How to Give an Elevator Pitch (With Examples)
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An elevator pitch is a tailored introduction made in 30 seconds or less. The best pitches sell your skills and value for business opportunities like resumes, interviews, job fairs, conventions or project launches.
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What Is an Elevator Pitch + Free Template
The 30-second elevator pitch is designed to introduce yourself to fellow professionals during chance encounters, like elevator rides!
You can use these pitches to introduce and sell yourself in person or via career tools like resume summary statements, cover letters or letters of recommendation. With the following advice, templates, and elevator pitch examples, you’ll learn how to leave a strong impression to grow your network, create career opportunities, and build a professional reputation.
Here’s a general template for an elevator pitch about yourself:
“Hello, my name is [full name], a [job title or certification label] specializing in [key skill or industry]. I’m familiar with [person/company/project] and its work in [industry]. I’m passionate about [professional interest or career goal related to person/company/project]. With my background in [highlight achievements/projects], I’d love to collaborate with you and your team soon. I’m excited to [networking goal or mention opportunities] with you. Here’s my [business card/contact information].
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How to Prepare and Deliver an Elevator Pitch
How to write an elevator pitch is similar to writing a resume or preparing for an interview. You’re pitching a customized summary of your professional strengths to a potential employer or potential connection. The information you showcase will depend on the person and situation.
Create a master list of professional skills, experience and notable accomplishments. Memorizing these skills will help you quickly adapt to your professional encounters. Try to keep the following three topics in mind.
1Who are you?
You’re probably pitching to a stranger, so introduce yourself by name and relevant information, including your current job title or education, interest in a professional topic or experience in a related industry. The information you offer will depend on the person. For example, you might mention a collegiate club or specific class to college alums but discuss your interest in new technologies to an employee in that industry.
2What can you do?
This is the main part of your elevator pitch — the information you want a person to remember, the evidence of your qualifications and relevant skills. Some information you can share includes skills, professional values, career goals or key accomplishments.
3What’s your main goal?
End your elevator pitch by explaining why you’re speaking to them and what you hope to gain from this random encounter. Why are you pitching yourself to this person? Are you asking for a job or an information interview, proposing a merger, or selling a new product or service? Using action words can help you impart your message to people.
4Practice!
No one is perfect during their first attempt. Get comfortable with your pitch. Recite it to your friends inside and outside the home to get comfortable in different settings. Memorize key accomplishments and the evidence to back it so you can quickly recite them. Practice your breathing so you can calm yourself if you get nervous.
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Find Job-Related Skills to Pitch
It can take time to critically analyze your skills, work history and education and decide what to highlight. Use our Resume Builder to simplify the process! Our simple questionnaire creates custom skills lists and drafts describing your achievements. Use these skills for your elevator pitch, cover letter and resume!
Additional features include:
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ATS-friendly resume templates.
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Content suggestions are written by career experts.
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Unlimited cloud storage and downloads.
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9 Elevator Pitch Examples
An elevator pitch is highly personalized to your experiences and the interests of the person you’re pitching to. This means that every elevator pitch will be unique. However, you can follow the same formula to maximize these 30 seconds.
Review how other job seekers write their elevator pitches based on their experience level.
1. Elevator pitch about yourself
This is a generalized elevator pitch. Robert isn’t looking for a job or collaboration opportunities. He met an industry leader in a related field and saw the opportunity to learn more about their industry. This is also a networking opportunity where Robert can leave a positive impression and develop a strong working relationship or mentorship with this leader.
Elevator pitch sample:
“Hi, I’m Robert, a data scientist. After three years of leveraging advanced analytics to drive shipping and freight, deliver insights and enhance profitability, I’m passionate about studying how we can adapt AI to improve data-gathering algorithms. With your experience in AI, I would love to connect and discuss the industry’s rapid evolution. “
2. Elevator pitch for interviews
Although most job seekers use online job boards to find jobs, networking can unlock additional opportunities before they’re published. Here’s an elevator pitch example of introducing your skills and creating a job opportunity. Start with your knowledge of the job, highlight relevant skills and describe your role. Visit our best words to describe yourself article to find additional ways to pitch yourself.
Elevator pitch sample:
“Hi, I’m Sandra. I’m excited about this opportunity to discuss my potential contributions to the BzzAldrn team. With a proven track record in astrophysics and a degree in rocket engineering, I can bring unique insights to help you further develop, test and launch safer vehicles for galactic exploration.”
3. Elevator pitch for job seekers
If you’re asking for an interview or a job opening, you can showcase your qualifications or accomplishments, like the example above. This sample covers how to use data and evidence to highlight your effective use of skills. Visit our “Why are you looking for a new job” article? for additional templated responses.
Elevator pitch sample:
“Hi, my name is Nyla, and I’m always open to opportunities in finance. I’m a financial analyst, and I’ve built up quite a reputation in overhead reduction, financial modeling and performance audits. My work contributed to an 8% increase in profitability for my last employer. Take my business card to discuss potential opportunities to join your organization.”
4. Elevator pitch for students
As a student, your elevator pitch might be your first professional pitch. Think about how to write an elevator pitch for scholarship opportunities, college admissions interviews or career-development programs. You’ll pick job- or education-related skills and the reason for your passion or interest. Visit our student resume sample to see how other young students translate their education and extracurricular activities into work-related skills.
Elevator pitch sample:
“Hello, my name is Dylan, and I’m a driven high school student with a budding interest in pre-med. Not only did I excel in scientific coursework, including AP Biology, Chemistry, and Human Biology, but I did over 100 hours of volunteer work for our local free clinic and actively looked for opportunities to develop my skills further. I was inspired by the kindness of the medical team that treated my mother during her cancer treatment. I’m hoping to enter your renowned pre-med program and help save and provide the same level of care in underserved communities.”
5. Elevator pitch for college students
Your college education or technical training is your first specialized step to develop job-specific skills and knowledge. An elevator pitch for college students highlights that training and illustrates how your new training and pre-existing interests combine to make you a strong networking or employee candidate. Visit this article to find college-friendly jobs.
Elevator pitch sample:
“Hello! I’m Sophie, and I’m inspired by Seeding Change’s mission to re-introduce sustainable farming practices to state agriculture. I’m a recent marketing graduate from Boise State University, specializing in digital marketing and campaign strategy. I would love an opportunity to intern or collaborate with your nonprofit.”
6. Elevator pitch for students with no experience
How many transferable resume skills you develop through school and personal interests would surprise you. Most hiring managers will take a chance on a first-time employee if you can describe these transferable skills and how they can apply them to the job requirements. Use these no-experience resumes to learn how to describe transferable skills.
Elevator pitch sample:
“Here’s a copy of my resume! You’ll find I’m a real go-getter with a warm personality. I have a GPA of 4.2 in school because I work hard and stay focused; I also work well in teams and pay great attention to detail. I hope to bring that same dedication to your customers!”
7. Health care elevator pitch example
Not all elevator pitches relate to job seeking. Occasionally, you’ll meet an innovator in your industry. You can use this chance encounter to introduce yourself and learn more about developing techniques in your industry, like this sample elevator pitch from a healthcare provider. Visit our medical, nursing and health care resumes to find more ways to describe your training or contributions.
Elevator pitch sample:
“It’s an honor to meet you. I’m a dedicated nephrologist specialist. I was inspired by your recent article in The Lancet detailing the optimistic results of your ongoing kidney dialysis train. I’d love an opportunity to dive deeper into some questions I had revolving around the pathology and analytical process.”
8. Elevator pitch for project manager example
The best elevator pitches for project managers will highlight leadership, management or communication skills. Use data to describe your delivery of timeless and effective project management. Find additional ways to quantify your successful projects through our project management resume samples.
Elevator pitch sample:
“Hi, I’m Rupert, a seasoned project manager with a track record of successfully steering major projects for three Fortune 500 companies. I’m excited about the innovative work at your startup, particularly in enhancing live chat functions. Should you need a new project manager, I’d love to pitch myself as a potential candidate — I have experience delivering high-impact projects and specialize in expedited timelines.”
9. Business elevator pitch sample
Here’s an example of a typical business elevator pitch. Start strong with your knowledge of the person, introduce your product, but back it with the technical, financial or innovative details that make it stand out.
Elevator pitch sample:
“Hello. It’s a pleasure to meet such a strategic investor — your early recognition of co-working spaces designed around warmer tones was groundbreaking. I’m passionate about ergonomic seating and would love to pitch a new design. This new chair blends the mobility of stools, the comfort of gaming chairs, and insights from 130 surveyed workers, two chiropractors and one ergonomic specialist.”
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5 Ways to Improve Your Elevator Pitch!
No one is perfect during their first attempt at anything, including introducing themselves to strangers. However, you can help yourself feel prepared and confident with these helpful elevator pitch tips.
1Memorize your information:
Most people can tell when you pitch a rehearsed introduction. Some people find it ingenious or off-putting. Instead of memorizing one specific elevator pitch, memorize key projects, details or skills. Not only does this help you sound natural during your pitch, but it also helps you improvise and customize your pitch to every person.
2Tailor your pitch:
Every job is unique — you need to tailor your elevator pitch to the needs of each industry, job and person. For example, a human resource manager will care more about your interpersonal skills than a management analyst at the same company. The management analyst would care more about your analytical skills. They may work at the same company, but you can’t use the same elevator pitch.
3Time yourself:
Have you ever been stuck in a conversation? Did you walk away with a positive memory of the experience? Most elevator pitches happen randomly, waiting for the light to change or standing in line — you can’t delay a person or demand more attention. In a slow, conversational tone, time your pitch until it doesn’t exceed 30 seconds.
4Practice:
You’ll feel confident if you know what you’re saying. Practicing your elevator pitches keeps your skills and accomplishments fresh in your mind, so you can react more quickly when a chance encounter happens!
5Ask for feedback:
It’s easy to feel nervous or too confident. Ask a friend or colleague to help you. Ask them to listen to your pitches, make suggestions or suggest random scenarios so you can learn how to improvise for multiple situations.
Elevator Pitch FAQ
What is a good elevator pitch?
The following is what makes a good elevator pitch.
- Short and specific.
- Highlights key skills or achievements.
- Expresses your enthusiasm or reasoning.
- Explains how you meet the listener’s needs.
- Includes a call to action.
- Leaves a positive impression.
What are the three characteristics of a bad elevator pitch?
- Talking too fast: Keep your elevator pitch to 30 seconds at a comfortable speed so people can understand. Speaking too quickly can make you come across as nervous or desperate. You also risk overwhelming a person with too much information in too short a time.
- Avoiding eye contact: Body language is 55-90% of communication. We rely on eye contact and nonverbal cues to understand what we’re hearing. Keeping eye contact can help a person understand you’re speaking to them and engage with your pitch.
- All about me: Don’t talk about what you want from the person, but about what you can do for this person or their workplace. You are actively solving a problem for them, even if it’s a problem they didn’t know existed.
What is the biggest mistake one can make while preparing for an elevator pitch?
The biggest mistake you can make is using a cookie-cutter approach to your elevator pitch. We shared the above examples as guides to help you learn how others pitch themselves, but there’s no perfect elevator pitch template. Just be sure to introduce yourself, highlight skills and propose yourself as the solution to a problem.
Should you memorize your elevator pitch?
Don’t memorize an elevator pitch. Not only will you sound too rehearsed, but this practiced approach won’t let you show your personality. Instead, memorize key skills and industry-related achievements. This will help you customize your pitch to each person or project. You’ll still know all the information, but you’ll be more genuine and light on your feet. People will respond to that.
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How to Make a Persuasive Elevator Pitch [9 Samples]
Last edited by: Manoj Saini -
