I overheard someone talking about looking for a job and preparing their “elevator speech” (yes, I was in an elevator). What exactly is an elevator speech, and do I need one?

Going up?

It is quite an irony that you heard about elevator speeches in an elevator. Just think about the time you spent in that elevator: probably less than two minutes until the doors to your floor opened and you left. Now think about trying to pitch your employment skills and abilities to a prospective employer if that was all the time you had in which to do it. Often when job searching, you can be put on the spot and need to present yourself to people who can help you — all in a similarly short period of time. So the term “elevator speech” itself actually refers to a very important job search tool that all job seekers need in order to be most successful.

Elevator speech = your sales pitch

We all know the concept of a script: whenever you receive a call from a telemarketer, it is usually very easy to determine that they are working from a script. Most successful sales people have some form of script that they use to structure their sales calls. There is a very good reason for this, since there is usually very little time to make the actual sales presentation (think about this when you are the buyer in your next sales situation — how long does it take before you lose interest?). For this reason, you need to come up with a two- to three-minute speech that can communicate your message quickly and accurately and answer the question the hiring manager is asking themselves: Why should I even think about hiring this person?

The best pitches can take a lot of time to prepare because you want to stick to the most important points without losing track and wandering off topic. The best “pitchers” also practice it enough that it NEVER sounds like they are reading or reciting a speech. In other words, it flows very naturally to the listener.

Sales 101: You are the “1”

As a job seeker, you are the sales person. You are offering your skills, experience, education and abilities for a set number of hours per week to the best bidder out there. Naturally, you have competition, as do most other sales people. Ask yourself: will the job go to the person who will be the best at actually doing the job, or the person who is best able to communicate their potential to do the job? The answer is clear, since there is no way the hiring manager can know how you can perform on the job until you are actually hired. Instead, they must judge each candidate on the potential they see from the story the candidates present.

Start with what you know

In creating your speech, focus on the most important strengths you have and the most relevant for the listener. Try using CatalystCareers‘ 5 Finger Strength approach to narrow down your thoughts. Make sure you provide what you have (or where you’ve been), what you can offer, and how you can use these skills and attributes to the benefit of prospective employers. Keep on fine tuning and practicing until you can do it in two to three minutes.

The Swiss army knife tool

You can use your speech, or parts of it, in many different ways, most of which do not involve elevators. When you are cold calling prospects, or making networking calls, your elevator speech is perfect to set the tone for the call and capture their interest. It can also be perfect for the usual “Tell me about yourself?” question that opens a lot of interviews. The fact that you have done your homework and prepared ahead is a massive advantage over other job seekers who may be hoping to get by on their natural charm and charisma. With a proper elevator speech, you’ll be stepping off at the top floor!

Good luck!

Mitchell Stephenson M.A., CPCC, is a senior partner and a certified professional career counsellor at Catalyst Careers, a career transition, counselling, and outplacement firm. Mitch has been involved in human resources, career counselling and coaching in the health and legal sectors for many years. To contact him, visit: www.catalystcareers.ca.

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