Creating Your Elevator Speech

An elevator speech is a brief (30 seconds to one minute) synopsis about what you are looking for in a job, your background, and what you can contribute to an organization.

By Matt Krumrie, Star Tribune Sales and Marketing

Last update: July 24, 2006 - 9:42 AM

An elevator speech is a brief (30 seconds to one minute) introduction that makes a lasting impression. Why do you need to master your elevator speech? Because if you come across that rare, once in a lifetime opportunity to impress the person or group of people who could hold the key to your professional future, you want to take full advantage of it.

"It must be authentic, and it must be relevant to what your audience is looking for," says Barb Kranz Taylor, a psychologist and executive coach with The Bailey Consulting Group of Minneapolis (www.thebaileygroup.com). "You must believe that what you say about yourself is true and have a strategic reason for talking about it. You must know what that employer or network contact or hiring manager wants to know and present those things about yourself."

When putting together an elevator speech, think about the audience, says Kranz Taylor, whose company recently published "Grown-Up Leadership," a book that is designed to help leaders outgrow their fears and limitations. What would an individual or group want to hear about you, in a short period of time, that would leave a good impression? What unique strengths, experiences and background do you have that can really wow that individual or group, yet sound confident, not arrogant? And can you do this in under a minute?

"The key to preparing your elevator speech is practice and preparation. Don't try to be spontaneous," says Kranz Taylor. "Find someone you know who you think does this well and ask them to coach you. Write down your speech and practice saying it without reading it. Tape-record it or have someone you trust agree to listen to you and let you know what they heard. Mention education, work experience and how many years in a specific career field, what you could contribute to the organization in this position, and any strengths, key accomplishments or successes. Tweak it, add to it, change it, as needed. Your elevator speech is constantly evolving."

"Be clear about the line between stating what you believe and bragging," says Kranz Taylor. "It can't tell everything about you, so what would make you intriguing?"

This is a weekly column devoted to career betterment. Matt Krumrie is a freelance writer from Inver Grove Heights, and has eight years of experience reporting on the employment industry. The first Sunday of each month this column will answer readers' questions. E-mail questions or subject ideas to askmatt@startribune.com.

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