I Should Hire You: Elevator Speech Presentation

An elevator speech is an excellent way to convey your skills while networking and seeking employment. Typically, an elevator speech is a one-minute summary of who you are, why you are qualified, and what you have to offer the organization or industry.

Creating this brief sales-pitch will help better prepare you to discuss your career goals whenever the opportunity presents itself. This type of interaction might occur at a networking event, during a job interview, or within a social setting such as a party or a ride in an elevator.

Watch The Elevator Pitch video about creating an elevator speech, and design a one-minute sales pitch tailored toward your chosen career path.

It is recommended that you also review the How to Craft an Effective Elevator Speech online resource. Consider the person in your field who you would most like the opportunity to speak with. Keep this person in mind throughout the process.

It is important to specifically discuss your areas of expertise in learning and cognition and how they could be applied to benefit the organization or industry and your future success is this field.

Briefly explain any theoretical perspectives that apply to these areas. Once you have determined what should be included in your pitch, you will record your 30-second to one-minute audio or video presentation using any recording software of your choice.

(Quick-start guides for Screencast-O-Matic and YouTube are provided for your convenience should you decide to use these.) It is recommended that you create a script or, at minimum, a list of talking points prior to creating your recording. For an explanation of steps to follow when creating an elevator speech: Preparing Your Elevator Speech document.

Once you have completed your recording, share your pitch with the class by copying and pasting the link for your recording into your discussion post. Include the name of the person you chose to give your speech to as well as a 50- to 150-word description of the individual's background, industry, area of expertise, and your rationale for choosing this person.

Guided Response: Review and listen to several of your colleague's posts/elevator speeches and respond to at least two of your peers. You are encouraged to post your required replies earlier in the week to promote more meaningful interactive discourse in this discussion. Provide a critique of your colleague's presentation of the following information:

Who he or she is

Why he or she is qualified

What he or she has to offer the organization/industry