What is an “Elevator Pitch”?
The idea behind an “Elevator Pitch” is that in a random happenstance you end up on an elevator with the CEO of your dream company, your next big client, or an investor to fund your business (ect) . You have 15-30 seconds to impress this person before they get off at their floor. So what are you going to say?
Of course this exact situation isn’t likely to happen (Covid is out here we really shouldn’t be talking on elevators), but having this type of speech prepared is crucial in advancing your career and networking. This is a perfect speech to give when someone ask “Could you tell me a little about yourself”. Having been on the recruiting side of a career fair booth, it’s really unpleasant to say the least when we have to cut someone off after 5 minutes of them going on and on. But that won’t be you! Because you’re here and this template is what you need to ace this social test.
0. Know who you’re talking to
First things first! Before you even say anything! Do this! Your elevator pitch will eb and flow depending on who you are talking to. So you need to access your audience aka: know who you’re talking to. If you’re talking with someone in your industry who’s literally recruiting for people like you , you may not need to give extensive background to some of the vocabulary that you use. If you’re talking to someone off the street or at a larger networking event it’s probably best to have a separate speech prepared where you discuss what you do in layman’s terms. If you’re unsure always lean towards the layman’s version of your speech. If they are familiar with your line of work they can ask the follow up questions.
It is a mistake to talk over someone’s head when you first meet them. If they’re honest they’re going to ask you to dumb it down (which is awkward) but more than likely they aren’t going to know what you’re talking about, they are going to nod their head and move on to the next person. Establishing a base of common knowledge is crucial to establishing a personal connection.
1. Your Name
This is simple. Just say your name first and last. If you have a unique name (like myself) say it slowly.
2. Your Job Title
“I am a *blank* at *insert company*
If you are currently unemployed you don’t need to include the company. You can just say what you are. Example: student, writer, electrical engineer, ect….
3. Background
If it applies you can talk about your background. This is the portion of the speech where you can list any relevant qualifications or skills.
4. Current Responsibilities
If you are currently employed you should communicate what your responsibilities are in your position. This is where you may need to break off and have an industry insider version vs the laymen’s version. (Layman means a 5th grader would understand what you’re talking about).
This is also the time to insert a quick brag. “In fact I worked on x project and y was the outcome”.
Okay now if this is just a social mixer and you don’t have an immediate request out of the person you’re talking to you can ask the same of them but if they’ve already introduced themselves….. you’re done (yay!). But if you do need that funding for your startup or a new job continue on to part 5.
5. The Finesse
You’ve made it this far. At this point you’ve already impressed the CEO of your dream company with your background and skills. Now it’s time to ask for what you want but you have to do it in such a way where you’re framing it so that it also benefits whoever you are talking to. No one is trying to hire more people for no reason. Hiring people is expensive and costly and most companies will do what they can to avoid it. When they do hire it’s because they’re trying to solve a problem and lucky them you are the answer to their problem.
In this situation you’ve already done research on the company and you know they’re starting a new product design in an area you’re familiar with. This is where you would say “I see that X corp is starting product design in X *insert compliment here* *insert relevant question here* ” and hopefully here is where Ms. CEO would respond and this is an open invitation for back and forth conversation. During this back and forth you should come across as a competent answer to the problems they’re running into.
6. Close the Deal
You and Ms. CEO are old chums now and even if you’re not it doesn’t hurt to try. This is where you ask for what you’re looking for. “Are there any positions open on the X design team? Could we exchange contact info to discuss further?”
Remember this whole speech should only be between 15-30 seconds. Don’t recite your whole resume, that’s what a resume is for. Main goal of this is to get a conversation started and even if they don’t have an open position at the moment ,recruiters will remember people who were friendly and asked relevant questions.
