Learn how to create and perfect your elevator speech to impress prospective employers in interviews, at career fairs, etc.

1. Perfect your Pitch:
Using an Elevator Speech to
Impress
By: Brian Carhide &
Sandi Ohman

2. The Elevator Speech
• It is a quick introduction you could share with
someone you meet in an “elevator” to sell
your capabilities
- “Tell me about yourself” question/cover letter
• A 20-30 second advertisement about YOU and what
skills, qualifications, and characteristics you will bring to
the company
• Write it out, practice it OUT LOUD, share it with people
you trust for feedback
• You don’t have to share the entire speech, or share it
with every recruiter you speak to, but be prepared in
case you have the opportunity

3. Elevator Speech: Videos
Career Byte: Your INFOmercial
Career Spot: The Elevator Pitch
Elevator Speech How to Video
FSU Student Example

4. Your Elevator Speech
Know your audience
• Research your audience and
customize your pitch
Know yourself
• What are your key strengths?
• What adjectives come to mind
to describe yourself?
• What is it you are trying to
“sell” or want recruiters to
know about you?
• Why are you interested in the
company or industry the
person represents?
Source: Pepperdine University Business School
Outline
• Who am I? What do I do/offer?
• What are the main contributions
I can make?
• What is your USP (Unique
Selling Proposition)? What
makes you different from the
competition
• Application
story/accomplishment
• Action
Finalize
• Write it out so that it flows
• Practice it OUT LOUD
• Be Flexible

5. Elevator Speech
Do
• Be sincere, conversational &
natural
• Practice so you can stop & restart effortlessly and with
confidence
• Make eye contact as you are
speaking
• Project passion, but don’t talk
too fast
• Give examples or use a quick
story
Do
• End with an action call – ask
for a business card, review
your resume, or an interview, if
appropriate timing
Don’t
• Sound canned & rehearsed
• Ramble
• Focus on just yourself, rather
include how can you benefit
the employer

6. Example
I help small businesses and non-profits tell their story to the people
who need to hear it. You see, when someone knows our story, they
can’t help but like us, and we support and do business with those
we like. So, together, we craft your story and start telling it to your
employees, the media, potential clients, and to the world. I know it
sounds like marketing, but what makes me unique is that first and
foremost, I am a storyteller. I also have a technical, art, writing, and
design background which I combine to tell your story in a special,
get-their-attention way. I recently completed a sixteen-page
publication with an additional 15,000 copies that appeared in the
March issue of Cleveland Magazine telling the stories of
Cleveland’s community development corporations. They were so
delighted with the outcome that I am now in the process of
designing an extensive website for them.
Source: http://www.creativekeys.net/PowerfulPresentations/article1024.html
10/31/2007

7. Example
What you offer
I help small businesses and non-profits tell their story to the
people
who need to hear it. You see, when someone knows our story,
they
can’t help but like us, and we support and do business with
those
we like. So, together, we craft your story and start telling it to
your
employees, the media, potential clients, and to the world. I
know it
sounds like marketing, but what makes me unique is that first and
foremost, I am a storyteller. I also have a technical, art, writing, and
design background which I combine to tell your story in a special,
get-their-attention way. I recently completed a sixteen-page
publication with an additional 15,000 copies that appeared in the
March issue of Cleveland Magazine telling the stories of
Cleveland’s community development corporations. They were so
delighted with the outcome that I am now in the process of
designing an extensive website for them.

8. Example
Your skills and
strengths
I help small businesses and non-profits tell their story to the people
who need to hear it. You see, when someone knows our story, they
can’t help but like us, and we support and do business with those
we like. So, together, we craft your story and start telling it to your
employees, the media, potential clients, and to the world. I know it
sounds like marketing, but what makes me unique is that first
and
foremost, I am a storyteller. I also have a
technical, art, writing, and
design background which I combine to tell your story in a
special,
get-their-attention way. I recently completed a sixteen-page
publication with an additional 15,000 copies that appeared in the
March issue of Cleveland Magazine telling the stories of
Cleveland’s community development corporations. They were so
delighted with the outcome that I am now in the process of
designing an extensive website for them.
Source: http://www.creativekeys.net/PowerfulPresentations/article1024.html
10/31/2007

9. This is an example of
accomplishments/outcome
Example
I help small businesses and non-profits tell their story to the people
who need to hear it. You see, when someone knows our story, they
can’t help but like us, and we support and do business with those
we like. So, together, we craft your story and start telling it to your
employees, the media, potential clients, and to the world. I know it
sounds like marketing, but what makes me unique is that first and
foremost, I am a storyteller. I also have a technical, art, writing, and
design background which I combine to tell your story in a special,
get-their-attention way. I recently completed a sixteen-page
publication with an additional 15,000 copies that appeared in
the
March issue of Cleveland Magazine telling the stories of
Cleveland’s community development corporations. They were
so
delighted with the outcome that I am now in the process of
designing an extensive website for them.
Source: http://www.creativekeys.net/PowerfulPresentations/article1024.html
10/31/2007

10. My Elevator Speech
“My name is Sandi Ohman and I am the Senior Program Manager in the
Career Services Office at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. I’ve
worked for Embry-Riddle for over 10 years advising students and
alumni from numerous degree programs, including Aerospace
Engineering, MBA and the Aeronautical Science degree areas. Most of
my job duties involve liaison activities between companies that recruit
our students and alumni. From career development activities,
including job search processes, resume development, interview
preparation, and presentations, to working with recruiters and faculty to
create career opportunities for students and alumni, I rely on strong
communication, networking and interpersonal skills. These skills have
been instrumental in helping me be successful in my career. I love
what I do - making a difference in the lives of the people I work with
and helping them find their way to the career that they will be as
passionate about as I am about my career.”

11. My Elevator Speech –
simplified
“My name is Sandi Ohman and I am the Senior Program Manager in the
Career Services Office at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. As a
program manager I help students and recent alumni open doors to
their future careers. Utilizing communication, networking and
interpersonal skills helps me to be successful in my career. I love
what I do - making a difference in the lives of the people I work with
and helping them find their way to the career that they will be as
passionate about as I am about my career.”
What is missing from my pitch?

12. Basic Student Elevator Speech
Script
Student: “Hello, my name is John Student.”
Recruiter: “Hi John, I am Connie Smith”
Student: “It is nice to meet you Ms. Smith. [Pause}
I was very happy to see that company name was attending the
Career Expo this year. I have been following company name for a
long time. I am a junior in the _______ program at Embry-Riddle. I
plan to graduate in May 2015. As an ____ student, I am interested in
the work that company name is doing on the ______ project. I went
to the company website and saw that you have an internship program.
Could you tell me more about this program?”

13. Implementing
• Scripts – General & Detailed
• Practice with Peers
• Volunteers

14. Resources
• http://www.quintcareers.com/elevator_speech_dosdonts.html
• bschool.pepperdine.edu
• Career Spots, ERAU CSO
website, www.erau.edu/career