An Effective Elevator Speech Opens the Doors to New Career Opportunities

When you are looking for a new job, networking is a critical step to help you connect with other people in the industry. You’ve probably heard the saying that you only get a single opportunity to make a good first impression, and networking with an effective elevator speech can make-or-break your job hunting efforts.

This speech is a quick summary of who you are and the skills that you can offer to the company. The process received the nickname “elevator speech” because of the idea that you should be able to convey your message in the time that it takes to ride an elevator. Most potential contacts don’t have the desire to listen to a long, drawn out explanation, which is why you need to capture their attention within the first few moments of the conversation.

It is important to have your elevator speech prepared in advance, because you never know when you are going to meet someone who could be a potential connection for the next step in your career. If you find yourself in a conversation where the other person is asking about you, then you need to clearly convey your message without stumbling over your words and feeling uncomfortable because you don’t know what to say.

There are several important elements that should be included in your elevator speech:

It is important that you limit your elevator speech to 30 seconds or less, because you will quickly lose the person’s attention if you ramble on for too long. Also, make sure that you are talking with a normal, conversational tone. It is easy to slip into a robotic way of speaking, or to make it sound unnatural when you are repeating the same information over and over again. Practice various ways to explain your skill set, so that you can make it a natural part of any conversation.