What is an elevator pitch?

Quality elevator pitches should be something that is in the toolkit of every young professional striving for excellence. It does not matter whether you’re a student, recent graduate, or just looking to make a career change, mastering an elevator pitch does go a long way. By definition, an elevator pitch is a short description that explains who you are and what you want to do. Here is Elliot Loh's recipe for a successful elevator pitch.

The basics of the pitch is that it should not be longer than a short elevator ride, meaning no more than 30 or 40 seconds tops.

Why are elevator pitches important during internships?

There are various moments throughout the course of your internship where you will get to meet new people. A good elevator pitch can definitely help you grow your network. If you are at an eloquent networking event or just in the elevator with another professional employee that you really respect, you will not have a lot of time to chat.

What an elevator speech does is, it will capture their attention, and leave them wanting to know more about the skills that you have to offer. In other instances, you can also use an elevator pitch to introduce new project ideas, colleagues or organizations. Having your own elevator pitch is extremely useful and it comes in handy a lot of times.

Crafting the best elevator pitch

There are certainly ways in which you can craft your elevator pitch to land an internship. Prior to your internship, make sure you follow these steps to ensure that your elevator pitch is crafted to perfection.

• Research the company: Our first step begins before you even start your internship. Be sure to research the company to see whether it will be a good fit for you. Here are some of the things you should figure out about “finding the right company”; how they conduct their business, the nature of their projects, and what they want you to do. Another thing you should do research on is whether it is possible to get a full time job at the company.
• Be clear about your goals: Make sure that the job you’ve applied for aligns with your own personal interests. This will make it easier to craft an elevator pitch. How so? The first step to writing an elevator pitch is to know why you are writing it in the first place. Identifying the objective of your pitch will help you when writing and presenting it. For example, are you looking to get a job or an internship? Are you looking for a promotion or to move into a new position?

• You’ll need more than just one elevator pitch: Before you get frustrated trying to condense everything you want to say about yourself into just a few words, know that you’ll be best off with several versions of your elevator pitch. Why? Because being prepared with different pitches will make you look extremely professional in front of your potential employers and influencers who can help you to get where you want to be in your professional career.
• Get creative with the length of your elevator pitch: How long is the “elevator ride”? Are you taking an elevator to the newly constructed observation deck in the Empire State Building, or just two floors to your hotel room? Are you intending to use this elevator pitch at an exclusive networking event, in which you’ll only have a couple of minutes dedicated to presenting yourself, or do you just have seconds to make sure your employer overhears you as they walk by? The best thing about having several lengths of pitches is that it will guarantee success in getting your message across, without any awkward silences, or weird mumbles to race the words off of your tongue.
• Stay simple: Tailoring your elevator pitch can definitely help with connecting but in most instances you want your pitch to be incredibly simple. Get straight to the point and make sure the average person understands it. The elevator pitch could also be a good way to ease your way into your story and who you are. In some instances you may want to lead with your elevator pitch and then let your employers know what you want to achieve.
• Strong hooks matter: Don’t leave the elevator pitch floating with no purpose. Always end it with a purpose by following up with a question. It is a great way to keep the conversation going and engaging.

Critical factors of an elevator pitch

To recap and summarize, we’ve come up with a good checklist of a powerful elevator pitch:

An elevator pitch is simply a quick introduction to who you are and what you want to do. It is around 30 seconds long and triggers interest and thoughtful responses. Be clear and show your employers who you are. Insert a certain degree of authority when delivering your pitch. It is about them, not you. Highlight your value and characteristics and introduce your uniqueness and distinct characteristics. Make sure that your elevator pitch is relatable.

And...here is how you can make your pitch super impactful.

Role play your pitch with team members, friends and family. Record yourself, and change anything, if necessary. Go listen to other pitches and note what works, or not. It does not hurt to get second opinions. Document it in your mobile phone, so you won’t be at a loss for words and lastly, practice makes perfect.

Apply for an internship with AIP!

Delivering an elevator pitch is a necessary skill set for success. During your internship with us, you will get a lot of practice delivering elevator pitches to clients and your supervisors. Our internship programs are meant to help you excel in your industry of interest and the only way to do that is by getting adequate work experience.

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