The Elevator Speech What is an Elevator Speech? An elevator speech is essentially a way of introducing yourself in a professional environment. You have about 30 seconds to do this succinctly and memorably. It spotlights your uniqueness, focuses on the benefits you provide and is delivered effortlessly. Why You Should Have One It helps you identify your key attributes while clearly defining what you are looking for You will need to be your own best advocate in convincing people to hire you and/or help you in the job search. You can do this most effectively if you’re clear on what you have to offer and what kind of opportunities you seek. The exercise of putting together an elevator speech significantly helps you in this regard. Every introduction is a chance to tell people what you have to offer You never know where a good opportunity will come from and sometimes they come from unexpected and surprising places. Having a clear introduction prepared is a great way to present yourself to individuals in your field (or individuals who know people in your field). They are really helpful at networking events, career/job fairs, and in job interviews In each of these situations you’ll be expected to introduce yourself briefly and substantively, and an elevator speech is the best way to do that. How to Prepare First and foremost, remember that this is a conversational tool. A good elevator speech does not sound like you’re going on automatic pilot. Instead, it should lead people to ask you more about yourself. The key components are: 1) your name 2) what you’ve been doing 3) what you’re looking to do and 4) what kind of assistance/information you are looking for in this instance. Keep it simple and end strong. Don’t let your introduction trail off. The aim is to get the person interested in you. While a standard elevator speech is 30 seconds, a longer version (e.g. 2-4 minutes) can be used when you have more time to talk about yourself, e.g. when you are meeting a prospective member of your network or having lunch with a contact. It can also be a great response to the most commonly asked interview questions: “Tell me about yourself” and “Why should I hire you?” Practice, Practice, Practice! Without practice, you will hesitate, stammer, or even ramble. Too many “ahs” and “ums” in a 30- or a 60-second pitch is bad because you’ll sound unfocused, insecure, and/or flighty. The objective is to sound natural and comfortable in your delivery. Your self-introduction should roll off your tongue with ease. The more often you give your “speech,” the more your delivery will improve. Practice your speech in front of the mirror and with friends. Do you sound confident? Sincere? Is it engaging? Tweak accordingly. The trick is to make your elevator speech intriguing enough that people will want to spend more time talking with you.

The key components include: 1) YOUR NAME 2) WHAT YOU’RE STUDYING/WHAT YOU’VE BEEN DOING 3) WHAT YOU’RE INTERESTS ARE and 4) WHAT KIND OF INFORMATION YOU’RE LOOKING FOR

With a partner, shake hands and practice introducing yourself using your elevator pitch! Take turns practicing and offering feedback until you get it right!

Write down your talking points!