January 2010 Your Personal Two-Minute Elevator Pitch The Eugene D. Fanning Center for Business Notre Dame Professor J. S. ORourke, IV Mendoza College of Business University of Notre Dame USA

Agenda Page R E S I D U A L T E A C H - I NR E S I D U A L T E A C H - I N How you will be judged The Eight Cs in your approach What your thinking should be What is an elevator pitch and why do I need one? The Eugene D. Fanning Center for Business Notre Dame Your assignment Agenda

R E S I D U A L T E A C H - I NR E S I D U A L T E A C H - I N What Is an Elevator Pitch? Its an opportunity to connect with someone who may be helpful in your job search. Its an opportunity to deepen a connection youve previously made. Its an opportunity to broaden your network of contacts. Its an opportunity to get in the door and secure a full- scale job interview. Its an opportunity to explain who you are and what youre looking for. Finally, its an opportunity to improve your interpersonal social skills. The Eugene D. Fanning Center for Business Notre Dame

R E S I D U A L T E A C H - I NR E S I D U A L T E A C H - I N What Is It Not? Its not a job interview. Its not a guarantee of a job interview. Its not a moment to ask for a job. Its not a moment to begin employment negotiations. Its not an opportunity to exploit, use, bore, or terrorize someone trapped in an elevator with you. The Eugene D. Fanning Center for Business Notre Dame

R E S I D U A L T E A C H - I NR E S I D U A L T E A C H - I N What Is It, Again? Its an opportunity to introduce yourself. A chance to explain who you are. A moment to talk, briefly, about your qualifications, education, and preparation. A moment to explain what youre seeking in life, and in the way of gainful, professional employment. Its the brief period that precedes your business card, a handshake, smile and expression of thanks for your conversation partners time and interest. The Eugene D. Fanning Center for Business Notre Dame

R E S I D U A L T E A C H - I NR E S I D U A L T E A C H - I N WHAT Your Thinking Should Be W: Take a moment to introduce yourself and explain who you are. H: Explain briefly how they can help you. A: Talk for a moment about your aspirations. Share with others what youre looking for in life how your activities, education, and experience have prepared you for this. T: Mention your most prominent talents. Without seeming to brag, explain what it is you do best and how your knowledge, skills, values, and attributes will contribute to your career. The Eugene D. Fanning Center for Business Notre Dame

R E S I D U A L T E A C H - I NR E S I D U A L T E A C H - I N The Eight Cs of an Effective Elevator Pitch Concise: Use as few words as possible; you dont have their attention for long. Clear: Lose the acronyms, MBA-speak, and ten-dollar words you learned in mergers & acquisitions. Compelling: An effective personal elevator pitch makes people want to know more about you. Credible: People must believe in you in order to want to give you more of their time. The Eugene D. Fanning Center for Business Notre Dame

R E S I D U A L T E A C H - I NR E S I D U A L T E A C H - I N The Eight Cs of an Effective Elevator Pitch Conceptual: Keep your talk relatively abstract; dont focus on a particular position; think opportunity. Concrete: Use numbers and be specific where you can; dont overwhelm your audience with detail, though. Customized: Keep your audience in mind as you talk; this is, in some measure, about their needs and interests. Consistent: While you think about your audience, make sure you convey the key details in your basic message. The Eugene D. Fanning Center for Business Notre Dame

R E S I D U A L T E A C H - I NR E S I D U A L T E A C H - I N How You Will Be Judged Are you credible? Are you sincere? Are you likeable? Are you organized? Are you confident? Do you use the language well? Are you respectful of others time? Are you the sort of person theyd like to work with? The Eugene D. Fanning Center for Business Notre Dame

R E S I D U A L T E A C H - I NR E S I D U A L T E A C H - I N Your Assignment Assume that you have met and spoken (at least briefly) with someone who is interested in knowing more about your professional ambitions. Plan for a two-minute presentation (between 100 and 120 seconds elapsed time). Introduce yourself, explain who you are. Explain what your career ambitions are, near- and long- term. Show how your life experience, education, prior employment, skills, and values have prepared you for this search. The Eugene D. Fanning Center for Business Notre Dame

R E S I D U A L T E A C H - I NR E S I D U A L T E A C H - I N Your Assignment If its appropriate, offer a business card (dont do that for the classroom speaking exercise). Say thank you for your conversation partners time, attention, and interest in your situation. Find a pleasant, positive way to conclude the conversation. The Eugene D. Fanning Center for Business Notre Dame