Slide 1

Pitch Yourself..

Tell Me About YourselfIm a mother, wife, and a lawyer.This response doesnt say WHO you are; it says WHAT roles you play.

Im an innovative employee who has developed several successful strategies that increased the profits for my previous employers by at least 20%.This response tells what you have done. It says nothing about who you are.

Im saving the people who are saving the world! (she pauses and smiles.) Im Sue Smith, a lawyer for non-profits. My company, Smith NonProfit Solutions specializes in helping non-profits keep their fund-raising legal. I can definitely meet the requirements of your firm.

This response says nothing about who Sue Smith is; it tells what she does. One might be able to make some presumptions about her personality by the quirky opening line, but thats it.It otherwise sheds no light on the individuals personality and character.

"Tell me about yourself."

Do not tell your life history

Quick rundown of your qualifications & experience - education, work history, recent career experience & future goals.. WHO you are and WHAT you do.

I'm hard working, I'm dedicated, I'm reliable and always on time, I work well independently or with a group and I'm excited about this opportunity."

So is my mother . . . why shouldn't I hire her I at least know her?

.while this person is on the right track, she isnt telling me why she is qualified for the position. What she is explaining to me are her attributes, which are good to explain the fit, but as a hiring manager, before I get to the fit, I need to know her qualifications & skills.

Tell Me About Yourself = the personal commercial.

The idea is that you have 30 to 60 seconds to introduce yourself and to do so in a way that identifies who you are, what you do or can do (your qualifications), and why that particular person should help you.

4Our first effort, which is similar to what most of us try when we make our elevator pitch, is this:

"I'm a serial entrepreneur that started a company exporting US-made pet food to Japan after college. I graduated in the top 5% of my class at Harvard Business School, and was then the lead corporate development guy on the sale of HotJobs to Yahoo in 2002 for $436 million. I founded TheLadders.com seven years ago to focus on bringing high-level talent together with $100K+ jobs, and the company has grown to be an international success with over 300 employees."

Ugh what a creep bragging!!!!

Whats wrong??? It focused and it's crafted in a "professional voice."

This is not how people talk to each other, so of course, if I were to say this out loud to somebody, it will sound awkward.

When you speak in a professional, or announcer-like, or "official correspondence" voice, it dehumanizes you and puts a distance between you and the listener. They feel they have to put up their guard and be on the "watch out" for you because you must be trying to sell them something.

Well now, of course we want the elevator pitch to help us get a job, so why don't we take another crack at it? And this time, instead of trying to sound like a stuffed shirt, we're going to be human and real:

5"My passion in life is jobs. I love everything about them. It combines the soft stuff people's dreams and hopes and ambitions with the hard stuff where the jobs are in the economy, the numbers and algorithms and technology that make it possible. I've been doing this for over a decade and I find that I'm learning something new about making job hunts successful every day. Helping people through what is one of the most stressful experiences in their lives is tremendously rewarding and fulfilling, and I love doing it."

This one focuses on accomplishments and achievements. As opposed to crowing about accomplishments, its telling you why I like doing what I'm doing. It looks to the future. It sounds like a human conversation.

Think:

Why do you like your work?Why have you been doing this for 10, 15, 20 years? Or plan to do it for What is it that you find interesting about it?Why do you want to be in this field?What do you like about this industry?When you're in the shower in the morning, what types of challenges at work will make you excited to get to the office as soon as possible?When are you having the most fun?

And then take those bits and make a conversational elevator pitch that focuses on your motivations, NOT JUST your accomplishments.

Tailor the pitch tothem, notyou.WIFM (Whats in It for Me?) (use benefit-focused terminology)

I am a human resources professional with 10 years experience working for consumer products companies.

V.S.

I am a human resources professional with a strong track record in helping to identify and recruit top-level talent into management.

Eliminate industry jargon.You need to make your pitch easy for anyone to understand, so avoid using acronyms and tech-speak that the average person or job interviewer might not understand.

Sample Elevator Speeches:

Example #1: Hi, my name is Mary Jones. I am currently a sophomore student attending ABC college. My major is in business with a minor in art. I have volunteered with the student credit union throughout my first and sophomore year at college. Last summer I completed an internship with The Museum of Modern Art, and Im hoping to find an internship in finance this summer in the Boston area. I have always had an interest in art and Im also finding that I have a knack for business. In the future Im hoping to combine these two very different disciplines and find myself a career that includes them both.

Example #2: Ive been serious about the financial markets since my freshman year. For the past two years I have been closely following the financial news, meeting with alums to understand their jobs, and assuming growing amounts of responsibility within our schools investment club. I am currently the Chief Investment Officer for the schools $115K student-run fund. I spent last summer on the buy side at Wall Street Global Advisors on the trading floor with the trader who managed the biggest accounts. I also manage my own money, trading a long shore equity account of $35K that so far has generated a 40% return.EXAMPLE #3: I am a Division I scholarship athlete and was recently voted team captain. Despite a heavy practice and travel schedule, I have maintained a 3.6 GPA as an Economics and East Asian Studies double major. I became involved in my fraternitys Big Brother program as a freshman and thought we could do much more, so I spearheaded an initiative that grew the percentage of fraternity members actively participating from 20% to nearly 60%. Last year I pitched the program to five other Greek organizations and we now have over 200 Big Brothers and Sisters, and it is the most popular social service program on campus.

Example #4: Hi, my name is Brad. I am currently a sophomore student attending West Virginia University in Morgantown WV. In college I plan on majoring in business administration, specifically in the area of finance. This summer I did an internship with the Groundhog Hedge Fund Group and I hope to work in my colleges credit union when I return to school this fall. Ever since I can remember I have always had an interest in numbers and I feel certain that this is something I want to do in my future career. Next summer Im hoping to get another internship learning more about how the international financial market operates. I also want a career working with people since I enjoy assisting others with their finances and I had a blast this year preparing a presentation as a team with a group of other students for my business management introductory course.

Essential Elements of a Powerful Elevator PitchConcise. Your pitch should take no longer than 30-60 seconds.Clear. Use language that everyone understands. Don't use fancy words thinking it will make you sound smarter. Your listener won't understand you and you'll have lost your opportunity to hook them.Powerful. Use words that are powerful and strong. Deliver the "Sis-Boom-Bang" to grab their attention!Visual. Use words that create a visual image in your listeners mind. This will make your message memorable.Tell a Story. A short story, that is. A good story is essentially this: someone with a problem either finds a solution or faces tragedy. Either type of story can be used to illuminate what you do.Targeted. A great elevator pitch is aimed for a specific audience. If you have target audiences that are vastly different, you might want to have a unique pitch for each.Goal Oriented. A kick-ass elevator pitch is designed with a specific outcome in mind. What is your desired outcome? You may have different pitches depending on different objectives. For instance do you want to: make a sale, gain a prospect, enlist support for an idea, or earn a referral.Has a Hook. This is the element that literally snags your listener's interest and makes them want to know more. This is the phrase or words that strike a chord in your listener.

Useful Examples:

"I have done some research on SeekingCapital.com and know that it is changing the future of private equity investing. SeekingCapital's private equity is a $100 billion a year market, with over 400,000 entrepreneurs aggressively seeking capital at any given time. I know SeekingCapital.com offers entrepreneurs and investors an efficient and uniquely interactive method for obtaining or investing capital in pre-IPO companies. Furthermore, SeekingCapital.com is not an "Internet only" company, but supports its online community with local franchises in the United States and internationally.From my research I discovered SeekingCapital has decades of experience in the securities industry, investment banking, private equity, and executive management. I wanted you to know my partner and I have worked together side by side for several years co-managing and running the entire Internet operations of a publicly traded brokerage firm. Our competitors such as XYZ Corp. and ABC Capital have not had as much success as us. Our-ABC Capital was recently valued at $550 million . . . despite several limitations.I found SeekingCapital.com isn't just a listing or matching service, they offer a community that breeds interaction, education, and discussion. They work with companies globally, through all stages of funding, and across all industries. My research also told me that you are anticipating $XXX million this round to be used for employee building, increased office space, and marketing.I have a compelling two page executive summary that I would like to send you. Can I get your address?"

Example 2:"Dear Mr. Miller,My name is Josh Paul. I am a graduating senior from Salisbury University. I am looking for an internship in a law firm this summer. I have had a strong interest in the law since I first enrolled in college and have participated in several seminars of constitutional and corporate law. Although those seminars were ungraded, I have maintained a 3.4 GPA while also participating in several extra curricular activities including the Pre-law society. If your firm offers internships, I would appreciate an introduction to the people in charge of that program. Alternatively, I would appreciate the opportunity to give you a call and/or meet with you in person to discuss your career path and how I might find opportunities within the legal profession."This example could be used as in email introduction, cover letter, conversation or even in an elevator. The entire pitch is under 150 words. This does not mean that your conversation, email, or cover letter would only include this text. You might also include how you were connected to this person or why you are interested in his particular company, but this is the perfect foundation from which to build.

Sell your personality and character, not just your skills and experience!

Well, just to start off generally, Im a senior at Somewhere University, and in addition to academics, throughout universityI was really involved in three (or two) activities that I really enjoy and spent a lot of time on. First, Iam really involved in music. I played the tuba in our high school band, and by senior year, nowIm drum major. Second, Im really active with local politics. I interned for our states senator whose offices are located in my city, and I learned so much researching issues for the campaign. Also, Im an avid soccer player. Ive been playing since I was five, and I was really excited when I was voted team captain of our club team last year.

for students who participated in some really unique extracurricular activities that theyd like to focus their interview on.Well, Im now a senior at Somewhere University. Im a really energetic person whose a real self-starter. What I mean by self-starter is that in the past Ive loved being independent and taking on new projects and developing my fresh ideas. For example, last year I started an Internet-based company that sells cookie recipesand the site has increased in traffic by 20% since three months ago. But, sometimes Im also more introverted too, and enjoy just reading and writing, and painting as well.

for students who want to be really general about themselves.I just started my senior year at Somewhere University. Actually though, I wasnt always in standard schools. When I was younger, my mom was in the military so I spent most of my childhood on military bases going to school with other military kids. It was a really interesting way to grow up because we were moving around a lot, so it was really new and exciting for me to start school at sort of a standard, American high school. My mom was actually inspired to join the military because of her father, who was a general. And, by seeing my mom work in so many different countries, shes really inspired me in what I wanted to study in college too.

for students who have particularly interesting personal or family backgrounds. Make them care Leave them wanting more

Tell me your greatest ACCOMPLISHMENTS / CHARACTERISTICS..

sin boldly if you want to find the path to God.SO WHATturn the message into something that matters to your listenersSO WHATwhat you can do with for through othersSO WHATBe concrete specific..similarly if you want to find the path to clear communication share information boldly..

18"I graduated from University X and since then, I have been working in public relations with an agency where I have generated millions of PR hits for my clients. While I've enjoyed working on the agency side, I'm looking to expand my horizons and start doing PR for corporate companies such as this one."I am very creative and resourceful. I have been a sales manager for the past five years and used my creativity to devise unique incentives to keep the sales representatives motivated. Because of this my sales team earned numerous company awards. 3 Useful Frameworks for Designing Your Personal PitchBrian Walter the WOW, HOW, NOW approachWOW. say something intriguing that will make the other person want to hear more. .... what does that mean?HOW. answer the stated (or unspoken) question and explain exactly what you do.NOW. shift into storytelling mode, giving a concrete example of a current customer. The key phrase is Now, for example

Prospect: So, what do you do?Me: I help build PowerPoint muscles.Prospect: Huh?Me: I teach people how to use PowerPoint more effectively in business. Now, for instance, Im working with a global consulting firm to train all their senior consultants to give better sales presentations so they can close more business.

Chris Westfall The New Elevator PitchStart with a story/humor/news etc like a conversation. Dont launch into your company spiel. Choose something that highlights a problem you help customers solve.Add an emotional benefit statement. Say Thats what I do. Then summarize the RESULTS you achieve for customers. It should be an emotional benefit, not a hard-headed business benefit.Quantify your success. Now you add the proof of your benefit statement, using numbers if possible.Use the velvet rope close which suggests your offer is only accessible to certain types. E.g. if youre an investment advisor you might say I normally only talk about investing in gold with my high net worth clients. But I think it might be right in your case.

Do you remember about 10 years ago when the space shuttle Columbia was destroyed on re-entry? It turns out the engineers tried to warn NASA about the danger. But the PowerPoint slides they used were a complete mess and no-one understood the danger. Thats what I do. I train people how to make sure their PowerPoint slides arent a complete disaster. For instance, students who attend my workshop can create slides that are 50% more clear and 50% more convincing by the end of the training, based on scores students give each other before and after the workshop. Im not sure if my training could work at your company. It really depends how much you use PowerPoint and whats at stake if your PowerPoint is unclear. But Id be happy to talk to you about it.Richard Fouts SIR Framework S.I.R. Framework = based on storytelling principles: creating conflict, escalating the conflict, then resolving the conflict.

Situation (conflict).Illustrate the pain customers face.Impact (escalate conflict)Explain the impact of that situation. How is this affecting profits, market share, customer loyalty, or anything else the prospect is concerned about losing.Resolution Explain how you solve the problem. Focus on benefits, not products and services.You know how most business people use PowerPoint but most use it pretty poorly? Well, bad PowerPoint has all kinds of consequences sales that dont close, good ideas that get ignored, time wasted building slides that could have been used developing or executing strategies. My company shows businesses how to use PowerPoint to capture those sales, bring attention to those great ideas and use those wasted hours on more important projects.

Personal Branding Statementsum total of:

where we are what we are doing nowall the experiences & knowledge we bring from what we have donedriven by our personality, charisma & energy

Your TASK: Tell me about Yourself Prepare your 60-Second Commercial / Pitch In light of the readings, videos & your research, think about how you will answer the question Tell me about Yourself when you meet someone for the first time in any professional setting.

Draft your 60-second elevator pitch that is a response to tell me about yourself

Brainstorm your accomplishments, characteristics and what you hope to achieve address so what and select clear and concrete language to express yourself.Consider Chris Westfalls advice as you draft your pitch. You should also try and develop a personal branding statement.Ensure that you sell your personality & character not just your skills &experience.

You will be required to deliver your pitch in sessions 7 & 8.

Please keep in mind the purpose of the exercise is not to write & then rote learn your pitch and deliver it in a manner that is not your own best self but a made-up version of you. The point is to think about how you will talk about yourself in real-life professional situations.TO DORead: Tell Me About Yourself A & B & the reference readings on LMS Research: elevator pitches (talking about yourself)Watch: videos on LMSPrepare your elevator pitch