How To Nail The Dreaded Elevator Pitch

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“Tell me a little about yourself.”

You’ve probably heard these words at the beginning of most job interviews you’ve ever had. Do you know what this means in this situation?

To be clear, this is not a personal question. The people interviewing you do not care where you are from, how old you are, your family status, and what you like to do in your spare time. During a job interview, “Tell me a little about yourself,” translates roughly to “Why should I consider hiring you?”

You have two to three minutes to tell the hiring manager why you are THE ONE. Your answer will set the tone for the rest of the interview will impact how the interviewers perceive you during the remainder of your interview process. You need to be prepared with the greatest “Elevator Pitch” of all time.

An “Elevator Pitch” is a Hollywood phrase that means pitching a movie or TV show to an executive during the average time it takes to ride in an elevator with him or her. In Hollywood, most skyscrapers are the ones the art department whips up on the studio back lot, so that elevator ride is short and sweet. Your pitch should be too. Again, you’ve got two or three minutes before the doors open. Every word counts.

In a job interview setting, you’re pitching yourself. You are the hero of this story, and your story should be a very brief summary of who you are from a professional standpoint.

Minute 1 – This is your top line, high level, penthouse suite description of who you are. “I am highly experienced designer of gadgets and weapons that can destroy your worst nemesis, the world, or The Universe with an A-List clientele that includes a variety of notorious Super Villains and one really cool spy (I’m rolling with the Hollywood motif so jump on).”

Tick, tick, tick, tick…

Minute 2 – Follow your top line with two or three career accomplishments. “I led a fifteen person design team to make the exterior of the Death Star as ominous and sinister as possible, share a patent for a device that erases memories, and was Director of a forty person R&D laboratory that created cutting edge super spy gadgets for five different Bonds. James Bonds.”

Tick, tick, tick, tick…

Minute 3 – Bring it full circle to the company and position for which you are a interviewing. “I am very excited by the prospect of working at a company known for consistently raising the bar and investing in the kind of research and development necessary to bring your average Doomsday device from concept to Doomsday. I’m confident I can take lead on a groundbreaking, contemporary, yet futuristic, gauntlet that can not only harness the power of the Infinity Stones, but set a new standard for BLING.”

And the elevator doors open. Your time is up.

Write your Elevator Pitch. Edit it. Edit it again. When you have at a point that it is comfortable to you, rehearse it.

Some quick DO NOTS:

·      DO NOT go in cold.

·      DO NOT disclose personal information. It’s not relevant, and in many cases illegal for an employer to ask about it. Why offer?

·      DO NOT try and extend the conversation. Keep it short and effective.

·      DO NOT veer off message, which is why you should be hired.

A final word: Do not fall to pieces trying to create the “perfect” Elevator Pitch. Make it solid. Be prepared. Be your own groupie. With this formality out of the way, the rest of your interview should be a breeze as you’ve set the tone for conversation that follows.

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Philip Roufail contributed to this article.

Scott Singer is the President and Founder of Insider Career Strategies Resume Writing & Career Coaching, a firm dedicated to guiding job seekers and companies through the job search and hiring process. Insider Career Strategies provides resume writing, LinkedIn profile development, career coaching services, and outplacement services, including a free resume review. You can email Scott Singer at scott.singer@insidercs.com, or via the website, www.insidercareerstrategies.com.

5 Great End-Of-Interview Questions To Seal The Deal – And 5 More To Avoid

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You’ve almost made it to the end of a long, in-depth interview and you feel like it has gone your way. The person, or group, conducting the interview wraps it up with one final question: “Do you have any questions for us?”

It seems like an innocuous inquiry, almost a courtesy, almost like the cashier at the grocery store asking you if you found everything you were looking for. Don’t be fooled –you have reached a make-or-break moment in the interview. What you say next may decide whether or not you are a serious candidate for the position – or if you remain a candidate at all.

Think about the interviewer’s intent. He or she wants to know as much about you as possible in the short time they have. This is a last opportunity to observe how well prepared you are, how present you are mentally, and to make a determination if the company’s values align with yours. They don’t just want you to ask questions. They want you to ask the right questions.

This is your final opportunity as well. By asking insightful questions designed to continue the dialogue about your qualifications for the position, and demonstrate that you are thinking about the organization, you can quite feasibly lap other candidates who may be less prepared. Here are some great questions to ask:

1. Where do you see the growth opportunities for this role? This demonstrates long-term thinking about the role and the company, and clearly signals that you are the type of employee who will commit to an organization that commits to you. The interviewer’s answer will provide you an idea about the value the company assigns to its employees, as well as the personality and skills that are the most critical for the current role and beyond.

2. What does the ideal candidate for this role look like? This may seem like an unusual question to ask at the end of an interview, but this gives the interviewers an opportunity to express any lingering concerns about your candidacy. You, in turn, have created an opportunity you may not have otherwise had to counter their perceptions.

3. What do you see as the biggest challenge for someone jumping into this role? This will give you your first real idea of what will be required of the position. For example, if the biggest challenge is running a successful marketing campaign with limited resources, you now have an opening to point out your relevant experience creating high production value campaigns on shoestring budgets.

4. What would the first 90 days of this job look like? This is an informational question that may provide insight into the most important factors that will initially govern a position, and/or the feasibility of a project or set of deliverables. You will also find out simple truths – like the level of training you will receive (if any) and the primary responsibilities that will be the initial basis of your job performance appraisal. 

5. What other questions do you have for me? Now that you’ve opened up some doors for yourself to create a dialogue, those doors are open for your interviewers as well. Your interviewers may have additional questions and unless space is made those questions may go unanswered – that doesn’t necessarily help you. Don’t give your interviewers an opportunity to make assumptions; help yourself by giving them a final opportunity to question you.

Just like there are questions designed to help you land your dream job, there are also questions that have the potential to end your candidacy. Here are a few questions you should probably avoid:

1.  What does the job pay? This question is the fastest way to end your interview and candidacy. Employers usually prefer to reserve the right to imitate salary discussions. Unfair or not, candidates who broach the salary issue first tend to raise hackles. Asking about salary conveys to the interviewer(s) that your primary interest is the money, not necessarily in the work or the company.

2.  Will I be required to work beyond regular work hours/carry a cell phone/log in during the evening? There are several variations of this very justified work/life balance question. Proceed with extreme caution as it may signal to the employer that you are more concerned about your personal schedule than the demands of the job. That said, if leaving the office no later than 5 p.m. every day is essential due to your personal circumstances, it might be better to broach the topic now rather than after accepting the job. If you’re okay with overtime, don’t ask.

3. Any question that begins with “Do I have to… ?” or “Will I have to…?” This sounds like you are already worried about how your work duties will impact your “me” time.

4.  May I work remotely? While this is a reasonable question in our modern technological age, it may have negative connotations to the interviewer. Unless the option to work remotely has been specified in the job description or has been brought up by the company, it is better to avoid type of question since you’re asking about changing the overall shape of the job.

5.  I have no questions. Potential interview killer. Having no questions at the end of an interview conveys to the employer you are not prepared, uninterested in the work, have no strategic goals, and were most likely not paying attention during the course of the interview.

One last thing – fumbling around to invent a decent question on the fly because you didn’t prepare is obvious and awkward, and can be interpreted as disinterest at best and laziness at worst. It’s okay to bring notes into an interview. A list of predetermined questions can prevent you from having to reach for one when needed.

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 Philip Roufail contributed to this article.

Scott Singer is the President and Founder of Insider Career Strategies Resume Writing & Career Coaching, a firm dedicated to guiding job seekers and companies through the job search and hiring process. Insider Career Strategies provides resume writing, LinkedIn profile development, career coaching services, and outplacement services, including a free resume review. You can email Scott Singer at scott.singer@insidercs.com, or via the website, www.insidercareerstrategies.com.

6 Simple Insider Job Hunting Tips

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Have you ever noticed that one of the most difficult jobs you will ever encounter is finding a job? Even a quick and successful job search requires diligence, patience, and perseverance. You need to tend to so many matters – such as your resume, cover letter, LinkedIn profile, interview skills – and so on.

That said, the little things matter, too. These may be the difference between an employer selecting you for the job and going with another candidate. Here are a few insider tips to keep you rolling. 

1. There is no single “best day” to apply, but Friday is far from the worst. It’s true that on Friday afternoons people look ahead to the weekend, but they are also unwinding from the work week, and the right resume that crosses the right desk at the right moment may get a glance. A relaxed recruiter will be happy to have an actionable resume to send the manager before the weekend. Conversely, on Mondays, recruiters are often busy tackling the avalanche of new work that accrued over the weekend.

2. Have a LinkedIn profile picture. If possible, a professional headshot taken by a skilled photographer. Recruiters use LinkedIn to find talent, and your profile picture is one of first things that show up on a search. A LinkedIn profile page that does not have a photo looks like a house where nobody lives – i.e., the lights are off, the driveway is empty, and the yard is unkempt. Don’t make the recruiter wonder if you are home! While at it, make sure to use a profile picture that conveys a professional image. Yes, you look great hanging upside down holding a beer funnel on a Hawaiian beach, but you may want to keep that one in your private Instagram account. Dress for your photo like you would for a job interview. And smile like you will be the best co-worker in the history of co-workers. In a pinch, businesses that offer passport photo services may be able to provide you with a digital copy of your headshot that is appropriate for a LinkedIn profile.

3.  Never stop training. Job skills change over the years and it is in your best interests to change with them. Companies once spent a great deal of time and effort developing their employees. These days, workers are expected to seek out and continue their education on their own time, and their own dime. Keep in mind that stagnant skills may turn a company off to your candidacy. If you’re in technology, learn Python or other emerging computer languages. Nothing against COBOL, but if that’s the only programming language you know, you may lose out to candidates with expertise in the latest, in-demand technologies. Continue to invest in your skills and future, and once you do, advertise your new mojo everywhere you can – LinkedIn, resume, cover letter, and so forth.

4.  Understand how Automatic Tracking Systems work. The systemic use of Automatic Tracking Systems (ATSs) by recruiters and others who hire people for a living has impacted the people looking for jobs just as much as the those who administer them. These computers automatically rank resumes based upon on the particular requirements and wording of the open position, and recruiters usually start by reviewing the top-ranked resumes and stopping when they’ve accumulated enough candidates to share with a hiring manager. To maximize the chances your resume will get a high ranking, it must be revised on a job-by-job basis to better align with the specific requirements of the position. Yes, it is an essential and difficult extra layer of work. But when paired with old-school efforts to reach a hiring manager, it can help ensure you get a look. A lot.

5.  Treat yourself well. It sounds so simple, but one of the very best things you can do to land that dream job is to treat yourself well. Do what you can to minimize your stress levels. Eat well. Walk outside. Put your phone on Airport mode for an hour a day. Allow yourself small indulgences. A happy candidate participating in a job interview has a greater chance of success than a sour candidate.

6.  If you are feeling overwhelmed, remember the job seeker’s Golden Rule. If you don’t apply for the job, you will not get it!

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Philip Roufail contributed to this article.

Scott Singer is the President and Founder of Insider Career Strategies Resume Writing & Career Coaching, a firm dedicated to guiding job seekers and companies through the job search and hiring process. Insider Career Strategies provides resume writing, LinkedIn profile development, career coaching services, and outplacement services, including a free resume review. You can email Scott Singer at scott.singer@insidercs.com, or via the website, www.insidercareerstrategies.com.