The Art of the Elevator Pitch

Being prepared with an engaging introduction is a great way to set up for a successful professional conversation. An elevator pitch will help you do just that.

No matter where you decide to work at, the same few questions can and will pop up, such as “What do you do?” or “What is your background?”. As mundane as these questions can be, they also serve as an opening for you to leave a memorable impression with an elevator pitch.

These types of introductions are particularly useful when attending more formal events, such as career fairs, networking sessions or company information sessions. By delivering an effective elevator pitch, you can start any conversation on the right foot and give your listeners a good impression of yourself.

Keep it short and brief

Why is it called an elevator pitch? Consider the amount of time it takes for an elevator to reach a specific floor. Before you reach your destination, you need to give your audience a quick summary about yourself in a way that would intrigue them and want to know more.

The general rule of thumb is that a good pitch should not exceed 90 seconds — about a minute and a half. Short enough to keep your audience’s attention, but also long enough to sufficiently introduce yourself and leave a good impression. On paper, that might seem like quite a lot of time — but it really is not. You need to carefully consider what exactly you want to say during those 90 seconds, and the most effective way to leave an impression is to share the most important and interesting parts of yourself during that period.

Moreover, keep in mind that an elevator pitch differs from a sales pitch. You only just met this person for the first time. Your goal here is to just hook their interest, not make them offer you a job right there and then.

Give a quick summary

At a glance, this might seem easy enough. Just say something like “Hi, I am Jules. I am 24 years old and just graduated last month”. But really, would that interest you, especially if you kept hearing it over and over with little variation?

When workshopping your pitch, pick a theme and stick to it. For example, if you are looking to snag a job in engineering, then your pitch should revolve around that industry.

Keep the pitch focused on the most relevant information, such as your academic background, relevant past experiences and skills, as well as any key specialities or strengths. If you are not sure what to include exactly, you could list them down first, followed by shortlisting the items you absolutely want to include in your pitch (think of it like listing down the most important bits in your resume) and move forward from there.

But above all else, make sure that your pitch is coherent and flows well. Just throwing points and anecdotes without any connections will only leave your listeners confused and leave a bad impression of you as a bad speaker. Your pitch should be like a teaser trailer — you do not just dump everything in one go on the first meeting! As long as you can impress them with a few good details about yourself, then your work here is done.

Practise, practise, practise

For those who are introverts or self-conscious, the idea of having to speak up, especially about yourself, sounds like a mortifying experience. But with enough effort and practice, you too will be able to effortlessly deliver your pitch.

If you are nervous about speaking in front of a group, you could gather some of your friends for help. Not only can they serve as a mock audience for you, they can also offer you their inputs on your pitch and delivery.

Remember that you are not alone in this endeavor. Do not hesitate to approach any of your Career Coaches for any additional tips or help. If they can help to simulate any potential situations, then take the opportunity to learn how to improvise if the situation calls for it.

The key ingredients for a great pitch

• Keep it within 90 seconds • Make each detail as clear and concise as you can • Present it as naturally as possible • Use relevant anecdotes • Rehearse and practise often • Make a few variations so you can use a customised pitch depending on the situation