If you attend a career related event (such as a job fair, information session, networking night, etc.), you will meet others and have a chance to present yourself professionally. Having an excellent elevator pitch can open many opportunities to develop a strong network, which is an essential part of succeeding in your career.
Advertise yourself like you are your own brand. Build credibility by establishing yourself and what you are currently doing first:
- “I am a Brooklyn College Student studying _______. My GPA is ________.”
- A great GPA makes an excellent impression of yourself as a Student. However, you can skip the GPA part if you feel you should (if it is low or otherwise not necessary to mention).
- “I expect to graduate in: ________.”
- Depending on your situation, you could include information about what you are doing at the moment, or if you are in between opportunities:
- “Currently I am”/Recently I have been:
- List your current position and employer, or most recent position and employer
- “exploring opportunities for an internship/summer position/job as a _______.”
- “Currently I am”/Recently I have been:
- You can name skills you have developed from your experience, and you can name a highlight or impressive project that you have most recently completed.
When delivering your pitch, avoid naming weaknesses and using negative language. Your objective is to impress the person you are connecting with. Stick to your highlights and memorize them so you can speak fluidly and concisely.
Here is a sample elevator pitch:
“My name is John Doe. I am a Senior English Major in the School of Humanities in Brooklyn College. I expect to graduate this Spring. Currently, I am finishing an internship with ABC Publishing Company, where I helped develop an equitable system to help younger authors reach wider audiences for their work. I am hoping to find a permanent position where I can use my skills in English academia and my repertoire for innovation to help create a broader population in the publishing industry.”