"[An elevator speech is] am extremely pithy description of something, prepared in advance to be used in situations where time is of the essence. The term comes from the hyopthetical situation of somebody seeing a pin or something similar on your person that arouses their curiosity while in an elevator..."
So, an elevator speech (ES) is your 30-second or so self-intro. Essentially, if you only had that much time to chat about yourself when meeting someone in an elevator, what would you say?
Having an ES ready is of the UTMOST IMPORTANCE when you are seeking a job or networking with new people, because it sets your first impression! Your ES is something good to have memorized, mostly for in-person interviews or job fairs. If you have ever been to a job/career fair, it can be overwhelming both to job-seekers and company recruiters alike! Dozens to hundreds or even thousands of people will come and go. Your goal, as a job seeker, is to STAND OUT! Even if someone does not remember your name, you want them to remember your resume, your face, or your elevator speech. You want them to remember you and be interested in you!
When crafting your ES, use strong verbiage rather than setting it up to talk too fast. The points you come up with need to be something that catches someone's interest, so that they want to learn more about you.
Examples of bad and good Elevator Speech's:
-Bad Example; Hello, I am Thurman Worcister the Third, and I am seeking a good job in my field, that I got my degree in, so that I may make a good living and start a family with a reasonably pretty girl. I like gaming, I like foreign cars, and I think that I am really smart, so that is why pretty much anyone should hire me.
-Good Example; Hi, I am Thurman, and I am really excited to apply my knowledge and skills of computer science. I did the research of what your company does and is looking for, and I really think that my background in programming as well as my internships really would help me fit right in at your company. What else can I tell you about me?
Alright, the point is, look from the perspective of the person who is looking at you; if you come off nerdy, arrogant, or talk too much about yourself, you're going to turn them off. The good example above is very well-catered to the situation, and though a typical Elevator Speech will not be this customized, the elements contained include reasons that make him sound like a positive and well-qualified applicant for this position!
Grab their attention, because sometimes, you only have a few seconds! If your first impression stinks, you are already out of the running. The same goes with dating; if your pickup line stinks or is lame or even rude, you are not getting that person's attention, or you might even get slapped! Rough!
Let's just get your Elevator Speech right to make your best first impression, and try not to get slapped by people you don't know. Seriously.
-Alex
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