In today’s competitive job market, it is essential to develop an “elevator pitch,” or a concise, verbal summary of what you do and/or what you want to do. Can you describe your skills and professional aspirations within the time span of one elevator ride? Here is a checklist of items to include in your elevator pitch. If you can, have a friend or a colleague listen to your elevator pitch and give feedback on your performance. You can also record yourself and evaluate your performance from the recording.

Content: Did your elevator pitch include:
-Your name, origin, and current position.
-Something unique about your business idea.
-Your aspirations.
-A clear request at the end of your pitch.
-Your speech should flow logically from point to point.
-You should seem sincere, confident, and passionate in your delivery while maintaining a conversational tone.
-You should maintain eye contact and good posture throughout the pitch.
-Your pitch should be under 2 minutes.
-Your pitch should be memorable.

Need some help developing your elevator pitch? Watch videos from Chris Westfall, author of “Five Great New Elevator Pitches.” Chris has developed a lot of time and attention to understanding the most effective Elevator Pitch techniques and concepts. Visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rWPGSb1khoo to watch Chris in action.

Also, it is a good idea to think about how your elevator pitch can help you develop your personal brand. Read more on Careerealism at http://www.careerealism.com/personal-brand-elevator-speech/#!ZLb02