What is an elevator pitch?
An elevator pitch is a short (30 second) way to introduce yourself in a professional setting. Elevator pitches can be used at formal networking events, career fairs, and when meeting new people at scientific conferences. But elevator pitches can also be used during interviews to answer that dreaded ice breaker: "So, tell me a bit about yourself...".
What is a good structure to use for a general elevator pitch?
1) Who are you?
Name, college, degree you’re pursuing
Something tailored that differentiates you from your peers
2) What experience/skills do you have and what is your goal?
What skills would you bring to a new job/internship/opportunity?
What drives your interests?
What are your goals?
3) What’s your "ask"?
Ask for career advice. "I'd love to learn more about how you decided to pursue X"
Tell them why you are here. "I'm at this grad school fair because I really enjoyed the field work I did over the summer and I'd like to pursue a graduate degree in wildlife ecology."
Tell them what your next steps will be. "I'm looking for an internship next summer I'd love learn more about how to apply. Do you have time now, or should I follow up via LinkedIn?"
How do I improve my elevator pitch?
Practice out loud
Record your first practice run on your cellphone. What you think you're saying and what you're actually saying are sometimes quite different!
Go through your recorded pitch and look for common mistakes (see below).
Practice, practice, practice! Iteration can help you figure out what's working and what's not in your elevator pitch.
Record the "final" version and compare to your first practice. Pat yourself on the back for a job well done!
What common mistakes do people make?
Starting too far back and including needless details.
Not being specific enough in their responses! It takes practice to provide relevant details (but still keep it succinct!).
Using jargon or acronyms without defining (e.g. "PADs project", "SCORE", "Unity garden", "SMAACS", "comps", etc.)
Not being specific enough. It takes practice to provide relevant details and still keep it succinct.
Underselling their work/contributions or not framing the goals/importance of their research contributions.
Using language that is too informal in their responses.
Being unclear about goals. It’s okay not to know, but help them develop an idea of what is the immediate “next step” etc.
Bad: "I was born in Madison, Wisconsin and grew up loving science. I also spent a lot of time playing soccer and volunteering at my local foodbank. I came to Saint Mary’s and I play on the soccer team and I’m studying Biology because I thought I wanted to go to medical school. I’ve taken CHEM 212 and orgo, and I did research on the PADS project and worked with a team to determine if chemicals contaminated water in the South Bend area. I'm not sure what my next steps are, but after my experience on the PADS project, I know I want to work in public health." Better: "I'm a junior biology major at Saint Mary's College with a minor in chemistry. Drinking water contamination is a huge issue throughout the US, as evidenced by the Flint water crisis. As a student researcher, I developed and optimized simple low-cost paper analytical devices that allow us to test for harmful chemicals like lead in city drinking water. Though I enjoyed the research, I realized I wanted to work directly with families to help them navigate this public health crisis. I'd like to pursue a master's degree in public health, and I was wondering whether you could tell me about your public health program?"
Do you have any examples?
Yes! Check out the following links/resources. Example Elevator Pitches:
Alumna Katharine White (Chem '07) gives an example elevator pitch along with some tips and tricks
Alumna Erin Kodman (Math '07) gives an example elevator pitch.
SMC Student Maggie (Chem/ChemEng) gives an example elevator pitch.
More info on elevator pitch format and structure:
How to create your 30 second elevator pitch -Focus on STUDENTS From Lauren Berger "Intern Queen"
How To Create A KILLER 30 Second Elevator Pitch (4 SIMPLE STEPS) From Heather Austin, Career Strategy Professional
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