, or employers.
Excited to try out your new elevator pitch? Join the Dallas Junior Chamber of Commerce at our upcoming mixers and other events where you can meet other young professionals in the DFW area. We look forward to seeing you there!
For more information, check out Best Networking Practices.
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