(Elevator) Pitch Perfect

The concept of an elevator pitch stems from the notion of being placed for an extremely limited time span (approximately 30 seconds – 1 minute) with an individual who could provide you and your career with a make-or-break moment. Because times like these are few and far between, here are some key suggestions to keep in mind to ace your next elevator ride.

Know your story

Believe it or not, you are the one person in the world who knows yourself best. Make sure that shows by having a strong grasp of your background (inclusive of your education, extracurriculars, work experience and interests) and how it ties in with your career aspirations.

Be structured

At the risk of sounding over-rehearsed and robotic, you still want to ensure that your pitch is clear and concise. Providing a direct answer can be aided by following a simple template, such as the STAR method. This technique (which stands for Situation Task Action Response) helps to highlight your critical thinking skills along with executional abilities by illustrating your response to a given situation.

Be yourself

As cliché as it, you want to be sure that anything you put forward is true to both your story and yourself. Show that other person that you’re more than just another eager job candidate, but rather someone worth hiring and working with for the long-term.

Caroline Herrmann is a junior at Duke University majoring in Cognitive Science and minoring in German Studies. She is working on a Markets & Management Studies certificate. Her goal is to attend business school and she would love to work in marketing or consulting in the United States or Europe. She was a part of the first Forté College Leadership Conference and can be found on Twitter at @caroooline717.