Are you thinking about making a career change? If so, an impactful elevator pitch is crucial for selling your background to potential employers. But what exactly does an elevator pitch for a career change involve? We explain everything with specific examples in this super useful blog.
What Is An Elevator Pitch?
First off, let’s just clarify what an elevator pitch actually is. It’s a 30 to 60-second speech (about the length of an elevator/lift ride) that persuades the listener why you’re an ideal candidate for a job. When crafted effectively, it can set you apart from the crowd. It might even help you land that dream career change job you were hoping for.
The Importance Of An Elevator Pitch For Career Changers
An elevator pitch is especially important for anyone planning on making a career change. Chances are, the listener may be unfamiliar with your previous experience. As such, you need to be quick when conveying how it relates to the new opportunity.
An excellent pitch is capable of weaving a compelling narrative around your transferable skills and fit. This makes you stand out amongst other applicants who may have more standard backgrounds. Whether at interviews, networking events, conferences and more, an elevator pitch is a career changer’s time to spark interest and make people remember you.
5 Key Elements Of A Career Change Elevator Pitch
Crafting your elevator pitch is relatively straightforward but will require some homework on your end to tie things in. Here are the 5 key elements of an elevator pitch for career changers to help you on your way.
Part 1: The Opening
We’re all human. So instead of jumping in with a statistic, start off by introducing yourself and your personal brand. If you’re not sure what your personal brand is just yet, check out our dedicated page on Personal Branding Tips for Career Changers. It’s also a good idea to mention something you’re interested in.
For example:
“I’m [your name], an Office Manager who’s big into company culture and making people-centred workplaces that thrive.”
Part 2: Your History
Next, briefly explain your most impressive and relevant credentials, projects, skills and successes. Think – what’s crucial for them to know? What makes you special? Keep it concise and pertinent.
For example:
“Over the last 5 years, I’ve successfully improved talent retention by over 15% through enhancing our company culture and streamlining onboarding. I also coordinated recruitment for 5 departments by building strong candidate pipelines.“
Part 3: The Pivot
Bridge from what you’ve done to what you want to do. It’s important to articulate why you’re looking to transition into something new, especially discussing why this specific role or industry interests you. Draw parallels to your motivations, values and passions.
For example:
“I’m proud of optimising our operations and facilities, but I have to say that my favourite part of my office manager role has been talent coordination and advising employees. Helping match top talent to roles that fulfil their skills is deeply rewarding for me.”
Part 4: The Fit
Summarise how your background makes you a match for the opportunity. This is where highlighting transferable skills comes into play. Convince them in 1-2 sentences why they should be interested in you as a candidate.
For example:
“With my background coordinating across departments to spearhead HR initiatives, combined with my passion for talent development, I have the relationship-building abilities and employment expertise to thrive as a Recruitment Coordinator.”
Part 5: The Call To Action (CTA)
Now that you’ve made your case, it’s vital that you close by showing your interest in further discussion with a CTA. Offer your contact details and express interest in hearing more about potential opportunities.
For example:
“I’d welcome the opportunity to discuss openings on your recruitment team, or even shadow a Recruitment Coordinator for a day to better understand their daily responsibilities. You can reach me at…”
Key Points To Remember
Crafting a stellar elevator pitch is essential for landing your next career opportunity. So, before you start putting your pitch together, keep these essential tips in mind:
- Keep it concise – You need to captivate them quickly, so make every second count. Stick to 30-60 seconds max. Lead with your biggest accomplishments.
- Quantify successes – Include measurable wins that prove your value, like percentage increases achieved, totals managed, and the scope of impact you had on your role
- Emphasise transferable skills – Tailor your pitch to emphasise transferable skills that support why you can excel in this new field or position. Draw clear parallels to pique their interest.
- Know your story arc – Create a connection between where you’ve been and where you see yourself going next. Explain why this pivot appeals now at this stage of your career journey.
- Practice tirelessly – Your pitch needs to be perfect if you want to wow your audience so refine and rework it until it’s fluid.
- Finish strong – End by clearly expressing interest and stating next steps for further discussion. Share contact details.
Remember, tell your career story compellingly and concisely to open new, exciting doors. The proof is in the polished pitch!
Final Thoughts
Perfecting your career change elevator pitch has the potential to open many exciting doors during the search for your dream career. With careful planning and rigorous practice, potential employers will have no choice but to remember you.
At Refreshing a Career, we understand that starting a new career can be daunting. To support you through the process, we have put together a wealth of valuable resources on our website, including a comprehensive career change guide.
For further advice, check out our resources on changing careers or take a look at our live job board for the latest career change opportunities near you.
Have a question? Feel free to contact our team. And finally, don’t miss a thing by signing up for our newsletter below for all the latest news and career change opportunities from Refreshing a Career.
