Perfecting Your Personal Pitch

A personal pitch is a short summary that you use to effectively define yourself to others and to clarify what you are looking for as a professional. It is an important part of your personal brand because your personal pitch should sell you successfully to prospective employers.

The elevator pitch should include who you are, what your work experience is, and why someone should hire you. In other words, it should include what makes you unique from others. You should clearly state what you have studied, where you have worked previously or where you are working currently, and what you are looking for right at that moment. The elevator pitch shouldn't be long; aim for a clear, but concise thirty to sixty seconds long. 

Drafting a great personal pitch comes with practice, so don't try to rush it.  While introducing who you are and what you currently do is easy, explaining the impact you made in your current or previous organization and where you plan to head with your career in a few short words can be a bit trickier. After practicing your initial pitch in front of the mirror first, practice it with other people to make it more natural and get honest feedback.  Furthermore, remember that a personal pitch is something that is always evolving as you gain new and more diverse experience.  Take the time to self reflect on how your most recent experiences have influenced you before jumping in!  And, as always, come see a Career Coach in Career Services for support in refining your content.