Elevator Pitch Strategies for Career Advancement

HOW to “BRAG RIGHT” (From the new book: Your Work Does Not Speak For Itself--You Do) POINTERS for NOTING & SHARING YOUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS Establish an on-the-job personal promotion mindset. It is OK for you to promote yourself appropriately.  Done properly, this is NOT bragging. Maintain a professional inventory of your “wins.” No matter how large or how small, over time they add up. Consistently review and realize just HOW MUCH you have accomplished! Appropriately inform your supervisor’s boss that you make a difference. Casually share with them about that Saturday you spent at the office practicing that new client pitch. Always, always, always have an accomplishment ready to share. (See 2 and 3 above.) Be prepared to engage the regional VP when she happens to be the only other person in the elevator. (It happens!) To be successful in that fifteen to twenty seconds, have an accomplishment ready to share that’s 'good for all occasions'. You CAN quantify your value even if you don’t generate revenue. The sales team generates revenue. Everyone else SAVES money by doing what they do efficiently! Tell them how you save. Ask customers and vendors if they recall anything special you did for them. If they’re curious as to why you’re asking, tell them you’re prepping for your performance review. Adopt an ROI (Return On Investment) mantra: You see your paycheck as payment for services rendered. Your employer sees your paycheck as their investment in you. Would YOU invest in YOU doing the job YOU do? Don’t take for granted that what you do is usual. You might be a receptionist or an admin or an inventory clerk. You are there because you are essential. Do well. Be seen. Move up. As you grow professionally, appreciate, and accept the praise, the confidence, and the motivation that comes with doing a job well. Do not be afraid to let your boss or his boss or her boss know that you really are “all that.” (See 1 above.) With accomplishments in hand, do not be afraid to ask for a raise or a promotion. Be prepared to tell the story behind the accomplishment. Speak about your work. Share the Who, What, Where, When, Why & How (WWWWW & H) + any $'s made or saved due to your achievements. Don’t wait for a pat on the back. It may never happen. But that’s OK. You’ve got this! "ACCOMPLISHMENTS. The Currency of Your Career"

So, something wild happened to me last week, and I just HAD to share it with you all. From pressing a button to pressing play on a new project!🎉🎉 I had one of those pinch me moments. We always talk about the "elevator pitch," but how many of us have actually practiced it in an actual elevator? Well, last week, I did, and here's what went down. I was in one of those swanky downtown buildings for a meeting. As I waited for the elevator, I quickly reviewed my notes. The doors opened, and in walked this older lady. We exchanged pleaseantries and I continued with my revisions. As the elevator began its ascent, she curiously inquired what brings me there. I was caught a bit off-guard but always ready, I shared my purpose. She then asked about my profession. Without hesitation, my well-practiced elevator pitch flowed out, almost subconsciously because this is something I have said a million and one time even to myself while in the bathroom. The power of preparation was evident in that brief interaction. By the time we reached the last floor, we had concluded a whole consultation and set a date to discuss further (on how the project should go) and we exchanged business cards and of course, LinkedIn IDs. Now, here are some golden nuggets I want to share: 🌺Always Be Prepared: Keep a concise and impactful pitch ready. You never know when you'll need it. I have a pitch and entire business plan for all visible ideas that comes to my mind weather I am using them at that time or not. In fact, I have granted thousands of interviews on international TVs in my head multiple times😂 🌺Stay Updated: Know what's happening in your industry. Being able to reference a recent event or trend can be a great conversation starter. 🌺Listen Actively: It's not just about talking. Listen to what the other person is saying. It shows respect and can give you insights into their needs. I would naturally not profer any solutions to anything until I have completely understood what the entire thing is all about. 🌺Practice Makes Perfect: Rehearse your pitch. Whether it's in front of a mirror, with a friend, or yes, in an actual elevator. Remember, opportunities don't always come with a scheduled appointment. Sometimes, they're between floors 1 and 20. Ask yourself, if the opportunity that I have been waiting for walks right through that door and I am asked what I do, will I be able to say it without stuttering? No one wants to hear “I am a graphic designer” “I am a writer” “I am a consultant” ….etc; They want to know what value that role actually brings to them. Would you rather go with someone that says the above or someone who simply says: “Ever see a design and think, 'That's clever!'? That's what I do. I give brands a face that people remember and love.” Ever had an unexpected moment turn into a huge opportunity? How did it go? Tell us in the comments.

*** Thursday Thrive Tip *** AVOID this the next time you introduce yourself to someone. The dreaded rambling monologue that leaves your listener more bewildered than impressed. Have you ever been caught off guard when a colleague asks you to introduce yourself? Have you met with a recruiter and felt you totally bombed the "tell me about yourself" question? If so, you're not alone. But fear not! When I coach my clients, here's how we partner to craft a compelling career narrative that exudes confidence and clarity. Here's my 3 step formula for creating a compelling elevator pitch: 1. Know Your Audience: Tailor your pitch to the person or group you're addressing. Highlight relevant skills and experiences that align with THEIR interests and needs. NOTE: The biggest mistake leaders make is delivering the same pitch at new colleague meet and greets, networking events, and job interviews. 2. Be Clear and Concise: Keep it snappy and to the point. Focus on what sets you apart and why you're uniquely qualified for your target audience. 3. Practice Your Pitch: Rehearse your career narrative until it flows naturally and sounds compelling. Confidence comes with repetition, so don't be afraid to practice in front of a mirror or with a trusted friend or your executive coach. With these three steps, you'll be armed and ready to deliver a compelling elevator pitch that leaves a lasting impression. So, next time you find yourself in an elevator with a potential connection, remember the power of the elevator pitch. Keep it sharp, keep it confident, and watch as doors – both literal and metaphorical – swing open before you. #executivecoaching #leadershipdevelopment #careeradvice #workplacewellness ____________________________ Hi, I'm Jessica, an Executive Leadership & Career Coach, Chief Talent Officer, Inclusion Expert, Speaker, and Facilitator. I help high-caliber, overlooked talent craft stellar brands that grow their confidence, capabilities, and compensation.

An easy framework for introducing yourself in a non-stupid way that wins friends and influences people. Do you ever trip over your own intro? I sure did. I'd always say too much, or too little, or forget something important. Where my awkwardness really shined: - Zoom networking calls - Mingling at networking events - First chat with new hires - That awkward first call with a consultant where everyone on the team introduces themselves - Introducing myself to a new parent friend when we get past "which short person is yours" and move on to "what do you do" So after a hard shove in a much better direction from Tom Kent CEO CareerNerds, and about 294 practice attempts over the last 2 years of concentrated networking, I've distilled what works into an easy framework. It's easy to remember and will help you be remembered for the right things. But first, a tiny story. My background is cray cray. Seriously, click on my profile link and you will see that I am one of the very few bomb technician stunt doubles to work at Facebook. (while you're on my profile, go ahead and click Follow!) On networking calls, I used to include allllll the pivots in my elevator pitch. It led to a lot of questions and discussions I didn't want during my 15-25 min networking call. So my mentor Tom had my start ruthlessly cutting until my intro drove the conversations I wanted to have. Cutting didn't mean cutting everything interesting about myself out. It just meant honing the interesting bits that served my intentions. So here's my framework: To really be heard, understood and remembered, be 3 things: 1/ Interesting 2/ Relevant 3/ Focused Breaking each of those down: 1/ Interesting Never forget that someone on the other side of a zoom networking calls wants to chat. They are not there to get a full run down of your work history. It's not an interview. They need just enough to understand who you are. So aim for 1-3 minutes. Include great metrics and highlight your best accomplishments. 2/ Relevant I've had chats during conferences where I could not run away fast enough. Someone trying to pitch me on their product or that just wanted to talk about things outside the conference topic. Elevator pitches should shift as your context does. 3/ Focused If your goal is to learn more about how others are solving problems, or explore new roles, or learn about a new industry, tell them up front. People want to be helpful, so giving a conversation intent can drastically improve outcomes. I've found that if I missed in one of the 3 areas in my elevator pitch up front, the conversation falls flat or just misses the mark. I hope you enjoy my Venn Diagram of elevator pitch greatness! Anything else I should add to my framework? #elevatorpitch #careertransition #veterans #militarytransition