Connecting with people in your field is a required component of Introduction to Professional Practice for science co-op students students that teaches new co-op how to choose a job opportunity to apply for, prepare for and submit an application, prepare for an interview, and how to create your own opportunity.
As part of their course requirements, students can choose to work on an elevator pitch. Here’s how to build your pitch.
Who are you?
Keep it short. What would you most want the listener to remember about you?
What you can do?
Here is where you state your value phrased as key results or impact. To organize your thoughts, it may help to think of this as your tag line, or purpose statement.
Why are you doing it?
Now it’s time to show the unique benefits that you and/ or your company bring. Show what you do that is different or better than others
What are your goals?
Describe your immediate goals. Goals should be concrete and realistic. Include a time frame. This is the final step and it should be clear to the listener what you are asking of him or her.
Vocabulary
Use words that show what you do instead of tell: advanced, approved, authoritative, certified, confirmed, dominant, early, endorsed, established, finest, foremost, inaugural, inceptive, key, responsive …
Practise practise practise so you don’t repeat words or ramble, but be careful not to sound like you’re reciting off a script.
Be flexible. If your audience asks a question or looks like he or she wants to interrupt, be willing to go in a new direction. After all, the pitch is designed to start a conversation. If that conversation starts sooner, well done!