30 Seconds From the Job You Want - Is Your Elevator Speech Ready?

Posted May 16, 2018

An elevator speech is a 15- to 30-second pitch that conveys the benefits you can offer an employer. Job seekers can use an elevator speech in a wide variety of scenarios, including job fairs, networking events, interviews and cold calls.

In addition to crafting a speech that's memorable and effective, it's also important for you to commit the speech to memory. During an elevator speech, your words need to be precise as it's very easy to get tongue-tied in this situation. The most effective approach to get over nervousness is to practice the speech until it easily rolls off the tongue.

Consider the following approaches to an elevator speech. Then develop your speech and commit it to memory.

Explain your value

A value-based elevator speech describes how you have been able to use your particular set of skills for past employers or clients to achieve certain goals. How you figure out which abilities and achievements to include depends on your career and the kind of job you want. Make sure your pitch makes your achievements sound as powerful and compelling as possible. You want to indicate that you are a proven problem solver who can deliver real value. Keep it simple and stay away from jargon that could clutter your message.

If possible, try to include hard numbers in your speech. For instance, you could say, "I was able to refine a process at a past employer that saved the company $5,000 a week."

Tell a story

People appreciate a good story, and more importantly, research has shown that people are more prone to remember information later on if it is presented as a story.

To craft an elevator speech in story format, you need to develop three different acts. The first act should outline one or two major accomplishments from the past. The second act should discuss the work you're doing now. The third act should say where you want your career to go next.

Each part should convey professional experience that is most relevant to your listener. For instance, if you are talking to someone whose job is highly technical, you story should include technical elements. On the other hand, if you are talking to someone in upper management, your story should include how you contributed to the success of past employers.

Emphasize your niche

Most people enter the job market with a general set of skills, and as they gain experience, they become more specialized in their field. If your career has taken on a specific focus, use that focus in your elevator speech to make yourself more memorable and to stand out from others in your field.

For instance, someone working in quality control at a food production facility might say, "I came out of college with a biology degree, but the past few years, I’ve been using my analytical science background to uphold high-quality standards and ensure products stay within federal guidelines."

At Ambassador, we work with talented professionals to help them take the next step on their career paths. If you are currently looking for assistance with your job search, please contact Ambassador Personnel – a full-service staffing firm today.