Do you want to know what to say in an elevator pitch at the next career fair? An elevator pitch might be what you need to offer your services, find a new job opportunity, or present your proposal for a new business venture. There are elevator pitch examples for students to help them pursue further education or career opportunities.
If you’re wondering what an elevator pitch is, this article will explain its purpose and how you can use an elevator pitch to your advantage. Below, you’ll also find elevator pitch examples for students. Keep reading to see how you can mention your technical expertise and soft skills in various scenarios.
What Is an Elevator Pitch?
An elevator pitch is a 30- to 60-second moment in time to sell yourself to someone else for an opportunity such as employment, internships, business opportunities, or even volunteer experiences. You can use this quick time to present and highlight your key skills and professional experience.
In an elevator pitch, similar to a sales pitch, you get the chance to show off your unique talent, product, or idea in a competitive world. A perfect elevator pitch should be persuasive and influence the listener to pay attention and take action.
Where Is an Elevator Pitch Used?
- Job interviews
- Career fairs
- Networking events
- Conferences
- Meetings
Why Is an Elevator Pitch Important?
An elevator pitch is important because it allows you to sell yourself in such a way that you can land the right opportunities for your dream career path. Elevator pitches bring your key skills to the spotlight and persuade key decision-makers to take interest in your professional capabilities.
At a professional networking event, you can get the 30-60 seconds you need to share your elevator pitch. Business owners are often looking for fresh talent at career fairs and expos. An impressive elevator pitch could be a game-changer in launching your career by leaving a lasting impression with key people. It can help you land a project, internship, job, or volunteering role.
Real-World Examples of Elevator Pitches
There are many real-world scenarios where you can introduce your idea or yourself to find your career-advancing opportunities. Below are examples of elevator pitches that you can tailor to your situation.
- Achieving career goals
- Obtaining career opportunities with no experience
- Giving a presentation
- Seeking an entry-level job
- Looking for internship opportunities
- Getting a volunteering position
- Pursuing a research position
- Proposing a business idea
- Promoting a product or service
- Advancing a startup company
10 Great Examples of Elevator Pitches
Student Elevator Pitch Example 1: Achieving career goals
An elevator pitch is a great way of getting your career goals clear in your head and ensuring that they are achievable. They’re also essential for networking and making connections, so understanding how to create one is crucial if you want to succeed in the workplace.
Student Elevator Pitch Example 2: Obtaining career opportunities with no experience
If you don’t have any previous experience, an elevator pitch can help you get your foot in the door. When you first meet someone at a networking event who may have positions available for recent graduates with limited work experience, having an elevator pitch can be extremely helpful.
Student Elevator Pitch Example 3: Giving a presentation
An elevator pitch can help make your presentation smooth and flow easily. It should be short and to the point so that your audience can concentrate on the most important information. When giving a presentation, keep in mind what your audience expects from the experience. It should be able to capture your audience’s attention.
Student Elevator Pitch Example 4: Seeking an entry-level job
An elevator pitch allows you to quickly convey your qualifications, skills, or expertise. If you are seeking an entry-level job, you must persuade a potential employer to give you a chance by highlighting the qualities or skill sets that you possess. It’s important that your elevator pitch include accomplishments relevant to the role you’re applying for as well as attributes such as your strengths, skills, and experience.
Student Elevator Pitch Example 5: Looking for internship opportunities
The best way to get an internship is by crafting your elevator pitch. Start with the company you want to intern for and what position you want. Next, tell them how much experience or education you have in that field of work followed by why they should hire you over other applicants, and lastly close it off with a strong call-to-action.
Student Elevator Pitch Example 6: Getting a volunteering position
Volunteering can be a good choice for those who are just starting their careers and don’t have much experience. However, many people want to volunteer, but they don’t always know how or where to begin. You can reach out to the company or organization you want to work for and use your elevator pitch to highlight your passion for helping others and earning experience.
Student Elevator Pitch Example 7: Pursuing a research position
Research positions can be difficult to get because they are competitive. If you’re pursuing this type of job, be sure to have an elevator pitch about why your skills will make you stand out from other applicants. Regardless of what type of research position you are seeking, the key to a successful elevator pitch is to be clear and concise.
Student Elevator Pitch Example 8: Proposing a business idea
An elevator pitch can be very effective in getting people interested and curious to know more about your business. It is a quick and succinct way to describe your business idea in order to get people interested and potentially secure funding. Pitching your idea in the right way can also allow you to reach key stakeholders and potential customers for your business.
Student Elevator Pitch Example 9: Promoting a product or service
Sharing an elevator pitch is one of the most effective ways to promote your product or service. To keep your service or product afloat, you must promote it. Give a brief, succinct description of your company’s product or service and why someone should purchase it. It’s a quick way to convey your message and connect with potential customers.
Student Elevator Pitch Example 10: Advancing a startup company
One of the most important aspects of starting a company is making sure that you are able to communicate your idea in a clear and concise manner. Elevator pitches help entrepreneurs advance their startup companies by communicating concise information about them to potential investors or customers for quick decision-making.
Pro Tips to Boost Your Pitching Skills
- Practice. Use your professional summary as a guide to create an elevator pitch to reflect your experiences and personality. You can practice saying it in front of a mirror or in front of your family, friends, colleagues, peers, and mentors for feedback.
- Be Ready. Keep a business card ready when you attend events where you expect to meet business managers and employers. To prepare an effective elevator pitch, you must have it written beforehand and practiced enough times that it comes out naturally and with confidence. It will help you avoid the fillers and buzzwords that might enter into an impromptu pitch.
- End with an action. You must close your elevator pitch with a call-to-action, typically in the form of an engaging question or request. You can ask for the outcome that you expect in simple words. You can also ask if they have time for a meeting or inquire about any job openings for relevant experience.
What Should Be the Next Step in My Elevator Pitch Learning Journey?
It is a good idea to attend networking events that will give you the opportunity to meet like-minded professionals. A 75-word elevator speech can give you a fair chance to further your professional goals.
Search for sample elevator pitches and templates online that align with your career goals. Then practice techniques for elevator pitches to build up your confidence.
Elevator Pitch for Students Examples FAQ
Important elements of an elevator pitch are a salutation, introduction, career aspiration, and an ending call-to-action. Place your hook after the introduction to make sure you get their attention.
An elevator pitch quizlet is a short presentation sharing the business idea for a project, product, or service that you want to offer to a contributing party. When you get a response with a job interview, make sure to match your elevator pitch presentation with an effective cover letter and resume.
A college student elevator pitch introduces their name, school, education, and interest in a job, internship experience, or entrepreneurship. It introduces them and their education or passion and explains how they can be valuable to an organization or company.
To introduce yourself in an elevator pitch, clearly state your name, the school you are studying, and what subjects you are taking. You can also share any job that will add value to your pitch such as a research or internship position.
About us: Career Karma is a platform designed to help job seekers find, research, and connect with job training programs to advance their careers. Learn about the CK publication.
