Posted on January 16, 2008
Filed Under Job Seeking

Have you ever been at a social function or a networking event and had someone surprise you with a simple and direct question like, “So, what type of job are looking for?” – and then stumbled over your answer? We all have. Well, here’s a tip taken from the sales and entrepreneurial worlds – have an “elevator pitch” ready to whip out at a moment’s notice.

Most of you probably know the concept of an elevator pitch. It is a brief and concise overview that you could deliver in the time span of an elevator ride (say, thirty seconds or 100-150 words). The term is typically used in the context of an entrepreneur pitching an idea to a venture capitalist  or a sales rep who finds him/herself face to face with a decision maker.

So, why can’t a job seeker use the same concept? It’s powerful (and confidence-building) to be prepared to deliver your own personal elevator pitch.  How do you create one? First, write down the basics:

• Tell them what you want. Describe (as specifically as you can) what type of position you are looking for – and why.
• Emphasize what attributes make you unique. Think about your skill set, your experience, your education or training, personal characteristics, etc. Market yourself. Describe why you will be an asset to anyone you work for.
• Focus on the “take-away”. Hit the essentials. What is the key thing you want this person to take away from your conversation? If they had a position, would they be able to match you to it? Would they be able to accurately describe you to others?
• Ask for something. Do you want this person to consider you for a position? Do you want them to pass along your information to others? Don’t forget to offer them your contact information.

Next, (and this is the really hard part) boil it down to the key elements. If you’re like most of us, your first cut will probably be much longer than 60 seconds. Challenge yourself to get it down to under one minute. You will find that this exercise will force you to whittle your pitch down to the key essentials.

Finally, practice, practice, practice. Try it out on spouses or friends. Once you have the elevator pitch down cold you will be very confident in delivering it anytime, anywhere, and to anyone.

We’d love to hear your input on this. Share your ideas with us.

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