How To Tell An Interviewer “A Little Bit About Yourself”

“So, tell me a little bit about yourself”. It is a question powerful enough to incite dread in most people. But why do so many of us have such trouble answering it?

One reason is that we have no idea what to say or where to start.

The “elevator pitch” is the verbal representation of your personal brand. It is a 20–30 second persuasive speech that will spark the interest of whoever you are talking to. You can think of it as your own personal movie trailer − a succinct, sharp teaser that will encourage the other’s enthusiasm in finding out more about you.

The purpose of the elevator pitch is to seize the attention of whoever you are talking to and communicate your personal message. A well-crafted and confidently delivered pitch will help you gain visibility in your industry and position you as an expert in your field.

There are numerous ways to create an elevator pitch. Below is a simple strategy to help instil the structure that you can weave your story around.

Step 1: State What You Are:

Tell them exactly what you are. I always say that it is better to label yourself before someone else mislabels you, so think of a title that you feel really captures your what you are in your profession. Start off with something like, “I am a…”. For example, “I am a high-end fashion retailer”, or “I am an website graphic visual designer”.

Step 2: State What You Do:

You probably manage many complex tasks in your career and role but to truly stand out, you need to tell the listener what problems you solve. This is what your skills and experience means for a company. For example:

“I help companies promote themselves through social media and other forms of digital marketing.”

How about this instead:

“I help companies increase their visibility and drive sales using digital marketing strategies such as social media.”

Step 3: State the Values You Represent:

At the end of the day, people and companies want to know what’s in it for them. You need to articulate what your skills, area of expertise and experience could mean for their business. Identify what makes you unique, what sets you apart in your field and then point out the benefits that your Unique Selling Proposition (USP) would bring to a business.

For example: “Through my 10 years of experience I have developed a strong network of international relationships with fashion wholesalers. This mean I can be very cost-effective when it comes to sourcing materials.”

Step 4: Communicate Your Goal:

Stating your goal can mean that you won’t have to go it alone. Once you have put your goal out there, others will know what you are looking for and can be your eyes and ears, referring opportunities onto you. For example: “I am looking to work with restaurants that pride themselves on using local produce to create organic and healthy menu options for patrons.”

Step 5: Refine It:

Once you have put together the structure of your elevator pitch, you need to refine it down to 20–30 seconds. Cut out the jargon, unnecessary words or details and ensure you have short and powerful statements. Remember, your elevator pitch should flow naturally and smoothly. Memorise key points and practice it aloud again and again until you feel entirely confident when delivering it.

Johnathan Maltby is a Personal Branding and Career Mentor with proven strategies designed to empower you to energise and ignite your career. If you’re at a career crossroad and not sure which direction to take or you are looking to build your personal brand to take your career to the next level, then Johnathan can help. For more information, please visit www.johnmaltby.com.au and connect with Johnathan on LinkedIn. New connections welcome.