Catherine McCauley ⋅ Grapevine, TX IBM ⋅ 20 years experience

Jamell, Thank you for your service!!!
For an "elevator" introduction/speech, I suggest
o try to find commonalities between you and the interviewer.. a baseline to draw from
o keep your "speech" about yourself or your skills to 3 primary topics, tops - anything more and it will be too much
o smile, stay calm, be genuine and truthful
Good Luck!!

Jan Case ⋅ Sunnyvale, CA Hewlett Packard ⋅ 20 years experience

Probably the best advice is to keep it short and practice speaking it out loud. I find that having different levels of an elevator speach also helps. If you start off with the 30 second pitch, and your listener is still interested or the elevator ride is longer, you can add to it with a few more details. Remember to leave the door open for the listener to ask questions. And delivery style makes a difference - trying to beat the world record for fast talking and loud unemotional responses probably won't get the response you'd like. Being conversations, professional and personable often breaks down barriers fastest.

Steve Wittenberg ⋅ Danville, CA IBM ⋅ 30 years experience

Lots of good advice here Jamell. I suggest 45 -60 seconds for 3 bullets with quick proof points for each bullet. (I have great attention to detail, which is why I was promoted to run logistics for my company, I am extremely adaptable, as evidenced by...and a third point). And close your pitch with a simple question. Which of these skills would you like to hear more about? Or which of these skills are most critical to this job? This approach allows you to pique their interest, it makes the interview more of a natural two way conversation rather than just the interviewer firing questions and you answering. And it also allows you to expand on the one strength the interviewer sees the most value in. Good luck!

Trisha Patterson ⋅ New York, NY 21st Century Fox ⋅ 16 years experience

Jamell,
My #1 thing that's worked for me is to start off with an ice-breaker. Something that your interviewer can relate to (last weekend's OSU game), or maybe something that perhaps you've found out about your interviewer (so I read that you like to sail/build model ships, etc). just to get the flow going. I ended up talking sports mostly during my initial Fox News interview because I had found out that the guy really liked to talk sports! my elevator pitch wrote itself. Hope this is helpful.

Paul Trejo ⋅ Austin, TX University of Texas at Austin ⋅ 40 years experience

Hi Jarnell,

My best advice is this: never complain and never confess. Ever.

You will be tested on this in your interview. Never blame your former managers or co-workers for anything whatsoever. Never. Also, never confess (apologize) for anything in your career.

Always put the best spin on everything. Any interview is a test of these points. Rework your introductory speech with this in mind.

Finally, always have *anecdotes* prepared to answer every question. A simple 'yes' or 'no' is rarely enough for an interview question. If we ask about your skills, that means we want a short (short) story about a challenge you faced, and how you overcame it.

Best wishes to you in your interviews, and many thanks for your service to the USA.

--Paul

John Cooke ⋅ U.S. Navy, Lieutenant ⋅ 6 years served

The advice I would give is to don't just include What You do in your elevator speech but emphasize Why you do it. Check out the Simon Sinek TED Talk at http://www.ted.com/talks/simon_sinek_how_great_leaders_inspire_action.html
as well as his web site http://www.startwithwhy.com where there are lots of Podcasts and Blog postings to help you understand how to communicate your "Why".

Matthew Keenan ⋅ Lewisville, TX IBM ⋅ 3 years experience

Practice. Use an inductive approach, start with your main takeaway or key message, and follow with supporting evidence and qualifications that make up your personal brand.

Tsegga Medhin ⋅ Raleigh, NC IBM ⋅ 20 years experience

Thanks for your courage and service.
You need to find out what is unique about you. Ask your close friends, what are the attributes that make you stand out, and behind your personal brand... Strong brands command a premium, when it comes to accepting and negotiating your salary benefits.
Build a powerful social media presence.
Here is one I heard recently...
"Hi I am XXXXXX from xxxx I am known for managing multiple priorities simultaneously - oriented on results Bias for action, strong work ethic, and desire to achieve excellence"
Good luck

Anthony Gibson ⋅ Rochester, MN IBM ⋅ 1 years experience

Jamell,
You have gotten some very good information here. One thing that I found especially helpful when going into interviews is to know as much as humanly possible about the company and the position that you are applying for. Also, knowing how you can integrate yourself into that role and make the company better will show that you are trully dedicated to the company and the position you are interviewing for.

Another thing that I found helpful in interviews is to go into it with the approach that it is not an interview but a conversation. Employers need to know more about you than just your qualifications, you need to be the type of person that will work well within their company environment and with the people already in place.

Being a good conversationalist is something that can help you not only find a career but to progress it along as well.

Thank you for your service.
Tony

Anne Zimos ⋅ Hicksville, NY IBM ⋅ 25 years experience

Jamell - I like this tool quite a bit - http://www.buzzuka.com/ - I've used it many times. It helps to think about your approach. Thanks for your service.
Anne

Wesley Harris ⋅ Orlando, FL UPS ⋅ 28 years experience

Jamell, thank you so much for your service to our country!!! You have received some great posts here and I agree with the advice that has been given. I will add one thing; networking. There is nothing better than having someone on the inside speaking for you. I would add that finding opportunities to build relationships with key individuals inside the organization that you have chosen to pursue a career with will help you in ways that your resume and experiences will not. Being able to mention that relationship, in key conversations, will help to open doors/opportunities as well. God bless you and thanks again for all that you do.

Timothy Becker ⋅ Reading, PA IBM ⋅ 17 years experience

Jamell, I agree 100% with John Riper's comments above (...and not because I also work for IBM). His points are valid as employers need to know quickly why YOU think your experience is a good fit. What I would also add to John's points are the elevator pitch is just your opening. Do your research to end your elevator pitch with open ended questions about the position and show interest in the role to get them talking about the specific responsibilities and what THEY think is also important. Being organized with a solid list of questions to talk through during the interview shows you have the passion to learn about their company and finding a fit for both sides. It also allows for you to respond to their comments with your ability to match the things they say and stand out from the others also interviewing. Good luck in your search!!!

Misty Decker ⋅ Rhinebeck, NY IBM ⋅ 23 years experience

As a mathematician, I think of it as a proof in words. Distill the one point you want to make down to a short phrase, something catchy like you'd hear in a commercial is great. "I always find a way to get the job done." And then carefully select the rest of your pitch to prove that point, especially with stories and anectdotes. You may have many other important points you want to make in your 30 seconds, but an elevator pitch that makes a lot of assertions without any proof is less than convincing.

For example of lots of assertions and no proof:
"I really want to find a good position that makes the most of my talents. I always find a way to get the job done and I don't stop working until it's solved. I have a bachelor degree in engineering and a master's degree in computer science."

Another example with the proof:
"I really want to find a good position that makes the most of my talents. I truly enjoy working hard on an impossible mission until it's solved. I got my bachelor's degree in engineering but I paid my own way through school working nights at a restaurant and taking classes during the day. In the Army, I was responsible for training a regiment for combat but I took charge of completing changing the drills to better prepare them for the unique situations in Afghanistan. I encountered a lot of resistance to the changes but I knew it was the best way to prepare my men.

Stories will always stick in someone's head better than statements. And don't be afraid to talk about your feelings a little because that humanizes you and can help create a more personal bond, even in 30 seconds. In the example above, you might include how you doubted that you would ever finish your degree but you gained so much self confidence when you did and you realized you could do anything if you worked hard at it.

Good luck,
Misty

John Riper ⋅ Marcus Hook, PA IBM ⋅ 31 years experience

Jamell, assuming that you have some information about the company and the job your applying to, I would try to find the link between the role they are trying to fill and how they align with your experiences an skills. For example, (if it was project manager job you were going after....something along the lines of "My experience as a Project Manager while in the Army has given a the experience of managing complex logistical projects for the past years. We delivered 3 projects in 2 years that reduced shipping times by 40%. I believe my experiences and skills would be beneficial with the projects you have". The key thing I like to get out in an elevator speech is to show that you have the background / experiences this company need for this role. The more you can find out about the company/job- the better prepared you will be. Good luck.

Lori Cox ⋅ Edwardsville, IL AT&T ⋅ 19 years experience

A technique that I find useful is to reduce the main points to bullet points. Review what you've written and try to caputre the main point in a few words - keep it short. I think this works because it is easier to remember a few words or a phrase than it is to remember a paragraph. If you can remember the main point you can say it in whatever manner works for the moment. Also, don't forget to save something for the end of the interview. Most interviewers ask for "Any final points or questions..." Be sure to take advantage of this to share any of the main points that you haven't shared yet. Good luck!

Jamell Culbreath ⋅ Columbus, OH U.S. Army, Sergeant ⋅ 5 years served

Thank you! I have a "speech" in writing, just wanted some help with possibly the wording and streamlining it.