One of the primary reasons candidates are rejected in the hiring process is due to their inability to communicate clearly and succinctly. Clearly articulating your mission statement through a honed elevator pitch can make your candidacy stand out. 

The interview has commenced and a common top twenty interview question is posed - please tell me about yourself? There is no perfect answer to this open-ended question, but it provides an opportunity to present with subtle confidence a succinct, well-crafted pitch. In this less than one-minute moment, you have the opportunity to share who you are, what you do, and why you do it.  How you present yourself and your experience can make or break whether you move forward in the interview process. 

Here are a few key pointers to perfect your Elevator Pitch:

‍Crafting your pitch. When drafting your pitch, think about the following questions:  why do your clients and colleagues love working with you? What do you love about what you do? How do your passions align with your end goal?  How have you made a difference?  Who are you professionally at your core? 

Always be your authentic self. The best elevator pitches showcase a candidate’s direct skill set but more importantly present an opportunity to showcase your personality.

Value add.  Share your knowledge, but at the same time, share how you added value to your work that made a difference in the organization.

Strength + Passion = Purpose. Your elevator pitch should exemplify strengths but exude your passion and thus prove your purpose. A passion that is aligned with purpose is infectious. 

Tell your story. People remember stories. Try to weave in some succinct examples and anecdotes about your work that are memorable.

Keep your pitches bite-size. You should be able to break down your elevator pitch into small bite-size pieces. Sentences that are too lengthy and too detailed are hard to remember. Your elevator pitch should be a grouping of smaller thoughts that can easily be remembered and delivered.  If you are long winded, the listener gets lost.

Practice. Practice. Practice. Find someone to practice with that might make you a bit uncomfortable – for example, a random coworker or a mentor versus your significant other. Practice your pitch. Let them listen, time you, keep track of fillers, and give you feedback. The more you practice, the easier your pitch will be to deliver in a pressure situation and can’t be morphed for different questions.

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Should you want to connect, please reach out!

Anne Kerwin Payne

(anne@kerwin.com)