The scenarios where you need to deliver an elevator pitch (value statement) might be simple and expected, like a networking event or job interview. Or they might be unexpected and outlandish – but completely feasible! For instance, you could get stuck in the elevator with the CEO of a Fortune 500 company, or find yourself at Thanksgiving Dinner meeting your second cousin’s new partner who happens to own a successful new startup and looking for interns.
Either way, you should always have an updated and flexible value statement at the ready. To quote Taylor Swift, “If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.”
First, a quick refresher on the basic 3 part framework – based on your experience, your Career Coach might advise you to switch up this order, but personally I’ve always preferred the Present – Past – Future model:
Present – Where are you now?
Example: I am a Master’s Candidate at Brandeis International Business School. My degree is in International Economics and Finance with a concentration in data analytics.
Past – What’s your background?
Example: As an undergraduate at UMass Amherst, I double majored in finance and economics. Last summer, I was a consulting intern for a small, Boston based consulting firm, and found that I really enjoyed speaking with clients and presenting to a close-knit team.
Future – Where are you headed? What are your target roles, industries or companies?
Example: Moving forward, I am exploring/targeting roles in project management as I am interested in leading my own team and heading my own projects. I am especially intrigued by a project management role in a tech startup.
Once you have your basic framework down, it’s time to add a little *professional sparkle*
There are several amazing resources and articles out there for updating and perfecting your pitch. One of my personal favorites is 10 Dos & Don’ts for Delivering Your Elevator Pitch by Management Consulted. Although the article is intended for candidates interested in the consulting industry, their 10 rules that I’ve listed below can absolutely be applied to any industry.
10 Basic Rules for Delivering Your Elevator Pitch
Adapted from Management Consulted
1). Be Positive – show an eagerness to learn!
Focus on the positives of your journey and experiences. Saying “Last summer I completed a marketing internship for XYC Marketing, where I realized that the job responsibilities that excited me the most had a technical and/or analytical component. I’m now further exploring data analytics roles in other industries” sounds like you have a clearer sense of direction than, “Last summer I completed a marketing internship for XYC Marketing, which made me realize that I don’t really like marketing and should have instead completed a data analyst internship. I’m now hoping to explore data analytics roles in other industries.”
2). Brag – Gently
To quote Management Consulted, “Just saying what you’ve done isn’t enough – you need to demonstrate that you were distinguished, recognized, or just in general good at it for it to be memorable.”
3). Be Confident
Being able to deliver your pitch is so important and comes with lots of practice. One important rule for sounding confident is ending each statement firmly and clearly, without raising your voice at the end – which can sound like you’re asking a question about your own experience!
“The first step is convincing yourself that your experience had value… You can’t worry that you’ll pale in comparison to anything, because you and you alone have the floor.” – Management Consulted
4). Highlight your Qualities and Skills
This is especially important for the background summary part of your pitch (right in the middle). Your first instinct might be to run through a grocery list of job roles and functions that you’ve had – but unless your career was a perfectly linear trajectory *yawn*, you could come across as eclectic and lacking direction. Make it easier for your listeners by highlighting the core qualities and skills that you bring to the table!
A simple example would be: “I have a strong background in customer service” is much more to the point and universally applicable than saying that you’ve worked as a waiter, cashier and barista.
5). Use Specific Names
Make a stronger impression by being specific when naming your University, Student Organizations, Past Employers etc. Not only are these easier things for your listeners to remember (“oh right, that was the student from Brandeis!”), you never know what you might randomly have in common with your audience (“that student was also president of their school’s NABE chapter, just like me”)!
However, it would be beneficial to stay on top of current events with your previous employers. As Management Consulted Notes:
“If you spent the last 2 years working for a boutique firm with a poor reputation, or an investment bank that no longer exists, politely omit it – you don’t want your contact to remember you on that experience alone.”
6). Use Your Most Relevant Experience
It is SO important that you learn to adapt your elevator pitch according to your audience. If you’re preparing for a job interview for example, take some time to review the job description to ensure that you’re highlighting your most relevant experience. If you’re networking with a room full of Brandeis alumni, consider spending more time on the career-related activities you’re exploring while you’re here (student organizations and on-campus leadership, the kinds of courses you’re focusing your schedule on etc.)
“You want every second to be meaningful and add to your brand statement, which means focus is required.” – Management Consulted
7). Follow a Logical Order
If the tried and true 3 part framework doesn’t work for you, that’s ok! But it’s still extremely important that your pitch follows some sort of logical order. Don’t give your pitch like how I tend to tell a story…
8). Practice Your Presentation
Write out your elevator pitch in paragraph form and practice it with trusted friends, mentors etc.
9). Keep it to 1 Minute (or Less)
Management Consulted put it perfectly: “No one wants to listen to someone they just met talk about themselves for more than a minute!”
10). End with a Question
This is the elevator pitch’s version of a CTA (Call to Action) – time to encourage your listener to “add to cart”. But by “adding to cart”, we mean continue the natural flow of conversation into the direction you were hoping for. The best way to do that, specifically in a networking scenario, is to end with a question. Management Consulted suggests “how about you” – but be careful using this as a knee jerk addition. If they already introduced themselves, you don’t want to ask them to do it again and make it seem like you weren’t listening. A value statement pro might remember something from their listeners pitch and finish with.
Moving forward, I am exploring/targeting roles in project management as I am interested in leading my own team and heading my own projects. I am especially intrigued by a project management role in a tech startup. Since you mentioned that you’re currently managing a small team at your consulting firm, could you share a bit more about what it’s like to manage multiple people and how your experience prepared you for that role?
Happy pitching!
– Natalie Warila, Assistant Director of Career Strategies
