One of the many opportunities offered through the Career Studio is major-specific networking opportunities. At these events, students had the opportunity to deliver an elevator pitch, learn about potential opportunities in their industry, and connect with multiple employers.
“It was incredibly beneficial to connect with real employers in the marketing/business world to hear their insight and share my elevator pitch with them. I loved getting to learn from individuals with such diverse experiences and perspectives! Connecting with them on LinkedIn was a plus too because you never know where a connection might lead to opportunity in the future!” – Emma Johnson, Sophomore Communication Studies and Digital Marketing major
Along with getting the opportunity to network with industry professionals, here are a few things our students learned!
Zoom Etiquette
- Make sure you are in a professional setting with no distracting backgrounds or noises
- Dress in business casual
- Check connection, video, and audio quality before the call
- Mute your microphone if you are not speaking
- Keep video on during the entire session
- Be concise with your elevator pitch
How to craft the perfect elevator pitch.
Identify your goal.
Start by thinking about the objective of your pitch.
For example, are you trying to get more experience from an internship or are you seeking full time employment as you approach graduation. Clearly state your goal so employers and professionals know what you’re looking for.
Explain what you do.
Ask yourself this question as you start writing: what do you want your audience to remember most about you?
Remember, what your talking about should excite you. If you don’t show you’re excited about what you do, your audience won’t be excited either. People might not remember what you say, but they’ll probably remember your enthusiasm and energy.
Communicate your USP.
This is your unique selling proposition. Basically, what makes you unique as a candidate?
You’ll want to highlight what makes you stand out from others with your same qualifications.
Engage with a question.
You want whomever you’re networking with to be engaged with the conversation. This can come in the form of asking about the culture of their company or mentorship opportunities within.
Pull it all together.
Once you’ve completed all those sections, pull it all together.
Then read it aloud and time it to make sure it’s 20-30 seconds. If your pitch is too long you risk losing interest or owning too much of the conversation.
Practice.
Practice makes perfect, so stand in front of the mirror and practice your speech until it’s perfect!
Set a goal to practice your speech regularly so it sounds more natural. That way, you can also update it as it changes.
Upcoming workshop….
- Leveraging LinkedIn: Building Your Best Profile
- Date: October 1st
- Time: 11:00 – 1:00
Learn all things LinkedIn with the Career Studio.
They’ll be covering how to build a rockstar LinkedIn profile, the importance of endorsements, and so much more!
