W 5 D1

ELEVATOR SPEECH

There are many conferences and meet-ups for information technology and systems. During these meetings, the newest developments are discussed and shared. But at the same time, people are getting hired. Before you attend such events, you need to prepare your elevator speech. An elevator speech is a brief sales pitch about yourself to someone you have just met. In minutes, you need to explain who you are, what you do, what you want to do, and why you think you can do that better than other people.

Since technical development is fast and continuous, you need to develop your skills continuously. It is important to communicate your skills to others in order to improve your market value.

•   Read this Forbes article on crafting an effective elevator speech and create your own thirty-second to one-minute elevator speech. You may record your elevator speech by using voice recording services or devices such as PowerPoint or YouTube. Post your speech transcript and your recorded clip to the discussion board.

•   Listen to at least two of your peers’ recordings and provide feedback on how effectively your classmates delivered the information. Do you understand who they are, what they like to do, and why they are qualified for the job? Give specific advice on how to improve your peers’ speeches.

Sample Elevator Speech

•   Hello! My name is Jane Doe, and I am a student in Ashford University’s Business Information Systems program. For the past three years, I have been working as a developer in database management. In my job, I analyze the organization’s specific data and information demands and build the system for end users. I am looking for a place to improve my management responsibilities to develop business plans. I can be a great resource for your business by providing excellent technical skills and management capabilities.