What is an Elevator Speech and How Do I Prepare One?

An elevator speech is a clear, brief message or a commercial about you! It should communicate who you are, what you are looking for, and how you can benefit an employer. It should last no longer than 25- 30 seconds, the length of time it takes to ride in an elevator from top to bottom of an average building. At a job fair, you can use your elevator speech to introduce yourself to employers. You can also use this speech as part of the famous Tell Me About Yourself interview question.

Practice is key! Rehearse your elevator speech in front of the mirror and recite it to a friend or family member. The most important thing is to practice this OUT LOUD because you want it to sound natural. Practice makes perfect and you want to get comfortable with what you are going to say so that it is a breeze to say when the time comes!

The purpose of the elevator speech is to spark an employer’s interest and entice them to come back for more and offer you an interview. Landing the interview is a step closer to landing the job!

4 Elements of your Elevator Speech

• Describe who you are

• Define what you do

• Describe your unique selling points

• State your goal