The “Elevator Pitch” is a common “tool” blogged about in many contexts (usually in reference to networking).
However, an “elevator pitch” can also be used in an interview to concisely sum up what you do. For example, if you are a paralegal lots of paralegals do very different jobs and from a recruiters point of view this means that candidates can be similar on paper but actually their experience can vary considerably and this can cause problems. With more and more prospective applicants completing a longer period of experience as a paralegal before their training contract it becomes necessary to have a better idea of what candidates actually do in their job.
Interviewers often ask: what do you do, what are the highlights of your job, what is your typical daily routine, what you contribute to the team, etc. (There are many ways to phrase the same question). My job is different.
If you have a varied role you could potentially fill the whole 45-minute interview slot talking about “what you do”. This is where the “elevator pitch” speech comes in. I would recommend that as part of your interview preparation for upcoming job interviews – you should write a brief description/pitch of what you do. Use it and keep it simple – after all the interviewer is likely to ask you to expand on the main points (but do make sure you get everything you want to say in as concisely as possible) (and as an extra bonus you can use it in your networking).
Personally, I include:
- what area of law I work in
- what area within that that I specialise in (in an interview use examples of clients/deals)
- what function/role I do (e.g. case handling, business development, project management, account co-ordination) and types of transactions.
You can then branch out and discuss specific achievements, targets, deals and answer their questions. (After all it is an interview and the 30 sec time limit doesn’t apply). Having an elevator pitch prepared means that you have a clear idea of what you want to say and don’t accidentally miss anything out.