Decide on Your Goal

Are You Ready?

One of the best ways to arm yourself in uncertain times is to be ready to tell people your elevator pitch-- what value you provide. Whether you're looking for a job, looking to keep a job, or just smart (by staying current with people and always being alert for ways to contribute), your elevator pitch is one of your best tools.

Your elevator pitch should start with your profession or role, specific expertise you have, and a mention of your general experience so that the other person can put it all in context. At this point, the person is getting a sense of you, so now it’s time to illustrate what you’ve been saying in a way that brings it all to life and differentiates you from others. This might be in the form of key accomplishments, an example of a recent project and the value it created, or particularly unique characteristics that set you apart. Finally, make it clear that this elevator pitch isn’t an example of how arrogant you are, but simply a lead-in for how it relates to them:

• If this is a job interview, be direct. Tell them that you’re interested in seeing how your capabilities can benefit them
  
• If talking with someone at a party, be less direct. Tell them what you like most about what you do, and make sure that what you like is something they would value!
  
• If you currently have a job and are having a chance conversation with your CEO (in the elevator!), tell them what you enjoy about your work and how it impacts the company (in other words- make sure they see your value!)
  

Here’s how this might sound, if you’re, say, a marketing consultant:

• Profession: I’m a marketing consultant…
  
• Expertise: … specializing in brand creation and development…
  
• General Experience: …For the past 10 years I’ve worked extensively with clients in the consumer electronics industry…
  
• Information that differentiates you: …I recently completed a project with a client that resulted in the company moving from the number 3 spot in industry market share to the number one spot, within one month of the new brand launch…
  
• How this information could relate to the other person: …What I like most about what I do is the combination of insight and innovation, meaning I get to have very deep insight into what my clients’ products and services bring to the world as well as what their goals are, and then, in partnership with my clients, I get to develop innovative ways to position their company to the world. That is seriously my idea of fun. And then when I see the results in the company bottom line—that’s not bad either!