Leiden University Career Zone
Elevator Pitch
An elevator pitch, also known as a personal pitch, is a short but effective presentation about yourself, of about 30 to 45 seconds duration. Composing your pitch requires preparation and practice.
Watch the video below to learn more about an elevator pitch.
Your pitch
- Provide answers to the following questions:
- Who am I?
- What can I do?
- What benefits do I bring?
- What am I looking for?
- Turn this information into a coherent story.
- Practice reading your story out loud. It’ll take longer at first, but you’ll soon speed up once you get comfortable with it.
You’ll quickly notice any parts that don’t sound right (written language as opposed to spoken language).
- If your pitch is still too long, scrap any unnecessary parts
- Now it’s just a question of practicing in front of family, friends and acquaintances. Ask them for tips on how to improve your pitch.
Make sure your pitch isn't a monotonous drone. Be enthusiastic and confident about your story. After all, you want to make a positive and lasting impression on network contacts and employers!
Examples:
Example 1.
I am Loes Koopmans, a student of Social and Organisational Psychology at Leiden University. After my Masters, I would like to continue developing myself in a job in which I can advise companies on the implementation of change processes for staff within the organisation. I gained experience in this field during my internship with the Hay Group, where I thoroughly enjoyed developing training programmes and doing theoretical research into group dynamics. My communication and organisational skills proved to be a great asset. Given my experience and passion, I am convinced that I would be the ideal candidate for the position of HR Development Consultant.
Example 2.
After completing my Business Development studies at the UvA, I started work in my current position. (who am I) Here I have gained five years’ experience in the field of market research, with a specific focus on research design, the development of various analytical models, and data analysis (what can I do). I have, for example, developed a new online research method, in which social media is used instead of more traditional data collection methods that require direct contact with people. Due to the resulting shorter time frames and reductions in personnel costs, the company now saves millions of euros each year (what benefits do I bring). I have now reached the ceiling in my current position and don’t have further opportunities for development. (what am I looking for) What is your company’s vision in terms of facilitating the growth of personnel within the organisation? (question).
Source: parts translated from Sollicitatiedokter.nl .
