The 4 Steps of the Ultimate Elevator Pitch (the best networking hack for awkward people)
You’re in an elevator, minding your own business… and the lady who runs the company you’re dying to work at just happens to step in.
Even if she’d never take a meeting with little old you, she’s trapped in this tiny moving room with you for the next minute or two.
What do you say to her before she leaves?
Think of your elevator pitch as your emotional support paragraph. You memorize it once, you practice it until it's boring to you, and then it's just... there. Ready to go. No improv required.
The Must Haves:
1. Who you are.
Not your whole life story, just enough context so the person knows who they're talking to. Your name, your job title (or your school and major), and why you wanted to talk to this person (e.g.: “I’m a huge fan of your company’s work” - the more specific the better).
2. What you do.
This is your past and current experience, condensed. What have you actually done? What are you doing now? Keep it to the highlights that are relevant to who you're talking to, not everything you've ever touched. This might even be as short as: “I’ve been involved in this lab for years now and am currently researching x, but I’m really excited to get involved in y”. That takes us to…
3. The future.
Are you currently looking for a full-time gig? Do you have an internship coming up and you’re exploring options for after that? What are the passions that are directing where you’re heading next? Give them a reason to feel invested in your trajectory.
4. The call to action.
This is the part that turns a nice conversation into an actual opportunity. Are you asking for their business card to email them later? Permission to add them on LinkedIn? Are you jumping straight to asking for an informational interview? Make sure you have a way to get in touch with them, and be sure to follow up in the next few days.
Pro Tips:
Practice in the mirror. Out loud. More than once. I know, it feels ridiculous. Do it anyway. The goal isn't to sound memorized, it's to get comfortable enough with your own words that they stop sounding memorized.
Use a timer when you practice. While you should be able to say it in just 30 seconds if you need to, you’ll also want to have enough material on these four questions in your back pocket that this could easily be a 3 to 5 minute conversation if they ask follow up questions.
Personalize it whenever you can. For example, focus on the part of your history and future that are relevant to their field, or mention something specific about their company that shows you truly care.
Use this to write your cover letter, and vice versa. Your cover letter is practically your elevator pitch, written down. Similar structure, similar story. If you've got one written, you already nearly have a draft of the other. Write whichever one comes easier first, then use it as a cheat sheet for the second. Of course, each one should always be tweaked for the unique person/company you’re addressing.
Bring It To…
Career fairs, conferences, the classic “tell me about yourself” question in job interviews, the first thirty seconds of an informational interview, family gatherings where someone asks "so what are you doing now?" (we've all been there). Once you've got it memorized, you'll be shocked how many places it fits.
Still feeling a little stuck?
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