What’s an Elevator Pitch and Why Should You Use One?

Whether you want to make contacts at a networking event or you’re being asked to introduce yourself in a job interview, a good elevator pitch can set you up to achieve your career goals.

An elevator pitch is a little speech about yourself as a professional that lasts about as long as an elevator ride, between 30 and 60 seconds. The typical pitch tells who you are, what you do best and why someone should work with you or hire you. The idea behind an elevator pitch is that time is precious. Nobody has time to hear someone talk about themselves for more than a minute or so, especially if that person is a complete stranger.

It can be challenging to create an elevator pitch that is quick and impactful. It’s also even more difficult to deliver this pitch with confidence; talking about your own achievements can feel unnatural or like you’re being arrogant.

Having said that, elevator pitches are getting to be an essential job-hunting tool. Writing one that works for you can be making the difference in trying to achieve your next career goal.

Know your target audience

It’s extremely difficult to write an effective pitch if you aren’t sure what you want to achieve. If you’re looking to network, you could describe your background and value as a potential connection. If you are using it to find a certain job, you can research the role, identify what abilities are most important and tailor your pitch accordingly.

Know yourself

One of the dangers of using an elevator pitch is it can end up coming off as an arrogant sales pitch. One way to avoid that is to figure out why writing a pitch is so important to you. Is there a job you really want? Is there a career goal you’re trying to achieve? What accomplishments are you most proud of and want others to know about?

When you know why the pitch is important to you, you can incorporate that knowledge into the pitch and make a strong connection with your listeners.

Know your value

Once you’ve figure out who you want to pitch to and why, you need to figure out what to pitch. Write down all of your relevant experiences, education, soft skills and technical skills. Then, focus on how each item on your list can benefit your target audience.

Write, edit and rewrite

After you have figured out your most pitchable qualities, write out a rough draft of around five to seven sentences. Read your pitch aloud to see how it rolls off the tongue and rephrase where necessary. Continue refining and reworking until you have a pitch you are happy with. Then, try it out on a trusted friend to get some honest feedback. Keep practicing your final draft until you have it memorized and feel comfortable delivering it at the drop of a hat.

At Career Concepts, coach job seekers through every part of the job search and interview process. Reach out to us today!