Being the kind of person others remember can be a huge boost to your career. And the best way to be memorable is to tell stories.
By harnessing the power of stories you will be more persuasive, move people to action, and progress your career. Studies show that we are wired to remember stories much more than data, facts, and figures. Whether you’re looking to make a good impression with new contacts at a career fair, at a party or social gathering, or at an interview, crafting a compelling story about yourself will put you in a strong position when job hunting or networking.
When you’re in the work world, a ‘story about yourself’ is known as an ‘elevator speech’. An elevator speech is a 30 second story, which you use to tell people who you are, what you can do, and why they should hire you. It should:
- Be short. 60 seconds tops, 30 seconds is better
- Be energetic and enthusiastic
- Be memorable
- Be goal-oriented (networking, job seeking)
- Tell them what you're passionate about
- Tell them what you’re looking for
- End with a ‘call to action’ if appropriate for the situation
Follow these three steps and you can’t go wrong.
STEP 1. CLARIFY YOUR TARGET
It’s almost impossible to create an effective elevator speech if you aren’t sure what you’re looking for, or what information is relevant to include. So you need to be clear about what you want and you’ll want a couple of different versions of your little speech for different occasions. You can use your elevator speech:
- At a Career Fair: Introducing yourself to an employer
- At an interview: in answer to the statement "Tell me about yourself."
- Professional, social, or organisational meetings
- When cold calling employers for a future position
STEP 2. BRAINSTORM YOUR CONTENT
Brainstorm how your experience, education, skills and personality fit the role. Focus on how you can benefit the company rather than on yourself as this will ensure that your content is targeted to your audience. Ask yourself how you could help them and what contribution you could make.
The structure of a 30-second elevator speech follows this pattern:
- Introduce yourself
- State a strength or skill they would be interested in.
- Follow that with an accomplishment that proves you have that skill.
- State what your goal is, relevant to the person you are talking to.
- Tell them what you are looking for
- Tell them how you can benefit the company (what you can do for them)
Once you have brainstormed your content try to consolidate it and write your ideas out in 4-5 lines. Read these out loud and if they sound awkward or self-conscious rephrase them. Don’t worry about including all the content you have brainstormed, just pick one or two powerful ideas that you feel really get your message across.
STEP 3. PRACTICE UNTIL YOU FEEL COMFORTABLE AND RELAXED
Once you have a sense of what you want your elevator speech to look like, it’s time to practice. (And continue your revisions along the way.) Get feedback from others; see which alternatives are most persuasive; have multiple versions ready for different situations.
A few things to focus on:
- Confidence
- Body language
- Tone of voice
- Eye contact
- Gestures
- Appearance
Pitch yourself in the mirror or take a video of yourself. Make changes and get better. Practice makes perfect! Hopefully, we’ve given you some direction for an effective elevator speech. Not every encounter will go as you hope. Be OK with a “no.”
Here are a few examples. When you get a job you can make them longer and more professional:
EXAMPLE 1
"Hello, my name is ______________________. I was/am a student at________________ majoring in________________________. I want to become _____________________ (career goal) ___________________ where I feel I would excel. My main strengths are ______________and ____________ which I demonstrated when I _________________ (accomplishment/experiences). I’m looking for a job/opportunity where I can _________________________. Do you know someone I could talk to about how I could get a job in the industry?"
EXAMPLE 2
"Hi, my name is ___________. I will be graduating/I just graduated from _________________ _____________________. I’m looking to _______________ because I’m passionate about _____________What advice do you have for me? Can you suggest any employers I should be contacting?”
EXAMPLE 3
"My name is __________ and I am currently (attending, enrolled in, working at) ___________. I believe that my ___________________________ (strengths/experience) make me unique and will bring value to an organisation. My goal is to ______________________________. Do you have any advice for me?"
THINGS TO REMEMBER
1. Understand what is unique about you
What is unique about you is the only real thing that can make you memorable. And you can only capitalise fully on your uniqueness if you truly understand it. This is why I believe it’s very important to ask yourself: “What is unique about me?” Don’t expect the answer to come just like that. Answering this question is rather a quest that a quick thinking process. Stay with it and you will discover your uniqueness. And don’t tell me you’re nothing special … because you are!
2. Express the full range of your personality and passions
Most people take the opposite approach: they try to diminish the traits that make them stand out, because they are afraid to stand out. Unfortunately, this is the best strategy to not be memorable. What you want to do is not only to accept these traits, but also to consciously work at developing them. If you are high energy, get even more energy; if you are honest in your communication, become even more honest. Say more of what you want to say, do more of what you want to do, be more of who you are, and others will notice and remember you more.
3. Learn to tell great stories
Stories are the best way to allow other people to understand the type of person you are. Clearly define what you do best. Have your elevator speech ready to roll. Try to make it interesting and deliver it with passion. Be proud and excited about what you do and make the message clear and sticky.
4. Smile and make eye contact
People make judgments within the first seven seconds or so of meeting you, and that's statistically around the point at which they start tuning out if you don't engage them. Smiling at them and making sincere eye contact shows them that you're warm and interested in speaking with them. These tiny gestures will set the stage for you to engage in a meaningful conversation… and maybe get that job you’ve always wanted!
5. Radiate energy and enthusiasm
It is a well-known fact that if you want to influence someone, your energy level must be higher than theirs. With that in mind, it is beneficial in job interviews to talk about the aspects of the job you are really passionate about. The person on the other side of the table will feel your enthusiasm and will be more likely to remember you when it comes time to make a hiring decision.
“Think twice before you speak, because your words and influence will plant the seed of either success or failure in the mind of another.“ Napoleon Hill
VIDEOS TO WATCH
The Art of the Elevator Pitch: Chris Westfall
Harnessing The Power Of Stories: Jennifer Aaker
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