Mastering your elevator speech is as essential as preparing your resume to perfection. Mastering this task is no rocket science but it does require you to think about what your goals are and what you are seeking out of the conversation.
What is an Elevator speech?
Elevator speech is any idea or thought that you are trying to promote or sell as an individual. It could be either an idea or your profile as an individual for a specific position that you might be interested in.
How to prepare your Elevator Speech?
Follow these five simple steps:
- Know yourself
Before you even begin preparing, you need to know yourself. Know who you are, what are your ambitions and goals and what do you want to get at the end of the conversation? Some important questions to consider are:
- Who am I?
- What can I offer to the person I am talking to?
- What problems have I solved so far
- What should the listener expect out of this conversation?
- What makes me different from others?
- Know your target audience
ALWAYS research your audience before preparing your elevator speech or even your resume. You are much likely to succeed if you know who your target audience is, what they do, and what would interest them in continuing the conversation with you.
- Outline your USP and key strengths
Write down your unique selling points and your key strengths on a piece of paper. Write down every single strength that comes to your mind. Below are some questions to help you further:
- What are my key strengths?
- How would I describe myself?
- What adjectives can I use to describe myself?
- Finalize your speech
Once you prepare the draft about your strengths and work experience, narrow it down to a few points. Select five best strengths and USPs along with a 10-15 seconds summary of your work experience. Read it aloud a few times until you are sure that it sounds ok.
- Practice, practice and practice
The key to master any task is to practice. You can use a mirror to practice your speech or you can do a mock conversation with your friend.
The famous saying “do not judge a book by its cover” does not apply here. Your elevator speech will define who you are and will help the other person understand what you want to seek at the end of the conversation. Your chances of success depend on these 30 seconds! It is essential that you master your elevator speech.
Kiran Ali is a master’s degree holder and a PHR certified professional working at Edward Jones in the talent analytics space. Kiran has extensive years of multinational experience working in the HR industry. What sets her apart is her diverse background and passion for writing; she wants to share her knowledge & experience with the world. Kiran is a firm believer that hard work pays off!
Kiran has been known for breakthrough innovation, challenging the status quo, and her never-ending love for the HR field. In her free time, you’d find her watching inspirational videos & reading articles related to HR. You can follow her on LinkedIn and ask her any questions regarding HR.
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