Elevator pitch
The introductory performance is something you will almost always encounter in an interview and is an ideal opportunity to show your personality in positive light and at the same time reveal something about your motivation. Sometimes you will be simply encouraged to say something brief about yourself or a share an interesting tidbit about you.
For all occasions, it’s a good idea to prepare a short summary of the most important information about you. And the elevator pitch can help with this.
So what is this elevator pitch?
You may have heard the term before, but what does it describe? A very short but excellent presentation that will grab the attention of the recruiter, the boss, or anyone else. And the key is in the word elevator:
Imagine you are riding in an elevator with the CEO of your favourite company you have been dying to get an internship in or get the job right away. It’s now or never. You have a chance to approach the CEO, introduce yourself, tell him what you do, what you’re interested in, and why you’re talking to him in the first place. Would you seize the opportunity? And if so, what would you say to him?
How to prepare an elevator pitch?
Think about what you want people to remember about you, no matter how long you’ll be talking to them. For example, what do you want the recruiter, team leader, thesis advisor, or anyone else remember when they hear your name? What experience, skills and knowledge should be associated with it? What should they think of when they someone mentions your name?
Try answering these basic questions:
- What makes you you?
- What are you proud of?
- What have you achieved thus far?
- Where did you get your experience from?
- What are your strengths?
- What interests you in the job you are applying for?
- What do you strive for? What is your vision?
If you need help, use the mind map below. It will help you sort your thoughts and ideas more easily thanks to the associations.
But how do I know if my pitch is any good?
Before you head off to an interview or a job fair with a prepared elevator pitch, ready to wow as many HR people as possible, try it out at home first. Ideally, recite it to someone close to you and ask them for their feedback. If you don’t feel like it, at least try saying it in front of a mirror. Things that look good on paper may not sound good when said out loud. But don’t overprepare – you don’t want to sound like a robot.
Let’s take a look at some examples of a good elevator pitch:
Example: Alena Jan
Good morning, my name is Alena Jan and I studied sociology at Masaryk University. My main area of expertise are quantitative questionnaire surveys. I have worked with Suvio on the design of the content of their online survey platform and during the process I found that I am fascinated by the diversity of opinions and attitudes of different people. I enjoy analysing trends, connecting the dots and drawing conclusions that have the potential to influence new services. I like the way your company works, and I would like to be part of it.
Example: Petr Volný
Hello, my name is Petr Volný and I study computer science at Brno’s VUT. I did a summer internship at the California branch of Google in the Google Play Games team and was also an intern at Dactyl Group. In my spare time, I program mobile games, two of which are available and have over 250k downloads. My goal is to connect the world of gaming with work life, showing that gaming is not just a form of procrastination, but it can also be a productive activity. That’s why I would like to join your team and help you develop new products.
Example: Marek Horák
Hi, I am Marek Horák and I am currently studying Bachelor's degree at the Faculty of Arts. I'm interested in languages, specifically German, in which I achieved level B2, and English, for which I will soon take the CAE at C1 level. I would like to get an internship with you that would help me apply my language skills. What I have always enjoyed about languages is finding typical expressions for a given culture and then explaining it to people from another country. I am very flexible with time and wouldn't mind trying out multiple departments or positions.