Why You Need an Elevator Pitch

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What would you do if you had 30 seconds to sell yourself to your dream mentor/manager? Would you know what to say and how to say it to make sure that you are memorable and potentially then hired? Lifehacker have collated some tips to help you create the perfect elevator pitch so you are never caught out when given the opportunity to network!

A lot career opportunities can arise from a contact simply “thinking of you.” However, for someone to think of you, they first need to know who you are and what it is that you do.

 

1. Prioritise information: To start with, make a list of everything that could be useful for your career elevator pitch. Consider your qualities, abilities, skills, and education. Remove anything that is not absolutely necessary for the other person to understand what you can do for them from this list.

2. Be compelling, but use plain language: Although you will be passionate about what you do, it is important to make what you are saying understandable, and avoid technical jargon. The person you are pitching yourself to won’t be able to “keep you in mind” if they cannot understand what you do. Think about rephrasing your pitch to mention what you can do for other people over what you do technically.

3. Association: Mention how you know the person you are talking to, the industry you share, and how they have inspired you. If your journey was influenced by them, tell them!

4. Practice: This may sound silly, but practice that pitch! It’s all well and good thinking that you know what you would say, but you would probably be nervous in the moment. Don’t memorise it word for word, you’re human, but make sure you remember what you want to say.

5. Parting ways: Share your LinkedIn/email/contact details and follow up with them on the same day as your interaction!