Adams & Garth Blog

You’re standing in line at a local coffee shop, when you hear the man in front of you tell his friend that his Culpeper company is hiring and he’s in charge of recruiting. You’re looking for a job in Culpeper and know you should make a connection with this man. But what do you say? It can be tough to find the right words to sell yourself in this type of impromptu situation – which is why you need an elevator speech.

What is an elevator speech?

An elevator speech is a short and sweet sound bite (think 30 seconds) that introduces you and describes what you do. An elevator speech allows you to present yourself in the best possible light during those brief, chance encounters. You never know where you’ll be – and who you’ll meet – while at the library, the grocery store, a wedding, or a coffee shop. An elevator speech will help you to introduce yourself to any new contacts you meet along the way.

So how do you prepare an effective elevator speech?

First, write down what you do. For instance, are you a payroll manager, an IT professional, or an HR executive? Now think about how what you do can benefit an employer. In other words, what’s in it for them if they hire you?

Here’s an example:

Rather than saying “Hi, I’m John Smith and I’m an IT professional with 10 years of experience,” consider something like, “Hi, I’m John Smith, and I help companies avoid costly data breaches by implementing innovative security solutions.” See the difference?

Once you’ve figured out exactly what you want to say, then you need to refine your speech. Here are some tips:

• Say it out loud and see how it sounds. Record it so you can listen to yourself. Do you sound confident and engaging? Make some notes on ways to improve it.
• Practice it a few times so you get comfortable with it. But don’t try to memorize it. Otherwise, the speech will sound fake and forced.
• Try it out on your friends and family and get feedback from them. Sometimes, fresh insight is just what you need to really make your elevator speech stand out.

And if you need additional tips and insight on finding a job in Culpeper, please contact Adams & Garth. We partner with leading employers throughout Culpeper and Central Virginia to offer outstanding opportunities in a variety of fields.

Some people seem to be able to make more money, get promoted faster, and become the “go to” person at their company regardless of the economy. Why is that? And what can you do to consistently achieve success? Here’s some insight:

Add value.
This is the most powerful trait an employee can possess. This means that instead of fixing that filing error, you will actually create a new filing system that helps to avoid future mistakes.

You also need to become the person that your boss knows they can hand a task off to and that you will complete that task accurately and on time, with no loose ends.

Become an expert.
Whether it’s reading an industry journal every week, or going to school to earn an MBA, it’s important to always be learning. So, ask yourself, what subject can you become an expert in for your employer?

Also, make sure your boss knows about your endeavors so that you’re rewarded appropriately at your next performance review.

Be consistent.
Be on time to work everyday. Be consistent in your performance. Be there for your employer. He or she will take notice.

Maintain a positive attitude.
A successful person sees an opportunity where someone else might see a problem. A negative attitude can be limiting, so try to maintain a positive attitude at work, no matter how tough things get. Positive words can be very powerful when communicating with your boss and co-workers.

The bottom line is that by following these tips, you can make yourself more valuable to your employer – which could lead to a bigger raise or faster promotions at your job.

If you’re currently looking for work, we want to know! As a Central Virginia staffing agency, we help candidates from Culpeper and Staunton to Harrisonburg and Lynchburg find rewarding job opportunities. And we’d like to help you.

Take a look at our current openings or contact us today to learn more.