Huh? Are they different or are they the same? What makes them different? Yikes, this is confusing. To keep it simple, let’s just say you need a way to introduce yourself when asked “what do you do”. Right?
I think job seekers struggle with this a lot because they either don’t know what they want to be when they grow up or because they can no longer say “I work at XYZ company as a ___________”, plus as human beings we generally don’t like selling ourselves. Oh well, get over it is part of the answer. The other part of the solution is using language and words that are comfortable for you.
The other thing I’ll say is that you’ll get conflicting advice on what really should go into the pitch, mostly because you need to adjust it based on the different audiences you use it with. I’ll admit, I have confused job seekers. But, my disclaimer is, that 5+ years ago it was enough to just state the facts. Now, because the job market is so competitive, you have to do more to stand out and be memorable.
There are good pitches and not so good pitches or perhaps a better way to say it, there are the beginner pitches and the advanced pitches. Start at the beginning and begin working towards making it an advanced pitch.
I am a:
With expertise in:
My background includes:
My unique qualities are:
For more on the basic pitch, you can read this post and read “Spice up the old elevator pitch”
For a more refined elevator pitch, read some posts that I’ve found to give you some ideas on how to do this.
One of my favorite tools is Harvard Business School’s Elevator Pitch Builder. It helps by prompting you to answer questions about yourself and then analyzes your pitch. (But it is no longer available.)
6 Steps to Building a Great Elevator Pitch by Tim Tyrell-Smith of Tim’s Strategy
Defining Your Assets and Competitive Edge for Your Brand by Heather Huhman on Personal Branding Blog
How to Craft a Personal Brand Statement from the Undercover Recruiter
If you either have a great pitch you would like to share or one you need help tweeking, please, share it in the comments below!
Hannah Morgan speaks and writes about job search and career strategies. She founded CareerSherpa.net to educate professionals on how to maneuver through today’s job search process. Hannah was nominated as a LinkedIn Top Voice in Job Search and Careers and is a regular contributor to US News & World Report. She has been quoted by media outlets, including Forbes, USA Today, Money Magazine, Huffington Post, as well as many other publications. She is also author of The Infographic Resume and co-author of Social Networking for Business Success.
