Question originally appeared on Quora.
When you’re asked to describe yourself in an interview, it helps to have a handy elevator pitch that you use to promote your skills and experience, and the value that you bring to the table. Here are some key pieces of advice that we’ve seen work well as we handle staffing services for Ontario, California businesses.
The Timeline
As soon as you open your mouth for one of these short personal pitches, you should be thinking about a specific timeline for your narrative.
You want to keep it short – ideally, you’ll keep it down to just a few minutes, say 3 to 5 minutes. Anything more can strain the attention span of your listeners and decrease their interest, and that’s not what you want. They always have the ability to ask follow-up questions, but if you bombard them with information up front, you might not get any of these follow-up questions — or a return phone call, either.
Craft Your Pitch
Overall, you want your pitch to be linear and targeted. You want it to appeal directly to the particular job role that you’re interviewing for.
If you’re interviewing for a tech job, don’t talk about that time you drove a truck for an auto parts shop, unless you can find a short, clear and compelling way to tie it back to your core values. Instead, keep your pitch centered on what your potential employer is passionate about. Match their interests and the ideas in their job ads, and you open a lot more doors. You also want to avoid skipping around and creating lots of rabbit trails for listeners to go down. Keep your pitch concise and sequential to hold the interest of the people you’re speaking to.
Be Fair and Honest
A lot of people have pretty accurate fraud detectors. Don’t lead them down the garden path by constantly praising yourself and your abilities and telling them how great you are.
Marketing professionals understand that more than a little self-promotion can be too much — and that when you pour it on too thick, you’re often giving up your audience. Instead of constantly tooting your own horn, give the interviewers a lot of actual value by talking about the industry that everyone is there to discuss.
Keep it Engaging
As you talk, take breaks. Use eye contact. Then appeal to your listeners with body language and overall personal engagement. Make it seem like more of a conversation and less of a lecture. You’ll get more interest, and more people will sit up and listen.
About Full Steam Staffing
Full Steam Staffing is a full-service employment agency focused on providing clerical and light industrial staffing solutions to manufacturers, distribution centers and other organizations that need qualified, reliable workers. If you are looking for a new job in Modesto, California, browse our available opportunities or contact our team today!