The Importance of Your Elevator Speech
By Ryan Stewart |
You may be trying to get a job as a pharmaceutical sales representative or you
may be an experienced rep and looking for a new opportunity. You have done your
research on the latest industry news, you have had your résumé updated by a
professional and you bought a new interview suit. You are ready, right? Wrong.
You have forgotten a very important component in your pharmaceutical job
search.
Remember that every career design should have the following basic
tools:
* Résumé
* Career Portfolio (a.k.a. Brag Book), including your
proven sales results and any awards, recognition, etc.
* List of
pharmaceutical companies that meet your needs for an employer
* A networking
program, including your elevator speech
Since 80% of jobs filled today
are never advertised, a networking program is essential to success and an
elevator speech is a vital part of that program. An elevator speech is a brief
speech that describes your experience and what you can bring to a potential
employer. It serves as a verbal advertisement that illustrates your value in a
concise and memorable manner.
An elevator speech gets its name from the
fact that it should be short enough (under 30 seconds) to tell someone on an
elevator. It should be easy for you to remember at anytime, whether you are
relaxed or nervous, and must include attention-grabbing information. While the
exact content is up to you, be sure you include the following:
* Your
name
* Area of expertise
* Attention-grabber that speaks to the need of
the listener
Here are two actual elevator speeches. Which one do you
think gets the best results?
“Hi. I am Caroline Cross, a pharmaceutical
rep for Sandoz. I have a Bachelors degree in chemistry and a Masters degree is
biology. I am looking to join a company where I can advance my career and
eventually work my way into management”
“My name is Chris Stanley and I
generated a 30% increase in territory sales over the past 6 months.
Additionally, I developed a new product projection matrix that has increased
product diversification among our client physicians by 15% over a 2 month time
period. My ultimate goal is to use my industry knowledge to increase the
profitability of a cutting-edge organization.”
Obviously, the second
example generated greater interest. In this elevator speech, Chris whet the
appetite of his listener by providing results and highlighted what he could give
to an employer, NOT what he wanted from a company.
When you draft your
elevator speech it is important that you start by writing down the specific
deliverables that you can provide. Next, take these services and translate them
into benefits that would appeal to a listener. While these benefits don’t have
to synch up exactly to the audience, they should be sound enough to elicit
interest.
After this has been drafted, write an opening sentence. The
best openers leave your listener interested in learning more. Imagine what
Chris’ comment did for his audience - who wouldn’t want to know how he increased
sales by 30%? It is also not necessary to include your title or the name of a
current employer.
When you have written the basics, practice – a lot! No
matter how exciting your elevator speech is, if you cannot deliver it
effectively it is useless. Practice in front of a mirror, practice in front of
your friends, record it and listen to it several times. When you are satisfied
that you sound confident, professional and at-ease, try it out. Attend a local
Chamber of Commerce mixer. This is a great way to mingle and practice your
networking skills, including your newly minted elevator speech.
While
your pitch is designed to be used when networking for the perfect pharmaceutical
job, it can be used anytime. Job interviews are a great place to use your
elevator speech, especially when you are confronted with the question “Why do
you think you are right for this job”?
Remember that career design is not
a single-pronged process and it is rarely a short endeavor. With the proper
preparation, research and the right amount of effort, you will be assured of
building your network, perfecting your presentation and discovering a variety of
pharmaceutical opportunities.
About the
Author
Ryan Stewart is the Founder, Owner, and
Administrator of first-class Pharmaceutical Sales Job Search Megasite
PharmBoard.com http://www.pharmboard.com
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