Elevator Speech

The 60-second Introduction

or “Elevator Speech”

Dream. Plan. Achieve.

SVC 2088 813-974-2171 Mon-Fri: 8-5 www.career.usf.edu

What is an “Elevator Speech?”

 Brief personal advertisement  30 seconds to 1 minute  Engaging and captivating

Uses for an Elevator Speech  Any cold call opportunity  Voice mail message  Career Fair  Receptions  Interview introduction  Conferences  Any networking opportunity

Components of an Elevator Speech  I am (personal introduction)  My interests are (relevant to listener’s needs)  I know about your organization (I have done my research)  My skills/accomplishments are (I can do what needs to be done)  I would like an interview/meeting/referral (I feel confident you will benefit from the meeting)

I am…

Name______________ Graduating with a ______degree in May from_________________ Looking for a position as a ________________

My interests are‌ Examples: developing marketing plans in the field of ___________ providing ____________service

I know you…

Examples:  I’ve researched your company and learned ____  You produce _____________  You are a leader in ________  You need _______ in your company

MyExamples: skills/accomplishments are…  I excel at _________  I can bring _________  My previous supervisors have said I ______  I produced _______  I can deliver __________  In my last position I accomplished _______

I would like an interview/meeting/referral  You must make a request at the end of your speech  e.g. Do you mind if I connect with you on LinkedIn? Email you?  Don’t ask for a position or about benefits  You want to discuss further:  your skills  the company  a project  obtain career advice  a referral

(I am) “Hi, I’m/this is Mary Smith. speech, I’ll be Sample elevator separated into Graduating from USF in May with a bachelors components degree in marketing and I have a real passion for the environment.

(Interests) I love creating outside-the-box marketing strategies for new products, especially environmentally-sensitive ones.

(I know you) I understand that your company has produced some new products that aren’t on the market yet.

(My skills / accomplishments) Last semester, while interning for a local firm I created an aggressive marketing campaign for a new product, which improved their sales.

(I’d like to meet) I’d love to talk to you about how I might be able to use the skills I've learned to help your company. Are you available for a brief meeting on Monday or Tuesday?”

Putting it all together “Hi, I’m/this is Mary Smith. I’ll be graduating from USF in May with a bachelors degree in marketing and I have a real passion for the environment. I love creating outside-the-box marketing strategies for new products, especially environmentally-sensitive ones.

I understand that your company has produced some new green products that aren’t on the market yet. Last semester, while interning for a local firm I created an aggressive marketing campaign for a new product, which improved their sales.

I’d love to talk to you about how I might be able to use the skills I've learned to help your company. Are you available for a brief meeting on Monday or Tuesday?”

Some Do’s and Don’ts Do:  Rewrite your speech in order to sharpen its focus.  Make it sincere and provide a glimpse into your personality.  Speak confidently and enthusiastically.  Practice your speech until you’re comfortable with it from beginning to end.  Maintain eye contact with your listener.  Prepare different versions for different situations.

Don’t:  Use more words than necessary.  Include industry jargon or acronyms.  Rush breathlessly through it.  Make a “canned” presentation.

Resources References:  http://www.quintcareers.com  Networking for Job Search and Career Success: L. Michelle Tullier, Ph.D.  Getting the Job You Really Want: Michael Farr