Elevator Speech

If you got on an elevator and met someone you wanted to work with, would you know how to convince them to give you a chance?

The elevator speech is a common tool touted by employment coaches and networking groups. The idea is that if you were in an elevator with someone you wanted to impress, you’d better be able to impress them before they get to their floor. Generally, you should be able to give them your spiel in thirty seconds. It’s a simple idea, but it’s execution can be tricky.

The name is actually a bit of a misnomer, and one of the reasons people have trouble creating a good elevator speech. You see, it isn’t really a speech at all.

If it isn’t a speech, what is it? That’s easy. It’s the start of a conversation.

The first part of your elevator speech tells the other person what you do, something that will intrigue the other person enough that they’ll want to know more. It is not your job title.

“Hi. I'm Tam. I tell stories that help people and businesses.”

Once someone has asked for more information (“How do you do that?”), you need to tell them why they should care what you do, how it relates to them.

“Everyone has a story that connects them to others. Using traditional and social media, I get those stories out there.”

At this point, you’re likely to get another request for more information (“Really? How?”). This is the opening you want. Rather than giving them the details of your business, you leave them with the promise of more. You suggest a meeting.

“I'd love to sit down with you later to discuss it.”

Ask for the other person’s business card. You can offer yours, too. Offer sincere thanks and a handshake (or a hug if that's your thing). Tell them it was nice to meet them and that you hope you can be helpful to one another in the future. After you get home, send them a written thank you note. They'll remember you.

That’s all there is to it. Create an initial statement that describes what you do in such a way that the person you’re talking to wants to know more. When you give them more, give them enough to have a real idea of what you do, but leave them wanting still more. And then ask for the meeting to give them the more that they want.

Do you know what would say to create the opportunity that could change your life?

When you assume, it makes an . . .

We all make assumptions when we communicate. We have to. But sometimes assumptions end up causing more work or lost opportunities.

I live in a booming town. While the rest of the country is experiencing a major recession and fallout from the housing market going belly up, North Dakota has the lowest unemployment in the country. There isn't enough housing in the area to accommodate everyone moving here. Apartment buildings have waitlists that are multiple pages long. New houses and apartment buildings are springing up in every empty lot. Oil companies (oil is the reason for the boom) are actively recruiting, and are paying well.

I give you this background to show that, although this is a small town, there is a huge influx of new blood – people who don't know their way around the area, who don't know where buildings are or what's happening when. I've lived here just over a year (a year and one week, today), so I count myself in the newbie category.

If you've been reading my blog, you know that my job ends in six weeks. As I looked at the paper yesterday I saw that there's a big job fair today. I read through the article. I looked through the special pull-out section. They both told me the same thing: Job Fair at the Badlands Activity Center. Neither told me where the Badlands Activity Center is. Okay. No big deal – shoddy reporting, but I could look it up online.

I thought.

I did find that the BAC is part of the university (in cooperation with the city). And the university had several pages dedicated to the BAC. I learned how to donate money to support it. I learned that it's better landscaped than a local football field. I learned a bit about its history. I found the activity calendar showing the job fair from 9-4 today. I did not find its address.

Next up – Dex.

The badlands Activity Center wasn't listed in the yellow or white pages.

Google maps? Sometimes they show specific locations.

This is where I got lucky. While Google maps didn't have an address for the BAC, someone had uploaded a photo. I zoomed in and found the cross streets. Woot! I can get there.

I should not have had to work so hard to find this information. The people who put together the job fair should have put the address on all of the publicity material. By not spending just five minutes to ensure that their audience could find them, they may well have lost part of that audience. I'm not the only newbie looking for a job. I'm not the only person who doesn't know where “landmarks” are. It's easy to assume other people have the same knowledge that you do. Don't make that mistake.

How can you spend just five minutes to ensure that your assumptions about whomever you're communicating with won't cause either of you problems?

What's Up, Doc?

Sometimes you just need to let people know what's up.

I almost didn't post today. It's Tuesday, and I always post to Just Five Minutes on Tuesdays, but today I felt I didn't have time.

That's funny, isn't it? The blog is called Just Five Minutes, and I didn't feel I had time to post. (I'm rolling my eyes at myself as I type this.) Fortunately I realized how ridiculous that is. So here I am.

I know why I felt so pressed for time, and the reason's legitimate. My team at work was recently notified that the budget for our project won't be extended. We all need to look for jobs. So that's what I was doing tonight. I put together and sent off four resume/application packages. Frankly, that ate my evening. So the post I had planned to write isn't going to happen today.

And that's okay. Not posting--that wouldn't have been okay. It would have left those of you who read this blog wondering where I was and what had happened. Not cool. Not when I can spend just five minutes writing a quick post that lets you know I'm here and still working on this blog.

Just five minutes can let others know what's going on.