If you’re looking for a job, it’s essential to have an elevator speech. Not only just having one, but making sure it is intriguing and memorable is crucial, so that the person you are delivering it to will want to spend more time talking to you. If prepared for and delivered well, this 30-second pitch will allow you to create a lasting impression with a person that may help you land a career. This short overview of who you are, what you do, and why you’d be a perfect job candidate is one of the most powerful tools to have in the business world.
You just read that the key investor in your field is eager to hire people like you… and she just got in an elevator with you. She asks you, “What do you do?” but she’s getting off at the 10th floor. What will you say?
A strong elevator speech is everything in today’s economy where 30 seconds can make a difference when it comes to building both your personal and professional brands. If you can’t articulate what makes you or your organization unique, your brand will suffer.
Essential elements of a powerful elevator speech include being concise, using clear language, choosing powerful words, painting a visual, telling a story, and reading a hook.
To craft a strong elevator speech you must identify your goal (to land the job), target your audience, identify your professional achievements, and illustrate your value as an employee.
Identify your professional achievements
- List any leaderships roles, internal processes or systems that you redesigned or improved, money you saved the company or the client, any special projects you worked on/led, any new programs, systems or processes you designed or implemented, any courses you’ve taken or certificates you’ve achieved, all awards and recognitions you won.
- Match your qualifications to requirements
Illustrate your value PAR: Project/Problem, Actin & Result:
- Project/Problem: Define the project/problem/challenge/situation
- Action: What was your action? What obstacles were you required to overcome? What skills did you use to solve the problem?
- Results: What was the result, how did it benefit the company? Express this by using numerical terms such as dollars, percentages, or hours saved.
Example on how to break the ice: How our intern Shaunna Cullen helped our public relations agency make a splash for a Special Olympics “Penguin Plunge” Charity Event:
- Problem: Assisted in executing and developing a localized media relations plan only two weeks prior to the event.
- Action: Adapted and re-wrote charity-generated announcements, correspondence,and press release information to earn sponsorship and attention from local media outlets and local civic groups and businesses.
- Results: Secured broadcast media placements on local radio, print and online publications resulting in increased donations over$10,000.
Example of a personal speech our former intern used to get the job:
“Are you looking for a writer with extensive experience in professional writing for radio, print, and public relations who has successfully raise over $10,000 in one day? My name is Shaunna Cullen, I am a student at SCSU, majoring in Journalism with a minor in English. I am confident I would be a great fit for your organization. I can work autonomously in a fast-paced environment which I demonstrated when I assisted in executing and developing a localized media relations plan for a charity only two weeks prior to the event. I can be an immediate benefit to your company because I am skilled at adapting and writing charity-generated announcements, correspondence, and press release information to earn sponsorship and attention from local media outlets and local civic groups and businesses.”
Now find out if you’re elevator-ready! Use the fill in the blank below to start creating your very own elevator speech so you can be ready fo any opportunity.
Fill in the Blank Template:
| “I heard you mention you ____________ (State the situation that your prospect is facing)
If you’re looking for _________________ (What can your company bring to the table…how can you help them?) and ______________________________ (State a possible solution to the situation,) I can help you. We have _____________ (USP Resolution: example of how you helped a client or investor with a similar situation. Here’s my business card. If you’d like to chat or if you’d like me to take you to lunch sometime, feel free to contact me.” |
Ron and Jennifer are a husband and wife team who own MMC, a PR agency that combines the best of traditional PR with an online PR approach. They talk fast, and together wear many hats: PR strategist, professor, lawyer, writer, speaker, trainer, parent, and marathoner(s). Go ahead. Try and keep up with them if you can. www.magasmedia.com
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