The Elevator Pitch

If you only had 2 minutes to sell yourself then how would you do it?

The “tell me about you, why our company and why this role” type of questions during an interview are very peculiar. It’s the first question in a conversation, so it’s critically important to captivate your listener. Which is why for questions of this sort the concept of elevator pitch comes handy. In this concept you have a specific amount of time to narrate your pitch and pack a punch in as little time as possible.

A framework to keep in mind when it comes to your elevator pitch.

1. Time-box - As elementary as it sounds, this is by far the major miss I see happen all the time. An elevator pitch should generally be no longer than 1-2 minutes. Put yourself in the shoes of the listener. If you have someone speaking to you for over 2 minutes then it gets mundane.
2. Focus on you - When you do your elevator pitch, the best thing to do is be yourself. Be authentic and genuine. Focus on you and your values. It’s also ok to keep it funny as long as you are hitting the key talking points. Sell your brand!
3. Focus on the role - Your pitch is related to a specific role. Don’t go off-track and keep it focused around the role under context.
4. Focus on the company - Make a nice transition by relating your core values to the company’s philosophy and how you see yourself making an impact.
5. Show your energy and optimism - If you lack the excitement, energy and optimism during your elevator pitch, then you have lost the opportunity to make a good first impression and impact with your interviewer.
6. Leave room for interpretation - Time-boxing your response also forces you to leave room for interpretation. If the interviewer is asking a follow-up question, then that’s a sign that you have provoked their interest. If you see the interviewer interject, that’s usually a sign that they have heard enough and are politely trying to bring your pitch to a closure. If the interviewer is neutral, that’s fine as well and not a bad sign by any means.

Now, let’s look at 2 different staged responses for a sample question on “Tell me about yourself. Why is this role a good fit for you and Why company-XXX?”.

XXX is the most customer focused company. Your leadership principles resonate highly with me and it’s how I operate on a day to day basis. I have worked on several large-scale technically large-scale projects and I am looking to gain new skills. I am confident in my ability to hit the ground running with the mix of skills I bring to the table and make an impact on your products & services.

This pitch is not the best, it simply is not captivating. And does not touch on the fundamental aspects of an elevator pitch.

Now, let's look at a different version.

“In a career spanning over almost 2 decades, I have played several roles within Engineering from an individual contributor to a technical leader. I have realized how much I enjoy working with people. It’s the people that build the product and processes. I have led teams of various sizes and built teams to scale. The size of the team I manage has never been a consideration to me. It’s rather the opportunity to make an impact to deliver world-class products and services to customers. I am a person that leads by example, energetic, affable, and deterministic. This role requires an inquisitive person by nature who can learn, be curious and get comfortable being uncomfortable. And that’s what drove my strong inclination to give it my best shot. And as to why company-XXX? My passion towards people and customers is what drove me to your company. With my passion and technical background, I have the ability to work with and work through people to deliver the best outcomes for the customers.”

The second response does manage to do a better job at the pitch and at the same time leaves room for some interpretation and follow-up questions. It may sound longer but in reality it's not and the right level of details required for an elevator pitch.

A well-crafted elevator pitch is the beginning of a great conversation. So don’t settle for less and go make your conversations from being mediocre to great!?