4.3: Elevator and Career Fair Pitch- Standing Out While Still Fitting In
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You’ve got dreams of landing a perfect job if you could only catch a break. One day that break happens as you step on the elevator and there is the one person you need to talk to. This is the person who can launch your career, do you know what to say?
An elevator pitch is a short 30 second to one-minute persuasive speech that you always have ready. You can use your elevator pitch at a job fair, on your LinkedIn summary, at networking events, at conferences, and when you meet someone in the elevator. Most of this information is straightforward and doesn’t require a lot of writing from me, but it does require a lot of thought, careful preparation, and practice on your end.
Whether it is a chance meeting on an elevator or a deliberate meeting like a job fair, remember that your body language speaks volumes before you ever say a word.
Indeed.com suggests remembering GNAP: Greeting name, affiliation purpose.
Hello (greeting) I’m Mary Moore (name) I’m a senior business major from the Walton College of Business (affiliation) and I’m interested in your marketing position (purpose).
I invited Craig Schmitt, a teaching assistant professor in the Recreation and Sport Management Program at the University of Arkansas to talk more about the elevator pitch. He has worked both on the university level and in the non-profit level teaching athletes, trainers, and sports professionals the art of the elevator pitch. Here is what he shared:
Elevator pitches are an introduction, a way to engage with someone with shared interests or experiences. An elevator pitch is not the conversation, but rather a tool to demonstrate relevance and spark a conversation. For job seekers, elevator pitches can also effectively be used as a response to the most common opening question in an interview, and the one question few interviewees seem to prepare for, “Tell me about yourself.”
Relevance and brevity should remain top of mind. Our lives are full of clutter that distracts an audience or listener from being present in the moment, and attention spans are only diminishing. Thus, we should strive to concisely deliver relevant content. It is helpful to approach an elevator pitch with a marketing orientation, or a recognition that it is much easier to “satisfy the consumer’s needs or wants” than it is to “sell them your product.” Thus, while the person delivering the elevator pitch inevitably will share information they believe is interesting, unless that information is relevant to the audience (or “satisfies the consumer’s needs or wants”), it is unlikely to be heard and retained.
Schmitt suggests using the following three (3) part structure for developing an elevator pitch is designed to spark a conversation.
THE HOOK – Effective presentations begin with a hook, or a way to create initial interest (and hopefully, but temporarily, removing clutter from the audience’s mind). For an elevator pitch, the hook is your passion . This should be a relatively brief, but specific statement. Focus on the impact you want to make on an industry or a group of people (not on a job title and/or organization). This impact should align with the impact your audience also strives to make. If there is an alignment, you will likely see an emotional response from the audience (a nod and a smile as they reflect on this shared passion).
THE EVIDENCE – Then, share evidence that you are pursuing that passion. This could come in the form of work experience, education, volunteer activities, or other efforts. But this should be a specific story, concisely told (the STAR method could help structure the story – Situation, Task, Action, Result).
YOUR NEXT STEP – Lastly, be sure to share your next step . In other words, what do you see as the next position or step in your career path? This helps demonstrate your understanding of your career trajectory, and your desire to continue to gain experience and learn skills (i.e., coachability) as you pursue your passion and strive to make impact.
Remember This!
E levator Pitch Formula
Example of the formula applied:
How to Elevate Your Elevator Pitch: For Corporate Professionals
Doyle, A. (2021). How to create an elevator pitch with examples. https://www.thebalancecareers.com/elevator-speech-examples-and-writing-tips-2061976
Edwards, V. (2014). The best elevator pitch. [Video] YouTube. https://youtu.be/yi41U9ahyoE Standard YouTube License
Indeed.com (2021) How to introduce yourself at a job fair (with examples). https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/interviewing/how-to-introduce-yourself-at-a-job-fair
Tennesse Tech. (2013). The elevator speech. [Video] YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LDpe9StfGTA Standard YouTube License.
Upkey. Elevator pitch help for students with no experience. https://blog.upkey.com/elevator-pitch-help-for-students-with-no-experience/
Upkey. Elevator pitch examples that include relevant experience. https://blog.upkey.com/elevator-pitch-examples-that-include-relevant-experience/