Today, we’re talking about how to develop your elevator pitch. This is your 15-to-30 second “commercial” about yourself, which you will need for use in a variety of settings, including:

-Introducing yourself at a networking meeting

-Selling yourself to a potential employer

-Selling yourself, your company, or your product/service to a potential customer

If you’re not familiar with the concept, the idea is that you could say your elevator pitch while going from one floor to the next on an elevator.

Elevator pitches come in a variety of shapes and sizes, depending on how you’re using them.

In this episode, I dig into Elevator Pitch do’s and don’ts, as well as 5 networking situations you may find yourself in and how to execute your Elevator Pitch in each.

When it comes to networking, it’s not about introverts being socially awkward. It’s about the drain on their energy. It’s about having to initiate a conversation (they generally DON’T want to do this). It’s about small talk, which seems pointless to them. I’d like to offer the flip side of networking for introverts, followed by 13 tips for you introverts to…if not love networking, at least not hate it so much. Maybe even enjoy it a little.

Today, we’re talking about the basics of networking. This is especially for those of you who a) avoid networking like a root canal, b) describe your networking skills as “terrible;” and c) those of you who think networking is not necessary to land your dream job or advance your career. Here’s a quote I used on a previous podcast: “The opposite of networking is NOT working.”

You have connections on LinkedIn – LinkedIn calls these 1st-level connections. The people you are already connected with. Each of your connections has connections – LinkedIn calls these 2nd-level connections. Why would you want to do this? Because it significantly expands your network. And, because these people are connected to someone you may know, you can reach out to your mutual connection and ask them to introduce you. So, today, I’ll be explaining this technique so you can leverage your connections’ connections.

Today, I want to talk about creative networking strategies in the era of Virus Jail. When in- person networking events are literally against the law for many of us. Here’s the main message I want to convey today: You can’t put your career or job search goals on hold during Virus Jail. You can’t wait to exhale until this is over. As I keep reminding you: Your goals are still your goals. How you achieve them may change, but the desired result hasn’t. The most effective job search strategy, hands down, is networking. The most effective career advancement tool is networking. Your challenge, then, is to get creative with networking during Virus Jail.

Today’s episode is about overcoming the fear of networking. We’ll focus on one-to-one networking opportunities and then networking events.