DITCH THE "PITCH"

How many times have you heard the phrase “Elevator Pitch”? If you're mingling in my circles of career growth strategists and professional development practitioners, it’s likely you are well acquainted with this term. The Elevator Pitch is essentially a 30 second “speech” or statement that is supposed to summarize your professional profile and can be regurgitated in any situation; hence the elevator reference. Whether you’re riding in an elevator, chatting at a networking event or being interviewed for a job, it’s the idea that you should be able to rattle off this all-encompassing, verbatim snapshot of your professional attributes and interests, at any location, in 30 seconds or less.

While there is definitely value in the concept of effectively articulating who you are in a high level and succinct way, over the years I have concluded that this whole “pitch” tool is doing more harm than good. I am now seeing that this method of memorizing 3 sentences that you can repeat to anyone, in any setting is actually hindering active job seekers from creating meaningful connections.

The “pitch” approach tends to sound robotic, rehearsed and super vague. It requires you craft the “perfect pitch” by first writing it down, then memorizing it and finally timing yourself to ensure you stay within a 30 second timeframe. These days, whenever I hear someone deliver a classic “pitch” it always sounds devoid of their unique professional value and interests. I think this happens because job seekers get so caught up in the “what” (what to say), that they lose focus of the “who” and the “why” (who they are as professionals and what they aspire to be as they grow in their career). This information is key to generating success in the networking space and an essential component to acing an interview. Next time you’re at a networking event or interviewing someone (especially recent grads) listen for the dry and narrow “pitch” as it is mechanically regurgitated...

Interviewer: “So Jane tell me about yourself”

Jane: “I went to Notre Dame. My major was communications and I desire to work as a Director in Communications.”

BORING with a capital B!! That statement really doesn’t tell me anything that stands out about this individual. No memorable anecdotes, no unique qualities and nothing about their specific professional passion or strengths for me to sink my teeth into. When I hear that “pitch” I am not inspired to put effort into making connections for this person, mainly because they did not effectively articulate to me who they actually are.

On the flip side, when someone authentically opens up about their professional background and naturally speaks to their current professional role (including their strengths and unique qualities), I get a much clearer picture of their current professional status or challenges. If I hear them enthusiastically spout off an example of their dream job and what most excites them about that prospect, I am eager to make linkages where I can. Sure structure is important when we want to successfully articulate our thoughts sans the “ums and ahhs”. So I am not suggesting we forgo organizing our thoughts when telling our story. Instead, I implore you to reevaluate your “pitch” style and simply think about your professional life in terms of these 3 simple points:

·      Your past

·      Your current

·      Your future

You don’t need to explain the details or why you went from one job to the next, just keep it super high level. Remember, this information is not something you need to Google or memorize…THIS IS YOU!!!! So in the most natural and conversational way, say out loud RIGHT NOW (sneak into a quiet space if your surrounded by people) the response to this question, who am I as a professional? No one needs to tell you YOUR professional background. There is no right or wrong way to say YOUR professional story. YOUR dreams are yours and yours alone, you don’t need to memorize them. Let’s try an example using the same profile quoted above at a networking event.

Person at networking event: “Hey Jane tell me about yourself”?

Jane: “Well I started out my career in marketing/advertising for a sports and entertainment company. Then I moved into more of a PR role in the retail/ecommerce space. I like that I’ve had exposure to two totally different sectors and have worked in numerous roles under the communications umbrella. But for me, overseeing projects and managing deliverables is my favorite part of the job. So now I’m ready to tap into my diverse experience and up level into a leadership role. I’m open in terms of industry but since my expertise in the communications field is well rounded, I know I’d excel at leading a team of marketers, advertisers and PR people and I’m excited about that transition.”

You see what I did here? Instead of a rehearsed or robotic response, I provided some context for my professional background. Then I tied that into my current role and closed by stating my next step goal, the value I would bring to that position and my enthusiasm about it. I just made this up off the top of my head so think about how effortless it will be for you when you are actually talking about YOU!!

Still feeling anxious and stressed about how to present yourself in a conversational and authentic way? Try these tips below and be eloquently speaking about yourself with confidence and ease in no time!

#1 What is your professional background? Say it out loud, high level information only. Details are not needed and not everything you have ever done has to be stated. Pick only the most relevant/significant parts of your professional life to speak about. Even a 3-month internship can be significant, especially if that experience has relevance to the person you are engaging with.

#2 What are you doing right now? Say it out loud, high level information only.This should roll off your tongue, if a pause is needed when you begin to articulate what you are doing now …we need to talk ;)

#3 What is your next step professional goal and why? Say it out loud, high level information only. Some of you might have had this determined since elementary school while others haven’t got a clue as to what you want to do next. No worries. Your goals are fluid and will change as you change. They should always be aligned with your interests and aspirations at the time you are speaking about them. If you haven’t figured out your goals yet, just reflect on your current and past roles by asking yourself…

·      What type of work or responsibilities did I love doing in all my jobs?

·      What do I wish I could have done more of in those roles?

These answers will bring you closer to your next step goals or at least give you a better idea of the type of work that interests you and why. Alternatively, you could take a more aggressive approach and pretend there was a gun to your head forcing you to authentically decide what your ideal job would be if you HAD to start tomorrow and hit the ground running on day 1? Whatever you need to do to get your mind moving!

Some people even have this odd inclination that getting super specific about their goals will somehow prevent them from accessing opportunities they might be open to. Rest assured specificity will not hurt you. You don’t have to be so rigid and narrow that you are completely laser focused on only one thing. But you can be specific with some caveats. In the above example Jane specifically stated the role she wants to work in and expressed openness about industry. Or, you can provide an example of what you would love to do and say “or something along those lines”.

Finally, “say it out loud” is written at the beginning of those questions because this is a paramount practice. It’s funny how we feel put on the spot even when asked a question about ourselves that we obviously can respond to. I think that's because it’s less about the question and more about the communicating that stumps us. A shocking number of people (advanced level professionals included) feel anxiety or pressure when speaking in public, even to just one other person. The best way to mitigate this challenge is PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE. This doesn’t mean practice your “pitch” and memorize what to say. Rather, you should practice having this dialogue with yourself out loud or with another person on a regular basis. I promise the more you have this conversation with yourself and others, the more at ease you will feel when you're networking or interviewing. Once you’re comfortable just talking, you will sound like a seasoned pro that knows exactly who they are and where they want to go!

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ShaynaLee Coaching, LLC

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