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Office of Career Services

Introducing Yourself and Telling Your Story

“You have one minute”

Kasandra Gunter Robinson July 13, 2016

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Discover Develop Connect Engage

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AGENDA

INTRODUCING YOURSELF, AKA THE ELEVATOR PITCH

What is it? Why is it Necessary? Components Examples Create and Practice Your Introduction

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WHAT IS AN INTRODUCTION/ELEVATOR PITCH?

A quick 30-60 second presentation of your personal brand

— Sometimes it’s 15 seconds and other times, 1-2 minutes

— Who you are: likeable, trustworthy

— What you can do: add value, expertise, unique skills

— Why it matters: relevance

Articulates condensed goals

Is conversational

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“I’m the only person I know

that’s lost a quarter of a billion

dollars in one year … It’s very

character building” Steve Jobs, Apple Confidential 2.0

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I’m not a

businessman.

I’m a business,

man.

- Jay Z

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"Yahoo is, right now, the company

without an elevator pitch.

It's impossible to describe in a few

words what Yahoo does . . .”

-Rebecca Lieb, Analyst (2012)

WHAT IS YAHOO’S ELEVATOR PITCH?

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WHY DO YOU NEED AN INTRODUCTION/ELEVATOR PITCH?

It is an opportunity to sell yourself in a short period of time

It is another effective tool in your “personal branding” portfolio. It can extend a conversation, lead to other conversations, introductions, invitations, etc.

It is transportable and can be utilized at conferences, employer events, interviews (“Tell me about yourself”) and at chance meetings

Inspire listener

with a sense of

what you can do,

who you are and

why it matters to

them

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The 10 key elements that make an

introduction / pitch compelling1 are:

1. Hook: The statement that makes the listener want to know more. It's a good idea to start with this so that they pay

attention to the rest.

2. Concise: 30-60 seconds if said aloud, the equivalent of two to three floors in an elevator or around three

sentences.

3. Clear: Be clear about the problem you are solving and use simple and clear language, not in-depth technical

details, so that even your granny would understand it.

4. Confident: Effectively communicate the competitive advantage of your specific product or service. Be positive and

proud of what you have done.

5. Enthusiastic: Make your story come to life so that your listener wants to hear more. Make your enthusiasm

contagious. Smile!

6. Visual: Put yourself in a client's shoes and paint a visual picture based on how you want them to feel if they work

with you.

7. Skills focused: Don't focus on roles or functions, instead focus on your qualities or skills.

8. Targeted: Know your audience well enough to weave in specifics that may interest them. You may even have a

different pitch depending on who you're speaking to.

9. Goal orientated: Once you identify your audience, you need to be clear what outcome you want from them. This

is your call to action.

10. End with a question: To engage in the two-way conversation that makes for good networking, end with a

question, such as, "Tell me about yourself.“

1. Adapted from Harvard Business School, “The Key Elements of a Killer Pitch”

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Developing Your Introduction/Pitch

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FIVE IMPORTANT QUESTIONS

1. Why do I want this job/industry; why do I want to meet this person?

2. How can I add value to the organization? 3. What differentiates me from my peers? 4. How can I tie my experiences (past and

current) together to tell a compelling, memorable story?

5. What am I asking for?

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Introduction 1

Thoughts?

“My name is Brandon. I worked in an operations department for 3 years and my goal is to get more involved in energy strategy when I graduate from Smith.”

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Introduction 2

What do you think about this pitch?

“My name is Raphael. Prior to Smith I worked in the operations department for XYZ Corp. Through my experience in the automotive industry, I became extremely interested in the development of alternative energy sources and its impact on the auto industry. I believe my operations background, along with my concentration in management and strategy at Smith, is ideally suited for a career in energy strategy. I am researching companies such as PFC Energy and Roland Berger Strategy Consultants. I would really appreciate a moment of your time so that I can learn about where you think the industry is heading in the next 3 - 5 years.”

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Introduction 3 “My name is Casey. I decided to go Business School to develop skills to help me transition out of Pharmaceutical Sales into something I’m passionate about – helping people live healthy lives. This is something that Honest Tea lives and breathes every day. I had the opportunity to hear Seth Goldman speak about how he and Barry built the company to provide an alternative to sugary soft drinks. I’m a foodie at heart and given my exposure to so much illness in doctor’s offices, I’d like to capitalize on my relationship-building, creativity and analytical skills working on the other side – helping people make healthy choices before they land in the doctor’s office. My specific interest is in Consumer Behavior and I would love to hear how Honest Tea uses consumer insights to drive product decisions.

How did she do?

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Introduction 4

Hi, I’m Carlos and I am a Veteran from the United States Marine Corps. As a Captain, I was big picture thinker by nature, yet methodical, analytical and detail oriented. Investment Banking is the perfect combination of these— and I would like to use these skills to look at client’s challenges from 30,000 feet and then dig down into the details to develop strong investment strategies. I came to business school to further develop my skills and make the transition to Wall Street.

How did he do?

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Introduction/Hook

A Memorable Close/Question

Value Proposition & Justification

Evidence

Who you are: Name, class year, focus area (if you have one) or area(s) of interest

What you have to offer: Your experience and skills

What you are interested in exploring for a career and a question or statement of how the person can help

INTRODUCTION / ELEVATOR PITCH COMPONENTS

45

sec

on

ds

15

sec

on

ds

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To Summarize

Keep it short, 30-60 seconds; have another 1-2

minute version

Big Picture, not Laundry list

Connect the Dots

Memorable

Practice Out Loud – remember, writing is more

structured and formal than speaking!

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Write Out Your Introduction/Pitch

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Get Started! 1. What you do: Write it in 3-5 different ways. Don't worry about making it sound good, you

can do that later. Be silly, serious, funny, reserved -- it doesn't matter. Let your authentic

self shine.

2. A short story: Your brand is all about the story you can tell to illustrate who you are and

what impact you have. Paint a picture.

3. Your goal: What are you trying to get out of the story/pitch/introduction?

4. Record yourself: Record a video of yourself presenting your story/pitch and play it back.

Do this three times. Then see what feels good and what feels uncomfortable. Trust your

instincts and be yourself.

5. Sleep on it: Come back to it the next day and see if it still resonates for you.

6. Circle what works: Reflect on your writing and recording and circle the words and

sentences that worked. Look for the ones that hook you with a clear and confident story.

7. Pull it together: After writing down several versions of the parts you circled, come up

with your final version

8. Practice: Practice makes perfect. Use a mirror, InterviewStream and record yourself on

your phone.

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Critiquing Your

Introduction/Pitch Did you stay within the 30-60 second

timeframe?

Were you speaking too fast, slow, soft or loud?

Too many “ums” or “likes”?

Was it conversational or too rehearsed?

How was your energy level?

Did you sound confident?

Was it memorable?

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Setting Type of

Introduction

What the other

person really

wants to know

Important points to include Tips

Large networking

setting; Company

presentation; mixers,

receptions

15-20

seconds

What is your name?

Conversation starter

Your name

If they ask your background or

a 15 second description of your

interests

Try not to go into

great detail if there

are many students

standing around

Conference 30 seconds Why are you

interested in this

topic/area?

What you liked about your prior

role or other experience that

sparked your interest

Make a connection

between your

background and why

you are interested in

the company, job,

person, etc.

Informational

Interview

30 seconds Why are you talking

to me?

What skills/experiences you

liked about your prior role that

links with the targeted role, and

what sparked your interest in

their career path

Make a connection

between your

background and why

you are interested in

what your contact is

doing

Interview 2 minutes Can you do the job?

Would you like to do

the job?

Three skills from your prior jobs

that are relevant to the job you

are interviewing for

Highlight key

response

There are a number of recruiting scenarios for your introduction/pitch.

Different scenarios require different types of introductions/pitches

Introduction/Pitch Scenarios

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Keep

Practicing

and Refining

Your

Introduction

and story!