The lost art of professional
self-introduction
What is it?
 30 second elevator speech is an introduction speech
 Emphasizes your current/desired position rather than
positions that you hold previously
 Used mostly during formal business introduction
 Used during interviews (answers to question: “Tell me
about yourself?”)
Why to have it?
 Well rehearsed speech
 Give you a focus what needs to be said
 Puts you in the right mind set
 Builds your confidence
 Sets tone for the conversation
 Speaks volumes of your professionalism
 Gives the listener awesome 1st impression
Two types of 30 second pitch
 Normal length:
 Anywhere between 20 and 45 seconds:
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Too short – unrehearsed and uncaring
Too long – boring and lacking focus
 Extremely short:
 One sentence speech based on the audience:
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For Executives – what makes the speaker exceptional
For others (interviewers, etc) – what the speaker does
Normal length speech parts
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Introduction
– Name
– Position
Job that the speaker does (or aspires to do)
– Don’t just say the job title
» If it is high on business ladder you look condescending
» If it is low you’d seem insignificant
Years of experience in this job and related subjects
Exceptional value sentence (if speaking to Executive)
List of personal/professional characteristics
Closing statement
– Thank for listening and/or opportunity to connect
– Ask for what you want
Exceptional Value Sentence
 Think what makes you exceptional
 Think what would make you exceptional
 Think what listener considers exceptional
Use above knowledge to combine it into one sentence
List of personal/professional
qualities/values
• Perform self-assessment:
– What you do best
– What you seek to achieve in life (vision statement)
– What you consider highest qualities/values
• Write them down
• Research their meaning
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Unless you really know what they mean:
– You won’t know what you are talking about who you are
– you won’t be able to go to the next point
• Expand each quality into one sentence
Sample of short speech
– For CEO (Executives)
• Hi, my name is ……... I deliver exceptional results in projects.
• This likely will lead to the listener’s question how you do it
• Your answer would be: I deliver results because for the past 7
years I have used proven project management methodologies
to resolve business problems
– For interviewers and others:
• Hi, my name is …………… I am a Project Management
Professional with over 7 years of experience in IT
Administration, Networking and Operations management.
• The interviewer will likely try to go into specifics of your
statement
Sample of normal length speech
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Hi, my name is …….. I am a Project Management Professional
with over 7 years of experience in IT Administration,
Networking and Operations management.
I deliver exceptional results because I have used proven
project management methodologies and led teams to resolve
business problems with on-time and under budget projects.
My three personal values are LEADERSHIP, INTEGRITY and
PERSISTENCE.
– Leadership because I inspire excellence and lead by example
– Integrity because I believe in honesty and sense of duty
– Persistence because I am a leader with clear goals and a vision
Thank you for taking your time and I would appreciate if we
could schedule a job interview.
Challenge
 Complete the following excercise
 Practice it alone
 Run it through your mentor, spouse or a friend
 Refine and polish it
 Use often
 Update when necessary (your priorities or desires
might change over time)
30 seconds elevator speech exercise
Hi, my name is ____________________________________________. I have been working as
______________________________________________________ for the last _____________
years (or months) in ___________________________, ________________________________,
and __________________________________ (capacity, job roles, job descriptions, positions).
I ________________________________________________________ (say what you do best)
because I _________________________________________________________________ and
___________________________________________ (explain why you do it better than others).
My three _________________________________ (personal/professional) values are
______________________________________(1), ________________________________(2)
and ___________________________________(3).
(1)____________________________________________________________________ (Explain
why number 1 is your most important value)
(2)____________________________________________________________________ (Explain
why number 2 is your second most important value)
(3)____________________________________________________________________ (Explain
why number 3 is your third most important value)
Thank you for your time and I would like to ______________________ (ask, give, invite, etc) to
__________________________________________ (job interview, business meeting, etc)