Elevator Pitch Whats Wrong With It How to Make Yours Work

Elevator Pitch What’s Wrong With It How to Make Yours Work How many times have you heard this fantasy elevator pitch scenario?You enter an elevator, press your button and, OH MY GOD!, you realize youre riding with Elon Musk, Susan Wojcicki, or Larry Page. Or all three of them. Plus Steve Jobs hologram.One of them looks at you and asks:SoWhat do you do?Youve got thirty seconds to deliver your fast-and-furious speech so that, by the end of the ride, they like you enough to hire you or give you money.Go!Because of stories like this, the mythical elevator pitch has been ridiculed by many a career expert.When presented this way, the concept is laughable.And thats not the whole problem.It gets worse:1The traditional elevator pitch is a lost causeThats a research-proven fact.A group of Stanford University researchers have investigated whether sales/elevator pitches (or even business plans) can actually influence decisions of potential stakeholders.The result?Theres no correlation between the presence of an elevator pitch and the final desired outco me.Another study published by the MIT Press focused on elevator pitches used by tech innovators to sell their ideas to potential VC investors.They suffer a failure rate of 96%.Does that mean you should ditch the idea of an elevator pitch altogether?Far from it. Lets do something else instead...2Lets redefine the elevator pitch once and for allHeres a quick story for you.When faced with the cornerstone of smalltalk, the What do you do? question, Tim David, an author and a contributor for the Harvard Business Review, beginshis pitch with:You mean, in addition to being an international bodybuilding champion?(Hes five feet ten and a buck thirty five. When I step on ants, they live, he says.)Upon hearing this line, whoever David talks to usually laughs. He laughs too. Then he starts chatting with them.But is that even an elevator pitch to begin with?What is an elevator pitch?The common elevator pitch definition is:A short (20 to 30 seconds), verbal description of an idea, product, or one self, that gets attention of the person youre talking to and helps you get you want. Be that selling your products, getting funds, or landing a job.NowWhy is attention in bold?Because without it, you might as well talk to the hand. And yet, almost everyone seems to ignore this. Most elevator pitches sound canned and gimmicky, like ad slogans.Tims self-depreciating bodybuilding one-liner is a head-turner. Once he drops this joke, he gets attention. He makes them eager to hear out his actual elevator pitch.3Jab, Jab, Jab, Right HookLets be honestto get someones attention only by pitching them is little short of impossible.Thats what Rob Biesenbach, a keynote speaker and communications consultant points out to:The problem with the elevator pitch is right there in the title: nobody likes to be pitched and few people are comfortable pitching themselves, Biesenbach says.The purpose of an introduction speech is to communicate something to your audience. Good communication is a two-way proc ess.Soto make your elevator or sales pitch work, you need to reinterpret it.No more droning on about being a professional X with Y years of experience in Z.Treat the elevator pitch as an invitation to a conversation. Its way easier and less awkward than to deliver a pitch prepared in advance.Get it right, and you wont have to limit yourself to 30 seconds. Youll get the person youre speaking with to actually listen to what you have to say.Start your elevator pitch with something surprising, like the bodybuilding joke I mentioned. David calls it an elevator pitch for your elevator pitch.And thats something you have to come up with yourself. Theres no secret recipe. It has to sound 100% you.Id write this for you if I could, but I cant. Nobody can, says David.Alright. But once youve got your conversation-starter, what about the actual conversation?Lets break it down.4The only formula for an effective elevator pitchYou got your audiences attention. Halfway there. Whats next?Get your audi ence nodding.Identify a problem related to your profession that your audience will be familiar with. Make them go Yeah, thats right, it is a problem.Then, spark curiosity. Tell them that you fix this problem. And let them ask you how you do it.Finally, deliver your actual pitch. Summarize what you do in an engaging yet concise way and be ready for more questions.Remember: you need to keep the conversation alive. The moment you start feeling that your pitch is turning into a robotic commercial, slow down. Maybe ask a question or two. No one wants to feel like theyre being pitched.To show you an example of what I mean, I reached out to Pete Sosnowski, our co-founder and VP.Hey Pete, for a moment, lets pretend we dont know each other. Ive got a question for you. Tell me What do you do?His response?You know this feeling when you send out 100 resumes and get no call back? (Identifying the problem.)Yeah, who doesnt?Thats not your fault. Thats because the hiring industry is defective and n eeds a revolution. So I want to spark this revolution and fix HR. (Sparking curiosity.)Wow, that sounds amazing. How do you want to do it?And now its the time for Pete to launch the rest of his pitch. Im ready for it. Im dying to find out more.See what I mean?Pete made it irresistible for me to ask for more information. The technique he used turned me from casual into an engaged listener.And what if you cant do it? What if you identify a problem, say that you solve it, and still, your listener isnt interested?Then just dont bother.If the person youre talking to isnt willing to learn more about you at this point, theyre just not your right audience. Even if you started with your proper pitch right off, youd just waste your time (while being salesy and awkward). They wouldnt pay attention anyways.I know what youre thinking5But what about that proper elevator pitch?Guess what?Thats the easy part.When someone asks you What do you do? theyre just being polite. They dont care.But if you f ollow the two crucial elevator pitch stepsidentify a relatable problem and spark curiositythe same person who was merely being polite, now really wants to know what you do.Tell them. You no longer have to worry about cramming your career into a 30-second pitch.And, tell us!What do you do? Try to answer this question in the comments, using the technique I discussed. I cant wait to hear your pitch!Have additional questions about your elevator pitch? Feel like you could use some help crafting one? Drop me a line in the comments. Lets chat.

Resume Writing Workshop Flyers - How to Find the Best Work From the Best Workshop Flyers

Resume Writing Workshop Flyers - How to Find the Best Work From the Best Workshop FlyersFinding a career development workshop, or resume writing workshop flyer, can be a daunting task. When you think about it, how much do you really know about the industry that you are considering applying for? Do you know the sort of job descriptions that are commonly found there? Will this have any bearing on the kind of career training that you will receive?If you've done some looking around online, you'll find that there are many differing opinions on the best places to look for workshop flyers. Some sites claim that they are good sources for information, while others claim that they only want to sell their own products. This leaves you with many of the same questions:Where can I find resume writing workshop flyers? Should I spend money on one? Who is sending these information sites my way?There are a lot of different options, but the fact of the matter is that you don't want to waste your time l ooking at sites that will not provide you with the information that you need. The reason that you need to take the time to find a workshop flyer that can provide you with the specific information that you need is that you want to be able to get the information that you need to get into the career training that you will need to succeed in this field.It is also important to note that you should use the internet to your advantage, as you can see what each site offers and then narrow your search down to the particular type of information that you need. You don't want to send out emails and fliers to your competition; this could cause you to lose them as a potential client. The best way to make sure that you can get what you need from the workshop flyers is to do your homework before sending them out.After doing a little bit of searching you will be able to find the right career development workshop flyer to send out to your colleagues, friends, and family members who are interested in h iring you to work in their organization. The key is to create a presentation that will prove to these people that you are qualified for the job that you are applying for. This will help to show these people why they should hire you.When you're looking for resume writing workshop flyers, or the best ones to send out, make sure that you go about your search in the right way. You don't want to waste your time sending out fliers that have no place in this industry. Your time and efforts should be put towards creating an advertisement that will get people excited about what you can do for them.People who have started out in this field will tell you that the work is hard and often frustrating. However, if you are determined enough, and smart enough, then you can succeed in the business. Making a good impression is the key to getting hired, and creating a resume writing workshop flyer that contains the information that you need to get hired, will help you do just that.

Top 10 #LifeHacks for Making Working Life Better #MondayMotivation

Top 10 #LifeHacks for Making Working Life Better #MondayMotivation Theres nothing worse than having your Friday ruined by realising its only Tuesday.  The average person spends 90,000 hours of their life in the workplace. With so much time spent at work, its important that youre happy there. Tuesdays should be just as good as Fridays. How can you make sure you have that Friday feeling every day of the week? By following the 10 #lifehacks Ive listed below: 1)  Make breakfast the night before: An incredibly simple but effective hack, that will make  your whole day more productive and healthy. Its actually proven that if you eat a healthy breakfast it means youre more likely to stick with healthy food and snacks for the rest of the day. It also means you can have a cheeky extra snooze in bed, which is always a good thing!  Check out my favourite  overnight  breakfast foods here and here. 2) Be the office hero: When moral is low, why not be the office here? Two words: Coffee. Cookies. Your co-workers will love you. 3) Follow the two-minute rule: The two minute rule is the perfect procrastination buster that you should definitely start following. If you can finish a task in 2 minutes (such as replying to an email or sending someone a reminder), then do it NOW. Dont put a 2 minute task off until later. 4) Have a full cutlery set at work: Just do it. It makes life so much easier. Stirring coffee with a fork is just so wrong. And you dont want to end up like this guy: 5) Make friends with the receptionist: Its the first face you see when you get into work and the last one when youre leaving. Having a friendly chat with the receptionist in the morning can start your day off in a positive way and set the tone for the  rest of the day. 6) Turn down your monitor brightness: This is a saviour for anyone who gets very tired eyes from looking at a bright screen for too long. Turning down the brightness will ease eyestrain and allow you to continue working productively without hurting yourself. 7) Give yourself an hour of zoned-in productivity: Working in an office is wonderful for creating a team atmosphere. But sometimes you just need an hour of working in solitude to really get some work done. Stick on some headphones with your favourite music, and get to work. Make that hour truly productive. 8) Plan for Monday, on Friday: Although Monday seems like a lifetime away from a Friday afternoon, its actually useful to plan in advance for the first day of the new week. Monday mornings are often full of boring catchup work and its easy to forget what you need to be doing, so planning what you need to get on with is a great Friday afternoon activity! 9) Dont get involved with work politics: Its an easy mistake to make, but getting involved with work gossip is probably one of the biggest mistakes you can make. It adds unnecessary stress into the work environment. So do yourself a favour and distance yourself from any gossip. 10) Finish meetings with 3 questions: 1. What do we need to do now 2.Whos going to do it and 3. Whats the deadline for this task? Answering these three questions means your meeting has been summarised, and the takeaways are clear. Theres nothing worse than leaving a meeting feeling like youve got no where. Answering these three questions means you will.

Daydreamers, Dare to Go Global

Daydreamers, Dare to Go Global This article is  sponsored  by AXA, a multinational insurance firm. They are about to give one lucky person an all expenses paid  trip of a lifetime, so be sure to head over to  www.greatglobaladventure.com  to play the game and share your perfect trip to be in the running.   Do you ever find yourself daydreaming about exotic holidays when you probably should be working hard? Dont worry, us too. If it helps to justify your travelling urges, going global  actually supercharges your career, giving you  awareness of global differences both socially and economically. It teaches  you how to  adapt to new situations, and navigate your way easily from one culture to  another.  When working for an international company, having  a global mindset is key. The only thing standing between you and your dream getaway is oh, only reality. You know time  restrictions, budgets and a  lengthy list of other  real life commitments. Weve worked out that when  it comes to thinking about exploring  outside the office,  you must  think a little outside the square too. Just take a look at Will Moore. He is  the first winner of the Great Global Adventure by AXA, a competition with a  prize that offers  an 8 month trip around the world as well as two internships in two global locations and a voluntary experience. Hes on a mission to attain a global mindset to further his career, so what has he learnt from his incredible travels so far? View this post on Instagram Christ The Redeemer The 38 meter high statue of Christ The Redeemer stands atop the Corcovado Mountain watching over Rio de Janeiro. This world famous statue is a symbol of the city and the warmth of the Brazilian people, who receive visitors with open arms. #christtheredeemer #cristoredentor #iconic #statue #new7wonders #riodejaneiro #brazil #corcovado #openarms #city #welcome #travel #travelgram #wanderlust #axaadventure A post shared by Chelsie Kumar (@greatglobaladventurer) on Apr 23, 2016 at 11:50am PDT I have repeatedly found that if you have an open mind and meet new people with humility and  a genuine interest in their lifestyle you will reap great rewards.  I have been treated with great kindness by strangers and they have left a lasting impression  upon me. I will never forget the skill of the elderly gentleman who guided my bamboo raft  down the Li River in China, or sharing stories with Namjilmaa, a Mongolian nomad over a  cup of tea in her Ger Camp. It’s been a real privilege to have had the chance to witness their  lives. Whether you’re interested in seeing the last of the seven ancient wonders of the world, want  to visit the largest city in the world, view the greatest engineering feats or get up close and  personal with some dramatic natural spectacles,  you CAN do it all   in the name your career! View this post on Instagram Reed All About It! The totora reed plays a vital role for the people of the Uros Floating Island. Not only is the very island made of the totora reed but also the houses, boats and even some souvenirs. It also makes for a tasty snack! #uros #floatingisland #sustainability #totora #reed #lake #titicaca #puno #peru #colour #souvenir #tapestry #traveller #travelgram #wanderlust #axaadventure A post shared by Chelsie Kumar (@greatglobaladventurer) on Mar 22, 2016 at 1:51pm PDT Will is proof he has had  his fair share of incredible  experiences as a result of his global wandering, including hiking the Great Wall of China, travelling on the Trans-Siberian  railway and exploring Peru’s Machu Picchu. “I have had so  many amazing, unique and fun experiences: drinking water from Lake Baikal, the world’s  largest and deepest freshwater lake, talking to a Mongolian nomad in a Ger camp in -35  degrees in Ulaanbaatar, being pulled by eight Huskies through the Siberian snowy tundra. All of them have been so unique and they’ve all appealed to a different side of my  adventurous spirit.” If you were a lucky winner like Will, where would you go? What are your must-see travel destinations or experiences? Maybe the Northern Lights, the amazingly mysterious, multi-coloured night show in the  arctic, tops your list? Or perhaps you’ve always wanted to see the migration in the Serengeti  or the magic of a safari pursuit in the Okavango?  Do you want to gaze at the Galapagos wildlife, canoe your way down the Amazon River,  watch whales in South Africa, helicopter over the Grand Canyon or scale the Empire State  Building in New York? By now  youre probably lost in a wonderful daydream, but  dont forget to enter the competition! Youll need to  hurry though, theres less than 3 weeks left to play. Good luck! This article is  sponsored  by AXA, a multinational insurance firm. They are about to give one lucky person an all expenses paid  trip of a lifetime, so be sure to head over to  www.greatglobaladventure.com  to play the game and share your perfect trip to be in the running.

How to Improve Freelance Writing and Research Resume Skills

How to Improve Freelance Writing and Research Resume SkillsMany people wonder how to improve freelance writing and research resume skills. In this article, I'm going to share some tips for getting your online business off the ground.* Improve your freelance writing skills. Firstly, you have to get more familiar with freelance writing. Freelance writing is the process of writing articles for various companies. There are many topics that you can write about, such as social media marketing, eBook writing, e-mail marketing, website development, and even blogging.* Train yourself in ways to improve freelance writing and research resume skills. You must become skilled in various online marketing techniques. One way of learning these is by applying what you learn in your daily job duties. For example, if you're a newbie at writing articles, you can use your articles as a means of setting up your own blog or webpage.* Find out how to optimize your site. Every freelancer has his or her own go als when it comes to his or her site. In order to attract more visitors to your site, you need to learn how to optimize your site. You should always do this by adding relevant keywords to your site, which will also help in increasing your website traffic.* Get to know what each freelancer is offering. Some freelancers offer a lot of articles, while others only offer advertising. Therefore, it is important that you know what each one is offering so that you can get a clear idea on which ones you want to join. It is also important that you look into their portfolios so that you know what they have written for other clients.* Learn the tools of the trade when it comes to freelance writing and research resume skills. As a writer, you can only be successful if you know how to make your clients happy with the content that you provide them. Therefore, it is important that you know how to present yourself so that your clients find you as credible and trustworthy.* Practice your skills and b uild up your portfolio when it comes to freelance writing and research resume skills. The more often you write, the better your writing skills will become.If you follow these simple guidelines, then you will easily be able to create an online presence. With so many freelance writers out there, it is very important that you leverage their services to bring you maximum profits for your business.

What Are The Competencies Required To Become A Paramedic

What Are The Competencies Required To Become A Paramedic The Competencies Required To Become A Paramedic The Competencies Required To Become A Paramedic Thousands of people each year want to become paramedics but only a small number of those people ever realise their dream and go on to ride the Ambulances. The main reason why so many people fail the selection process is because they do not provide evidence at the application and interview stage of where they meet the  competencies. In this article we will explore the different competencies required to become an operational paramedic. STAYING CALM IN AN EMERGENCY As a paramedic you will be required to treat patients in very difficult and challenging situations. For example, whilst on duty at 11:30pm on a Friday night you are more than likely going to be called out to casualties who are under the influence of alcohol. During times like these your resolve will be tested to the limit. People under the influence of alcohol can react angrily and aggressively and you will need to remain calm and deal with them in a resilient manner. You will not be able to take insults personally and whilst you will not accept any form of abuse or harassment, it will be your job to treat the casualty in their current state. This takes great skills and patience, which is why you will be assessed against your ability to stay calm in an emergency situation during the application form and interview. ABILITY TO LEARN NEW AND TECHNICAL INFORMATION Some elements of the paramedic role are technical and require an ability to learn and retain large amounts of job relevant information. During your paramedic training you will be assessed on your progress to date and if you do not keep up with the information being taught then you will fall behind. Not only do paramedics have to learn their basic training but they also have to learn continuous professional development throughout the duration of their careers. You will be constantly assessed during your career to make sure you keep up-to-date with the competencies. WORKING SHIFTS AND UNSOCIABLE HOU RS As a paramedic you are going to work some very unsociable hours. Most people in the UK work a 9-5 job. However, our paramedic can work very difficult shifts so that they are able to provide cover 365 days a year. If you have never worked shifts before then this can be difficult. It is important that trainee paramedics have the support of their partners and family as it can cause a lot of strain on relationships’ if someone in the household is working for many weekends at a time. You need to be 100% certain that this is the job for you. WORKING IN PRESSURISED SITUATIONS Picture the scene â€" you are newly trained paramedic and you are called to a house fire at 3am. A member of the public is suffering from severe smoke inhalation and burns and it is your hob to treat them immediately whilst following your training. Could you do it? You will be often working under extremely pressurised situations and you will need to be sure that you can cope with the pressure. We work in a modern age where the eyes of the media are constantly watching us. The press will print stories where paramedics and other members of the emergency service have allegedly not been performing to the standards we all expect of them. A typical paramedic interview question based around this competency would be: “Can you give us an example of when you have carried out a difficult and pressurised task whilst working under pressure?” See here to learn more about the qualities and competencies required to become a paramedic.   This entry was posted in Job Competencies. Bookmark the permalink. Richard What Are The Qualities Required To Become A Train DriverWhat Are The Firefighter Personal Qualities And Attributes

My job is... - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog

My job is... - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog Try it yourself: Go to google, type in my job is and look at the suggestions. Heres what I got: Yikes! I dont mean to be hasty here, but maybe just maybe theres room for improvement in some workplaces :o) Related posts Top 10 bad excuses for staying in a crappy job. How to know its time to quit. Top 10 signs youre not happy at work. Google loves Denmark. Thanks for visiting my blog. If you're new here, you should check out this list of my 10 most popular articles. And if you want more great tips and ideas you should check out our newsletter about happiness at work. It's great and it's free :-)Share this:LinkedInFacebookTwitterRedditPinterest Related