Get the job! How to ace your interview in 30 seconds!
“So, tell me about yourself!”
The dreaded first question of an interview. How do you condense your life down to a brief answer that will keep your interviewer interested and land you that job of your dreams?
Enter the 30-second elevator pitch. A short, 8-10 sentence, memorized speech you can give anytime, anywhere to anyone about why YOU are the perfect person for the job.
Make sure that you start practicing your elevator speech and then write it down. We write a lot more formally than we speak and don’t want to sound too pretentious after we memorize the pitch.
Make sure your elevator pitch includes the following:
Most importantly: A hook! Grab the listener’s attention with something interesting, smile, and be enthusiastic! You need to have the audience on the edge of their seats for the next 30 seconds!
- What skills you have!
Think about your accomplishments and any awards you have earned. Consider the things you’re adept at and combine them into a “transferable skill”.
• Try using phrases other than “I’m good at…”. Get that thesaurus out! Try words like proficient, savvy, and accomplished.
- Your greatest strength in these skills!
Use an explication sentence to show that you don’t just have the skill, but you really use it in an innovative way.
• Try using phrases like: “I’ve served over 200 customers due to my quick-thinking skills”
- Your goal!
Make sure your goal is a SMART goal. That means that it is Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and has a Time-frame
• For example: “My goal is to own a company on Etsy in the next year that sells my own jewelry.”
- Your motivation!
Explain why you want to achieve your goal and how the person can help you.
• Reach out for help: “With your expertise and my passion we could double, or even triple sales next quarter!”
Now that you’ve got the perfect elevator pitch what should you do? Practice, practice, practice!
In front of a mirror, in front of friends, in front of strangers on the street! Get comfortable, get confident, and get ready for that special moment when you shake hands with your interviewer and he asks, “So, tell me about yourself…”
June 21, 2017
