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Elevator Pitch CRAFTING A PERFECT 2 LIMITLESS CAREER LAB™ | ASHLEY INTERNATIONAL INC, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED | WWW.ASHLEYINTERNATIONAL.COM
Elevator PitchCRAFTING A PERFECT
2
LIMITLESS CAREER LAB™ | ASHLEY INTERNATIONAL INC, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED | WWW.ASHLEYINTERNATIONAL.COM
Module 2 - Crafting a perfect elevator pitch 2
HOW TO RESPOND TO THE “TELL ME ABOUT YOURSELF” PROMPT
º This Prompt Comes In Many Forms: “Why did you reach out to me?” OR “How did you find out about me?” OR “What got you interested in marketing”.
THERE ARE TWO TYPES OF PITCH
º The Long Pitch: To be used in interviews and networking coffee dates/phone calls.
º The Short Pitch: To be used at networking events and in everyday life (at Starbucks, the nail salon, etc).
WHY IT’S IMPORTANT
º You’re Always Going To Be Asked To Talk About Yourself: You can’t afford to have a haphazard or sloppy response.
RECRUITERS ARE SICK OF HEARING YOU REPEAT YOUR RESUME
º They Want To See You As A Whole Person.
º Share Something They Don’t Already Know About You.
PEOPLE HAVE SHORT ATTENTION SPANS - You have to learn to package and present yourself in a quick, meaningful, and memorable way.
PEOPLE REMEMBER HOW YOU MADE THEM FEEL - Try to talk about yourself in an authentic way that evokes emotion or imagination.
1. YOUR STORY
A. Don’t Do What Everyone Else Is Doing
º Avoid saying “I used to do X, I’m currently doing Y, and I’m hoping to do Z”.
º You have more potential than proof at this stage of your career, so talk less about your accomplishments and more about your sense of purpose.
B. Two Approaches
º Childhood Approach.
º Defining Moment Approach.EXERCISE: Is there any evidence from your childhood that shows through in your current job interest? Or does your currents career interest trace back to a defining moment in your life?
2. THE CUFF
A. Strengthen Your Elevator Pitch In One Of Two Ways
º Validate your strengths OR address a looming concern in the mind of the interviewer.
Organizing Outline for Module 2 º Most people have at least one insecurity about their resume (leaving a job they just started, a gaping hole in their resume, etc.) so use the cuff to answer any inevitable questions or concerns.
EXERCISE: Take a minute to think about your cuff. Are you going to address a concern or take some bragging rights? Write down which approach you’ll take, and think about how you’d say it.
3. THE SKILL
A. What Is The One Thing The Interviewer Wants To Hear About Your Skills?
º Identify the skill or expertise that is most valuable to the interviewer.
B. Put It Into Testimonial: Who Said It?
º Your boss.
º Your colleagues.
º Your professor.EXERCISE: What is the one skill you want to share that you have when you’re networking or interviewing? Who has commented on it before?
4. THE GOAL
A. What Is The One Thing The Interviewer Wants To Hear About Your Skills?
º Two categories of goals to share.
º In a job interview, the goal is to get the job.
º In a networking setting, the goal is to compel the person to help you.
B. Job Interview Scenario: Get The Job
º Make references that ensure they know that you are tied to working specifically for their company or organization.
a. Their mission statement.
b. Their corporate responsibility.
c. Their press coverage.
d. Their client roster.
C. In A Networking Scenario: Get Help
º Ask without asking or appearing pushyEXERCISE: Write your goal sentence. Remember, it’s for them to understand how they could help you without being direct. It can start off like: “at the moment, I’m hoping to transition into... X or Y” or, “at the moment, I’m hoping to transition into marketing or sales, ideally in the tech industry”.
5. HOW WILL THE ELEVATOR PITCH BE USED?
A. The Questions You Must Ask In A Networking Situation
º “Do you have any advice for how I could stand out as a candidate in (insert niche if it aligns with theirs)?”TRANSLATION: Can you pass my resume to HR?
º “Do you know of any recommendations or opportunities that I should look into that may not be on my radar?”
TRANSLATION: Can you connect me to your friends?
B. Other Thoughts On Networking Coffees And Calls
º Take notes.
º 90% of these conversations will be the same.
C. When Do You Use It?
º Events where there is too much going on: busy/crowded/frenetic/boozy.
º These events are not typically great incubators for focused conversation and meaning connection, so don’t push it or try too hard to make it something it’s not.
D. How To Use It In These Situations
º Introduce yourself, find why the person is in attendance, and share your goal.
º Ask for a card, offer to help, and connect on LinkedIn later.
6. FINAL THOUGHTS
A. Networking Is A Way Of Life.
º Use the short pitch in your daily life.
º Come from a place of service.
º Always remember to mention your goal.
B. Remember The Mindset: High Intention, Low Attachment.
º It’s just about getting out there and not getting attached to the results: do your best!
C. Memorize Your Pitch!
º This is not “fake” - It’s being prepared!
º Create your pitch in advance and give it the thought it deserves.
LIMITLESS CAREER LAB™ | ASHLEY INTERNATIONAL INC, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED | WWW.ASHLEYINTERNATIONAL.COM
Module 2 - Crafting a perfect elevator pitch 3
HOW TO RESPOND TO THE “TELL ME ABOUT YOURSELF” PROMPT
º This Prompt Comes In Many Forms: “Why did you reach out to me?” OR “How did you find out about me?” OR “What got you interested in marketing”.
THERE ARE TWO TYPES OF PITCH
º The Long Pitch: To be used in interviews and networking coffee dates/phone calls.
º The Short Pitch: To be used at networking events and in everyday life (at Starbucks, the nail salon, etc).
WHY IT’S IMPORTANT
º You’re Always Going To Be Asked To Talk About Yourself: You can’t afford to have a haphazard or sloppy response.
RECRUITERS ARE SICK OF HEARING YOU REPEAT YOUR RESUME
º They Want To See You As A Whole Person.
º Share Something They Don’t Already Know About You.
PEOPLE HAVE SHORT ATTENTION SPANS - You have to learn to package and present yourself in a quick, meaningful, and memorable way.
PEOPLE REMEMBER HOW YOU MADE THEM FEEL - Try to talk about yourself in an authentic way that evokes emotion or imagination.
1. YOUR STORY
A. Don’t Do What Everyone Else Is Doing
º Avoid saying “I used to do X, I’m currently doing Y, and I’m hoping to do Z”.
º You have more potential than proof at this stage of your career, so talk less about your accomplishments and more about your sense of purpose.
B. Two Approaches
º Childhood Approach.
º Defining Moment Approach.EXERCISE: Is there any evidence from your childhood that shows through in your current job interest? Or does your currents career interest trace back to a defining moment in your life?
2. THE CUFF
A. Strengthen Your Elevator Pitch In One Of Two Ways
º Validate your strengths OR address a looming concern in the mind of the interviewer.
º Most people have at least one insecurity about their resume (leaving a job they just started, a gaping hole in their resume, etc.) so use the cuff to answer any inevitable questions or concerns.
EXERCISE: Take a minute to think about your cuff. Are you going to address a concern or take some bragging rights? Write down which approach you’ll take, and think about how you’d say it.
3. THE SKILL
A. What Is The One Thing The Interviewer Wants To Hear About Your Skills?
º Identify the skill or expertise that is most valuable to the interviewer.
B. Put It Into Testimonial: Who Said It?
º Your boss.
º Your colleagues.
º Your professor.EXERCISE: What is the one skill you want to share that you have when you’re networking or interviewing? Who has commented on it before?
4. THE GOAL
A. What Is The One Thing The Interviewer Wants To Hear About Your Skills?
º Two categories of goals to share.
º In a job interview, the goal is to get the job.
º In a networking setting, the goal is to compel the person to help you.
B. Job Interview Scenario: Get The Job
º Make references that ensure they know that you are tied to working specifically for their company or organization.
a. Their mission statement.
b. Their corporate responsibility.
c. Their press coverage.
d. Their client roster.
C. In A Networking Scenario: Get Help
º Ask without asking or appearing pushyEXERCISE: Write your goal sentence. Remember, it’s for them to understand how they could help you without being direct. It can start off like: “at the moment, I’m hoping to transition into... X or Y” or, “at the moment, I’m hoping to transition into marketing or sales, ideally in the tech industry”.
5. HOW WILL THE ELEVATOR PITCH BE USED?
A. The Questions You Must Ask In A Networking Situation
º “Do you have any advice for how I could stand out as a candidate in (insert niche if it aligns with theirs)?”TRANSLATION: Can you pass my resume to HR?
º “Do you know of any recommendations or opportunities that I should look into that may not be on my radar?”
TRANSLATION: Can you connect me to your friends?
B. Other Thoughts On Networking Coffees And Calls
º Take notes.
º 90% of these conversations will be the same.
C. When Do You Use It?
º Events where there is too much going on: busy/crowded/frenetic/boozy.
º These events are not typically great incubators for focused conversation and meaning connection, so don’t push it or try too hard to make it something it’s not.
D. How To Use It In These Situations
º Introduce yourself, find why the person is in attendance, and share your goal.
º Ask for a card, offer to help, and connect on LinkedIn later.
6. FINAL THOUGHTS
A. Networking Is A Way Of Life.
º Use the short pitch in your daily life.
º Come from a place of service.
º Always remember to mention your goal.
B. Remember The Mindset: High Intention, Low Attachment.
º It’s just about getting out there and not getting attached to the results: do your best!
C. Memorize Your Pitch!
º This is not “fake” - It’s being prepared!
º Create your pitch in advance and give it the thought it deserves.
LIMITLESS CAREER LAB™ | ASHLEY INTERNATIONAL INC, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED | WWW.ASHLEYINTERNATIONAL.COM
Module 2 - Crafting a perfect elevator pitch 4
HOW TO RESPOND TO THE “TELL ME ABOUT YOURSELF” PROMPT
º This Prompt Comes In Many Forms: “Why did you reach out to me?” OR “How did you find out about me?” OR “What got you interested in marketing”.
THERE ARE TWO TYPES OF PITCH
º The Long Pitch: To be used in interviews and networking coffee dates/phone calls.
º The Short Pitch: To be used at networking events and in everyday life (at Starbucks, the nail salon, etc).
WHY IT’S IMPORTANT
º You’re Always Going To Be Asked To Talk About Yourself: You can’t afford to have a haphazard or sloppy response.
RECRUITERS ARE SICK OF HEARING YOU REPEAT YOUR RESUME
º They Want To See You As A Whole Person.
º Share Something They Don’t Already Know About You.
PEOPLE HAVE SHORT ATTENTION SPANS - You have to learn to package and present yourself in a quick, meaningful, and memorable way.
PEOPLE REMEMBER HOW YOU MADE THEM FEEL - Try to talk about yourself in an authentic way that evokes emotion or imagination.
1. YOUR STORY
A. Don’t Do What Everyone Else Is Doing
º Avoid saying “I used to do X, I’m currently doing Y, and I’m hoping to do Z”.
º You have more potential than proof at this stage of your career, so talk less about your accomplishments and more about your sense of purpose.
B. Two Approaches
º Childhood Approach.
º Defining Moment Approach.EXERCISE: Is there any evidence from your childhood that shows through in your current job interest? Or does your currents career interest trace back to a defining moment in your life?
2. THE CUFF
A. Strengthen Your Elevator Pitch In One Of Two Ways
º Validate your strengths OR address a looming concern in the mind of the interviewer.
º Most people have at least one insecurity about their resume (leaving a job they just started, a gaping hole in their resume, etc.) so use the cuff to answer any inevitable questions or concerns.
EXERCISE: Take a minute to think about your cuff. Are you going to address a concern or take some bragging rights? Write down which approach you’ll take, and think about how you’d say it.
3. THE SKILL
A. What Is The One Thing The Interviewer Wants To Hear About Your Skills?
º Identify the skill or expertise that is most valuable to the interviewer.
B. Put It Into Testimonial: Who Said It?
º Your boss.
º Your colleagues.
º Your professor.EXERCISE: What is the one skill you want to share that you have when you’re networking or interviewing? Who has commented on it before?
4. THE GOAL
A. What Is The One Thing The Interviewer Wants To Hear About Your Skills?
º Two categories of goals to share.
º In a job interview, the goal is to get the job.
º In a networking setting, the goal is to compel the person to help you.
B. Job Interview Scenario: Get The Job
º Make references that ensure they know that you are tied to working specifically for their company or organization.
a. Their mission statement.
b. Their corporate responsibility.
c. Their press coverage.
d. Their client roster.
C. In A Networking Scenario: Get Help
º Ask without asking or appearing pushyEXERCISE: Write your goal sentence. Remember, it’s for them to understand how they could help you without being direct. It can start off like: “at the moment, I’m hoping to transition into... X or Y” or, “at the moment, I’m hoping to transition into marketing or sales, ideally in the tech industry”.
5. HOW WILL THE ELEVATOR PITCH BE USED?
A. The Questions You Must Ask In A Networking Situation
º “Do you have any advice for how I could stand out as a candidate in (insert niche if it aligns with theirs)?”TRANSLATION: Can you pass my resume to HR?
º “Do you know of any recommendations or opportunities that I should look into that may not be on my radar?”
TRANSLATION: Can you connect me to your friends?
B. Other Thoughts On Networking Coffees And Calls
º Take notes.
º 90% of these conversations will be the same.
C. When Do You Use It?
º Events where there is too much going on: busy/crowded/frenetic/boozy.
º These events are not typically great incubators for focused conversation and meaning connection, so don’t push it or try too hard to make it something it’s not.
D. How To Use It In These Situations
º Introduce yourself, find why the person is in attendance, and share your goal.
º Ask for a card, offer to help, and connect on LinkedIn later.
6. FINAL THOUGHTS
A. Networking Is A Way Of Life.
º Use the short pitch in your daily life.
º Come from a place of service.
º Always remember to mention your goal.
B. Remember The Mindset: High Intention, Low Attachment.
º It’s just about getting out there and not getting attached to the results: do your best!
C. Memorize Your Pitch!
º This is not “fake” - It’s being prepared!
º Create your pitch in advance and give it the thought it deserves.
RESOURCES
º Jab, Jab, Right Hook by Gary Vaynerchukº Simon Sinek TEDx talk
LIMITLESS CAREER LAB™ | ASHLEY INTERNATIONAL INC, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED | WWW.ASHLEYINTERNATIONAL.COM
Module 2 - Crafting a perfect elevator pitch 5
ASSIGNMENT #9
º Write your elevator pitch. And don’t overthink it.
ASSIGNMENT #10
º Memorize your elevator pitch.º Practice until it flexes and flows each time you share it.
Assignments
LIMITLESS CAREER LAB™ | ASHLEY INTERNATIONAL INC, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED | WWW.ASHLEYINTERNATIONAL.COM
Module 2 - Crafting a perfect elevator pitch 6
Write your elevator pitch out entirely, both for job interviews and for networking conversations. REMEMBER! This pitch is for real networking conversations (coffees, phone calls, etc.), not quick meet and greets at networking events.
NEXT, MEMORIZE THE PITCH.
STORY (“I grew up in a house where…” OR “I’ll never forget the moment when…”)
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
CUFF (PICK ONE APPROACH: Address a doubt OR bragging rights)
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
SKILL (What is the one skill they want to hear you have?)
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
GOAL (Job interview: “I’m particularly excited about this job because…”)
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
GOAL (Networking Conversation: “At the moment, I’m hoping to transition into X or Y, ideally in the Z industry…”)
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Writing Your Elevator Pitch
LIMITLESS CAREER LAB™ | ASHLEY INTERNATIONAL INC, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED | WWW.ASHLEYINTERNATIONAL.COM
