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First impressions matter and one of the best ways to introduce yourself is by using the elevator speech technique. This technique is colorful, memorable and is guaranteed to grab the attention of your interviewer.
Elevator speeches are primarily crafted for very, brief chance encounters in an elevator. This is why they are only about 30-60 seconds long. Business people use them everyday to acquire new clients. Successful job candidates use them to position themselves head and shoulders above their competition.
An elevator speech is real simple. It’s all about what’s in it for the other person – your job interviewer. This means thinking in terms of the benefits the manager will receive from hiring you. Let’s first look at two examples that are sure to put your job interviewer to sleep.
“Hi, my name is Toni Roni, and I’m an administrative assistant with twenty-five years of experience.”
Or:
“Hi, I’m Dan the Man, and I’m a graphics designer.”
Boring, boring, boring.
Now let’s see about improving the two above examples.
“Hi, my name is Toni Roni, and I help CEOs become more productive. For example, I helped one CEO add 10 productive hours to his workweek. I helped another CEO with the introduction of three new service lines, and I’ve helped another reduce her daily correspondence by 25%.”
“Hi, I’m Dan the Man, and I help companies boost lead generation rates and make an immediate impact on their prospects.”
See the difference?
Action Steps For Crafting Your Elevator Speech
1. First, write down the “goods” – the skills you have to offer. Then, think in terms of the benefits that your job interviewer could derive from these skills.
2. Create an opening sentence that will grab your interviewer’s attention. The best openers pique their interest to want to hear more.
3. Finally, practice, practice, practice your elevator speech in front of the mirror and with family and friends until it flows naturally. Videotape it, and watch it. Look for ways to improve.
When to Use the Elevator Speech Technique
The best time to unleash this technique is towards the beginning of your job interview when the interviewer asks you ‘So tell me a little about yourself.’ When you discover how to craft an elevator speech your job interviewer will want to know more about you and your skills – write and practice yours today!
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