Leslie: HR Professional
TECHNICAL * ORGANIZED * PEOPLE-ORIENTED * DEDICATED * TEAM PLAYER
How to Develop Your Personal Elevator Pitch
Many structured interviews, particularly those at large companies, start with a question like “tell me about yourself.” The interviewer doesn’t really want you to go back to grade school and talk about your childhood. This is a specific question with a specific answer…in two minutes or so, the interviewer wants to get you to relax and loosen out your vocal cords, understand your background, your accomplishments, why you want to work at XYZ company and what your future goals are.
The term “Elevator Pitch” began as a term used to describe a planned and rehearsed 30 second pitch you could give in the short time you would have when you meet someone on the 20th story of a high-rise building elevator and you have until ground floor to tell them of your job hunt and get them to offer a key connection or referral (30-60 seconds). That conversation usually starts out something like this. “Oh, Hi Harry. What are you doing on the 20th story of the XYZ Building”? Or, “What brings you to the grocery store today?” By your answer, you will either waste the next 30-60 seconds or use it to give your “Elevator Pitch” and get another contact or referral to further your job search.
Here’s how to narrow your life down into a brief but relevant and professional answer.
Steps
-
Spend about 1-2 hours writing down your top five work or personal experiences. These experiences should follow this format - situation/task, action, result (STAR). What was the situation, what did you do, and what happened?
- Narrow each down to a paragraph. Think about the STAR format on a 100 point scoring pie: Only about 15-20 points should go to the “situation” with about 40 points going to your actions and 30-35 points on the results.
- Think about the themes that come across. Are you all about growth, customer focus, sales excellence, product innovation, etc. and how do the themes come through? How do your experiences reflect a recurring theme?
- Pick your top themes. What are the top 1-2 things you want the interviewer to remember about you? When you have finished answering the question, the interviewer should know clearly what these top 2 things are.
-
Put it together. A good way to finalize this is to use the word-count feature on your word processor. At 150 words per minute, you should not use much more than 350 words for your pitch. You’ll generally want to start with undergrad, unless that was a very long time ago. Quickly move past undergrad and launch into your work history, keeping in mind that you want to highlight your top 3-5 experiences and not every last thing you did in each job. Keep your undergrad and work history to 75% of your time. Save the last moments for why XYZ company and what your future goals are. These goals should match the new position and/or the opportunities at this company.
Tips
- At the interview opening, “So, tell us a little about yourself,” 2-3 minutes may be fine, as long as you see you are keeping their attention. But most people stop listening at 45-60 seconds. After all, there’s that last interview the interviewer is thinking about and the next interview he has scheduled but isn’t here yet, and the argument the interviewer had with their spouse, going out the door this morning and the boss who wants that report by COB today. TV commercials are only 30 - 60 seconds long because it’s been proven that if longer, we will change channels or “tune out.” So, if you see the interviewer “tuning out,” the only way to bring him or her back is by asking a related question. When you ask someone a question, their mind automatically re-engages in the conversation so they can come up with an answer. Then you can go on. It must be more conversational, 30-60 seconds and end with a key question, “Do you have any friends or connections I should talk to in this job search?”
- First, ending a well planned Elevator Pitch with a well planned question not only allows you to quit talking and open a conversation, it also closes the Elevator Pitch and gets you the contact, referral, or information you want.
- Second, most interviewers are poor interviewers. They are just people. And, most people would rather talk than listen, would rather express our opinions than ask questions. The interviewer also wants to know if you are interested in the job he has to offer and interested in his company. Therefore, with your STAR structured Elevator Pitch and your STAR structured resume clearly in mind (something the interviewer does not have), you can keep their attention and focus on the interview by asking them “key questions.”
- “Key questions” are those which move the conversation through a process or preplanned area of concern, or from one intended job related topic to another. Key questions also boost your credibility. When you ask, “Does your company do this, or does the job include this or that task? Or, do you use this or that tool?” When you ask it, they perceive that you must know about and have some experience and expertise in that task, activity or with that tool.”
- Example: Ask your interviewer “Does your company or your department do gap analysis?” “Do you use “predicted” or “assessed” values to compare to the target or requirement?” And, “to determine your “predicted” values, do you have good historical data or do you use credible reference data?” By asking those “key questions,” the interviewer automatically perceives that you have considerable expertise in “gap analysis” and that you understand various ways of doing it. You learn more about their company and how solid they are in gap analysis and they are probably thinking, “we should hire this guy because he knows this stuff.” By asking the questions, your credibility has gone up! On the other hand, had you simply spouted off what you know about gap analysis, the interviewer may have taken issue with one of your statements, disagreed, or justified their way of doing it and your credibility (in their eyes) went down. “Key questions” can be more powerful than statements to build your credibility.
- Once you have your personal elevator pitch, practice it in front of the mirror. If possible, try to video or audio tape yourself, and watch it in fast forward. You’ll be amazed at your nervous habits!
- Even though you’ve prepared and practiced, keep it natural. Remember to breathe and smile.
- Rehearse it, but make sure it doesn’t LOOK rehearsed
Your Career Action Plan for the New Year
Article posted on Quintessential Careers by Deborah Walker
People make New Year’s resolutions with the best intentions, but they often fail for lack of a solid action plan. If you’ve resolved for the new year to move your career forward into a new industry, occupation or level of responsibility, increase your chances of success with this three-part action plan focused on results.
1. Know your career objective
2. Update your resume and cover letters
3. Update your network and networking skills
1. Know your career objective
Knowing your career objective may sound obvious and easy. If, however, you are dissatisfied with your current position, it can be difficult to sort out the good from the bad. You may not fully understand the target of your dissatisfaction: Is it your job or your employer; your company’s culture or your supervisor? Analyzing what you want in a job is a good start in determining the best new job for you.
If you are uncertain what type of position to focus on, start by identifying the transferable skills you enjoy(ed) using in your current or past positions. A professional career coach can help in sorting out what you want to keep and, more importantly, what you want to avoid in your next position.
2. Update your resume and cover letters
If it has been a while since your last job search, your resume may no longer reflect your current career direction. Don’t forget the most important elements of a strong resume — solid achievements that illustrate your transferable skills, and key words and phrases to capture employers’ attention and interest.
Cover letters can make the difference between a warm reception or a cold shoulder. While it’s true that not all resume screeners read cover letters, those who do are never impressed — and are often put off — by cover letters that sound phony or mass-produced. If you are uncertain of your resume-writing skills, a professional resume writer can transform your so-so resume and cover letters into true selling tools.
3. Update your network and networking skills
A good job-search network consists of all those people who can provide information about future or current career opportunities. You say you don’t have a network? You probably do, but you just haven’t thought about people who could fit this category. Start by identifying groups of people that you are in contact with regularly, such as professional associations, church, college alumni groups, and neighborhood associations. Then identify the individuals within those groups with whom you feel comfortable and who could help you learn of job leads.
Many of my resume and coaching clients lament their poor networking skills. I always tell them not to worry; they are in good company because most people feel inadequate when it comes to networking. Before you dismiss the value of a strong network, remember: In securing all-important job interviews, it’s very often not what you know but who you know. Many resources are available for learning how to build and utilize a network to your job-search advantage: books, online articles, workshops, and career coaches trained in the most effective networking techniques.
Once you’ve put your job-search action plan into practice, you’ll be on your way to a better job and a better life.
Quint Careers
Activities
Organizations
- Toastmasters, New York, NY
- ASPCA, New York, NY
- Mentoring USA, New York, NY
- Junior Achievement, New York, NY
Other Interests
- Mixology (40 hour course of study in Bartending completed and awarded certificate by American Bartending School)
- Photography
- Culinary Experimentation and Food Blogging
Defending my interest in pursuing an HR Masters
This is the essay I submitted in 2005 for the New School Human Resources Masters program. Although I was indeed accepted, I was not able to pursue it at the time. However, it is still a part of my vision and I will not to let that dream die. I intend to reassess and rewrite this now, almost seven years later. I may have veered from the path, but all has not been lost. What strengths have I gained? How has my strategy changed? What drove me from one point to the next? Where has my journey led? Where do I stand today? In the meantime, here is my defense of interest in the HR Masters program:
Benefits, employee relations, technology, and training all drew me to Human Resources. I was inspired by the potential for growth. Learning about interpersonal communication and how to use technology to improve business processes both appealed to my analytical side. I wanted to make things easier for employees so they could concentrate on their work. I was used to helping people and enjoyed solving problems. I wanted to learn more about what other people do, how their jobs fit into the organization, how to organize and analyze information systems, and how a company works overall. I realized that this was all possible through Human Resources.
It wasn’t long before I considered myself to be a true Human Resources professional, yet I wanted to become established as an expert. I believed that I could play a role in modifying organizational structures and developing leaders.
I took courses towards a certificate in Human Resources Management after a few years in the field. Although I wanted to pursue this career, I felt I wasn’t ready for a Masters program. I realize that such a program requires a great deal of commitment. However, my professional knowledge has expanded in the last five years. In addition, my history major and science minor have given me a very diverse and open-minded perspective. It isn’t until now that I finally feel I am ready for the next step.
I built a solid foundation. As an HRIS Coordinator and HR Coordinator, I learned recruiting, performance evaluation programs, policy application, training, HR technology systems, and different communication styles. To further increase my responsibility and knowledge base, and move beyond a junior level in the field, I found my current position as an HR Administrator. I have now begun to learn greater detail about benefits programs and technology systems. All this has equipped me with a better understanding of the overall function of Human Resources towards driving a business forward.
I believe that a Human Resources Masters is the best way for me to develop as a professional in the field, to build credibility and trust, to leverage my functional knowledge, and to continually learn and coach others. Human Resources is about more than just dealing with people. It is about being a business partner, helping the organization, keeping the balance between the employee and the employer needs. Human Resources is not just about helping people, but helping people drive the business forward. I want to make this part of my thought process as I evolve into a more complete Human Resources professional.
RESUME
SKILLS:
Microsoft Office: Word, Excel (advanced knowledge including use of v-lookups and pivot tables), Access, PowerPoint, Novell GroupWise, Lawson (since 2000, HR Writer and Add-Ins since 2004, v.9 since 2009), PeopleSoft, Cognos ReportNet, Taleo, Nobscot, Photoshop, HTML, Quicken, Lotus, ACT! 3.0, Lotus Notes. Exceptional Presentation Skills. Bilingual Spanish.
EDUCATION:
Certificate in Human Resources Management (2003) New York University, New York, NY
Bachelor of Arts degree (1995) Williams College, Williamstown, MA
WORK EXPERIENCE:
Lenox Hill Hospital-MEETH, New York, NY
- Lawson Analyst (Human Resources Information Technology Consultant) May 2011 - December 2011
- Maintained data integrity in Lawson database with over 12,000 employees (over 4000 active)
- Provided back-up to HRIT Business Applications Developer during the Lawson conversion to PeopleSoft project. Designed ad hoc reports and complete daily analysis for time accrual (including calculating leave of absence adjustments), payroll, benefits, and compensation.
- Coordinated with HR Generalists and HRIT Assistant to update enrollment in paid time off plans
Archdiocese of New York, New York, NY October 2006 - November 2010
- Benefits Coordinator (Employee Benefits Connection) June 2009 - November 2010
- Processed approximately 100 weekly employee benefit updates; Ensured compliance with company policy and employee benefit legislation
- Administered NYS continuation of coverage program for 85-100 members monthly; Trained department in administration process
- Prepared Lawson reports for Life and Health Benefits department, Pensions department and Open Enrollment
- Report Writer/HRIS Analyst (Lawson Systems department) October 2006 - June 2009
- Uploaded daily accounting transactions and generated reports for Director of Financial Planning; Trained users in report writing
- Set up continuation of benefits program in Lawson; Created administration guide
- Processed payrolls and modified payroll processing guide
The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
- Compensation and Employment Analyst October 2005 - October 2006
- Provided turnover and recruitment metrics for Director of HR; Wrote Lawson queries for talent acquisition management
- Proctored and graded exams for Union positions and assured compliance with union regulations
- Assisted with company-wide annual merit increase program; Completed salary surveys
Assurant, New York, NY
- Human Resources Administrator September 2004 - July 2005
- Recruited for non-exempt to manager level positions and summer internships; Conducted on-boarding process and exit interviews
- Coordinated disability leaves; Liaison between payroll and non-exempt employees for time and attendance
- Site manager for Lawson, Taleo, Nobscot and data warehousing/report writing tool (Cognos ReportNet)
Thirteen WNET New York, New York, NY
- Human Resources Coordinator March 2000 - September 2004
- Assisted HR Director with performance evaluations; Coordinated company-wide training seminars and department events
- Recruited for entry to mid-level exempt and non-exempt positions; Filled temporary personnel requests
- Administered Internship Program and built Access database for internship program
- Produced customized orientation for temporary employees and instruction manual for all Human Resources forms; Processed personnel updates in Lawson
Associated Press, New York, NY
- HRIS Coordinator October 1998 - December 1999
- Trained ROSS (employee database) users and provided ongoing support; Redesigned user’s guide; Maintained employee database
- Gathered data for EEO surveys; Provided employment verification and completed unemployment claims forms
Wheelock College, Boston, MA
- Office Manager April 1996 - February 1998
- Recruited and supervised work-study students; Cataloged Alumni Mailing List for school-wide availability
- Liaison between students and professors for scheduling; Compiled schedules for faculty calendar
References available upon request
tumblrbot asked:
WHERE WOULD YOU MOST LIKE TO VISIT ON YOUR PLANET?
Australia. Ever since I was a little girl, the amazing nature scenery intrigued me. I want to know how the other side of the world lives. I want to experience something outside of myself. Growing up in a big city not only made me understand and become comfortable with the hustle and bustle of it all, but also gave me a yearning to see and learn about what is outside of the city walls. Every time I’ve visited other countries, I’ve taken it all in like a fresh drink of water and came back to my city knowing that we are not alone in this world. It is important not to isolate yourself in only one way of thinking and being.
