how to craft an awesome job seeker elevator pitch to get a job.

Imagine you’re in an elevator when a recruiter or potential employer steps in. They’re happy to chat but only going up a few floors. You have 30 seconds to introduce yourself and outline your skills, professional experience, qualifications and career goals. Go!

If you’re a job seeker who’s not prepared for this scenario, we’re here to help. There are plenty of settings where using an elevator pitch to get a job is essential, such as job fairs and networking events. Here’s how to craft a great pitch.

draft your job seeker elevator pitch

Don’t skip this part. Even the most fluent and articulate communicators will benefit from preparing their pitch. Divide it into the following sections:

introduction

Say who you are and where you currently work. If you don’t currently work, say what you’re studying or simply where you’re from.

objectives

Now the recruiter knows who you are, they need to know where you want to go. What are your short, medium and long-term goals? Do you want to climb the ladder in your current career or jump ladders altogether? Keep it simple. If you have five or six potential career paths, focus on the most compelling one or two.

why you rock

Half a minute leaves no time for modesty, but you don’t want to sound arrogant. Just lay out the facts of why you bring more value to an organization than your similarly qualified peers. Highlight your qualifications, professional experience and (perhaps most importantly) your passion for what you do.

a memorable hook

So far, so similar to other pitches the recruiter has heard. So make sure you throw in something unique — an innovative product you’ve worked on, for example, or the productivity record you smashed at your last warehousing job.

call to action

The aim of your pitch isn’t to close the deal but to leave your audience wanting more. Make the recruiter an offer they can’t refuse (e.g. “When would it be convenient for you to talk more about opportunities at your firm?”) rather than one they can (e.g. “So, are you going to offer me a job?).

practice your pitch

Congratulations, you have a solid first draft of an elevator pitch to get a job. But before you can use it to make a recruiter’s day, you need to practice and refine it.

Rather than talking to the mirror, ask a trusted friend or colleague (preferably someone slightly senior to yourself) to listen to your pitch and give you some honest feedback. Force yourself to speak more slowly than you think sounds natural. That way, you’re less likely to talk too fast in a pressure situation.

Rehearse your pitch, but don’t memorize it word for word. The worst elevator pitches sound robotic or stagy. The best don’t sound like elevator pitches at all and are slightly different each time.

never stop refining your pitch

You delivered what you thought was the perfect pitch at a job fair. But the recruiter never gets back to you. Does that mean your pitch is bad? Not necessarily. The recruiter may have loved your pitch but simply isn’t ready to take the next step. Luck inevitably plays a role in job seeking, but remember the old sports saying: the more you practice, the luckier you get. So, continue asking for feedback from people you trust and don’t be afraid to polish your approach. The stronger your pitch becomes, the more likely a recruiter will take a shine to you.