The importance of an Elevator Pitch in a modern job market

elevator pitchWhen it comes to job searching, networking or preparing for an interview, having an elevator pitch ready to use is essential in a modern job market. This article explores what is meant by the term Elevator Pitch and the key considerations when creating one.

What is an Elevator Pitch?

An elevator pitch is a summary that you can use to effectively convey who you are, what you do and the value you bring. It is one of the most effective ways to promote your personal brand and one of the simplest yet most powerful tools for any professional. It is designed to be delivered in the time it takes for a short elevator ride, typically around 30 seconds to two minutes. The term "elevator pitch" suggests that the pitch should be brief enough to be delivered during a brief encounter with someone you want to impress, such as a hiring manager, recruiter, potential client or networking opportunity.

When to use an Elevator Pitch?

Knowing when to use an elevator pitch is crucial. Whether you're sending a LinkedIn connection request, introducing yourself to a recruiter or being interviewed, you may encounter questions like "Tell me about yourself," or "What do you do?" If you haven't prepared for these questions, you might end up providing an unclear and unfocused description of your skills and miss out on valuable employment or networking opportunities.

The 4 Key Elements of an Elevator Pitch

1. Introduce yourself:

Grab the reader or listener's attention by providing relevant context. Who you are and what your background is. Your pitch must be relevant, so customise it for various audience groups. You may want to provide them with a summary of your background.

‘’My name is Rachel, I am a highly experienced, commercially aware Finance Manager with a passion for driving financial success. I have over 20 years’ experience of financial analysis, budgeting and strategic planning”.

2. Describe what you do:

If you are attending an interview, this part of your pitch needs to be tailored to the role you are applying for. If you are networking, describe what you do and keep in mind that the person you're talking to may not be familiar with your field. Elaborate on your area of specialisation and provide examples of what you do.

‘’I thrive in complex financial environments and excel at amalgamating data to provide actionable insights that inform key business decisions. My ability to identify growth opportunities and mitigate risks has consistently contributed to sustainable financial growth’’.

3. Highlight your unique qualities:

Identify your unique selling points (USPs) and focus on the qualities that set you apart from the competition. Emphasise how these qualities benefit the listener. You may find it easier describing what you do and your USPs by merging these steps together.

‘’With strong leadership skills, I've successfully built and led high-performing inclusive finance teams, fostering and implementing a collaborative results-driven culture’’.

4. Showcase your goals and ambitions:

Clearly communicate your own objectives and align them with what the listener is seeking. If your pitch is part of an interview, your goals must be in line with the company and role objects.  If you are sending a connection request or networking, engage your audience by asking open-ended questions that will involve them in the conversation.

‘’As your company continues to expand, my goal is to support and bring my comprehensive financial acumen and dedication of excellence where I can help drive financial success and contribute to the company's growth’’.

Final points…

Practice is essential for delivering a flawless pitch. How you present your pitch is just as important as the content itself. Without practice, your pitch may sound unnatural, and you might miss key information. Always consider your audience and tailor your pitch accordingly to make it pitch perfect. You may end up with a number of pitches that you can use dependant on your audience. Your pitches may feel less formal when networking with people who know you.

An elevator pitch is a valuable tool for making a strong impression, so invest time and effort into perfecting it.

Renovo is the UK’s leading specialist provider of outplacement support. We work with both organisations and individuals to support all their career transition requirements. If you would like to understand how Renovo can help, you please email info@renovo.co.uk

How to be a great team player

cartoon american footballerYou will often see in job descriptions that working collaboratively or within a team could be key to the role you are applying for. Additionally, during a job interview you may be asked for examples of when you have worked as a team to achieve a goal or business objective. So why is teamwork important? Successful teamwork maximises strengths and brings out the best in each team member. These strengths are then complimented by those of others, or of the team as a unit.

The value of teamwork is regularly seen in sports such as football, as teams made up of expensive star players may often be outperformed by teams with players who may be individually less talented. This is equally important when it comes to your career, as employers know that teamwork is essential to a successful business. Here are 8 qualities employers look for when hiring an effective team;

1. Commitment

Team players are genuinely committed to their cause. Good team players might make sure they are in the office when needed, but great team players will contribute as much as possible and strive for excellence. Be committed to the team, give them your full attention and stay on top of any changes that may occur. If all team members are fully committed it makes for a pleasant working environment and better results.

2. Flexibility

An outstanding team player wants to see the magic happen through his or her efforts as well instead of watching the rest of the team perform. They are flexible to the situations thrown their way, and they participate and tackle challenges without showing too many signs of stress or pressure. They allow themselves to fully engage in the work of the team, and are able to use initiative to make things happen.

3. Reliable

It is essential to be a reliable team player. Working as part of a team to achieve a goal means that everyone needs to be relied upon to complete the task. Make sure you turn up to meetings and presentations ready and on time.

4. Listener

Active listening means taking other people’s viewpoint into account. A strong team player will respectfully consider the viewpoints and ideas of other people as well. It is important to listen first and then speak. Good listeners are able to absorb and understand other people’s points of view as well as take criticism without reacting defensively.

5. Collaborative

Transparency is key on a team, so keep your team members informed. Share your opinions and ideas without trying to come up with a plan for taking credit for it. Proactively sharing knowledge information and ideas is a really important quality to have as a team player. You need to be active in informal sharing as well as sharing during meetings, etc.

6. Communicative

Be clear and direct, express your thoughts in a positive, confident and respectful way. Be generous with pointers or tips to help your team members. For example, if a member of your team is having trouble with a problem that is easy for you, offer to sit down with them and show them what you know.

7. Respectful

It is important to become more self-aware of how you treat others. Remember, you’ll receive respect when you give it to others. An ideal team player knows how to have fun, but they would never do it at someone else’s expense.

8. Results focussed

An effective team player will think of the solution, not the problem. Don’t forget to celebrate solved problems; the pressure of work is fulfilled by feelings of accomplishment and the opportunity to revel for a few moments offers a powerful reinforcement for the benefits of working together to solve problems.

Renovo is one of the UK’s leading providers of outplacement and career transition support. We work with both organisations and individuals to support all their career transition requirements. If you would like to understand how Renovo can help you please call 0800 612 2011 or email info@renovo.co.uk