Pitch Your Way Over $100k

Pitch Your Way Over $100kPitch Your Way Over $100kTips to help you prepare your 15-second networking pitch.So, what do you do? Its often the first question youre asked when networking, and its certainly not easy to answer when youre looking for a new job. Even if youre currently employed, it can be difficult to explain what you do for a living. If youre uncomfortable pitching yourself and your skills, youre not alone.Here are some tips to help you pitch your way into a new position.Skip the kitchen-sink pitchMany job seekers make the mistake of telling their entire life histories. Theyll tell you theyre experts in everything from advertising to marketing to financial planning, and they could even answer phones or wait tables if they had to.The trouble with this approach is that no one wants to hire a generalist. They want to hire an expert who can fill the specific position they have open. So focus on your expertise and the skills needed for the job that you really want.Focus your en ergyWhen looking for a job, you may face the paradox of choice Many great ones out there might be good for you. So, like many job seekers, you might float from one great-sounding job description to the next. But the key is to figure out the one thing you absolutely need in your next position and build that into your pitch.Holly, a client I recently worked with, welches certain of two things that she wanted to move back to Japan and needed a high-level, challenging position to support this move. So, she told everyone she met, I am going to Japan - yes, phrased in the present tense. Thus, every conversation she had was focused on Japan, and she was easily able to mention how her excellent interpersonal skills would be the perfect fit for a company in Japan. (She landed a job as a fundraiser for a major university with a campus in Japan.)Sam, on the other hand, had already found his perfect job posted online, although the company anthroponym wasnt listed. After a little industry resea rch, Sam discovered the hiring company, and most importantly he found out his former Sunday school teacher was employed there. Sam landed the job by telling his teacher why hed be a great candidate for the specific position. She agreed and immediately made an introduction for him. He was invited to come in for an interview the next day and joined the company as its CFO within 30 days of seeing the ad posted online.You never know when an opportunity is going to present itself in the virtual or real world, so be sure you have your pitch ready.Answer the top four questionsBy answering these four questions, youll be able to create an elevator pitch you can deliver in just 15 seconds. After all, every second counts when you see that perfect job advertised online or you hear about it at a networking event.Remember, pitching yourself is all about putting your best foot forward and letting your audience know why you make a remarkable candidate.Who are you?Introduce yourself using your first and last names. This simple step is the most important. When youre asked, So, what do you do? at a networking event, you want to be sure the listener remembers your nameWhat do you do?Be as specific as possible. Dont try to be too clever in your answer because it can be confusing. Instead, keep your explanation simple, but cover all the necessary details. If people dont know or cant explain exactly what you do, they can never refer job leads to you or recommend you to others. For example, instead of saying that youre a photographer, you could say, Im a professional photographer with 20 years of experience who specializes in high-end fashion.What makes you the best at what you do?Dont squander that chance to make a first impression. Stand out in a positive way. Let your audience know what makes you better than all the other candidates out there. To continue with our photographer example, you could say something like, My clients include Versace and Kenneth Cole (assuming, of course, thats true).Whats your call to action?What is your ideal next step after this meeting? Most job seekers have a very vague call to action. They end their conversation with something like, Let me know if you hear of anything. Thats not so compelling. Youre much better off saying something like, Id like to invite you out to lunch to learn mora about how you got into this industry. Though it might sound a little clich, the lets do lunch concept still works.Test-drive your pitchYou might not love this idea, but you need to take your new 15-second pitch out for a test drive. Practice makes perfect. So go to as many networking events as you can. I like speed networking events offered in many cities because theyre fast-paced and you meet a lot of different people. They also force you to be very concise about who you are and what you do. When youre delivering your pitch to people, take note of what seems to get people excited, but also where they get confused. These are the areas that youll need to refine until they are perfect.