Whether you are networking, attending a job fair, or going to a party, you'll need a polished pitch. Learn how with this quick guide written by Certified Career Coach, Janine Desgres.
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In order to make the most of every encounter with your networking contacts, you must be ready to clearly communicate who you are, what you have to offer, and what you are seeking. This is often called your Professional Introduction, an Elevator Speech, Elevator Pitch, or 30-second infomercial—a sales pitch about yourself that you deliver in less than 2 minutes.
The term “Elevator Speech” refers to a practice many entry-level workers use in large
companies. As you stand in the elevator with an executive, instead of making small talk, you introduce yourself with a sales pitch that markets your skills and qualifications with the hope that the VIP will remember you when it comes time for a promotion.
Not only is your Professional Introduction useful for networking, it can also be used:
In the summary section of your resume or LinkedIn profile
At Career/Job Fairs and Informational Interviews
In response to the interview question, “Tell me about yourself”
1. Hi, my name is Leanne Dwyer and I’m a student at UMASS, majoring in Computer Science. To gain experience, I have been working at Staples for the past year, doing computer repair. I am skilled at solving various technical problems and have a lot of patience when explaining computers to other people. I’m hoping to find a position with a major corporation or university. Do you know of anyone in the industry that I might speak with?
2. Good morning, my name is Keith Edison. I’ve been in the Army for the last 20 years, serving at West Point Military Academy, teaching cadet courses in Information Security. Now that I’m about to retire, I’m looking to apply my strong leadership and teaching skills in a University or College in my hometown of Boston, Massachusetts. Do you know of anyone I can speak to about employment possibilities?
Prepare Your Professional Introduction
As you prepare your own version, think about what is most important about you that this person must know. If they are an employer, what is your value? What key skills do you have that would interest them? Have you accomplished something that would help them understand who you are as an employee? Communicating this information is key!
Your name (skip if the person already knows your name) _________________________________ Your current status/job title? (in school, retiring, changing careers, currently working as…, etc.) __________________________________________________________________________
What is your overall experience? __________________________________________________________________________
Is there a brief, relevant accomplishment you’ve had that you want to share? __________________________________________________________________________