Pitching Yourself During a Job Interview

No one likes to go to a job interview, and many people feel especially nervous or anxious during this type of meeting. If this sounds familiar, your goal should be to develop an interviewing strategy that helps you sell yourself quickly and succinctly. This involves making a pitch that you can deliver in under two minutes. Creating a strong pitch can significantly increase your chances for getting the job.

Start Off Strong

The first sentence of your pitch should be a strong expression of your character and career path. Be sure to avoid the use of common clichés to ensure you won’t be confused with other applicants. Instead, you should focus on the future with this first sentence, describing how the past has prepared you to take the next step in your career path. Discuss more about what you can do for your potential employer rather than trying to describe what you want from your next employer.

Emphasize the High Points

Your 2-minute pitch should include a very brief summary of your entire career, limiting the summary to 200 words or less in writing. As you practice and refine this summary, focus on the things that will most interest a potential employer. This should include discussing your leadership qualities, your strongest skills, your value as an employee, and your long-term career goals.

Move Past Typical Expectations

There are certain requirements that a candidate must have to successfully fill any job vacancy. Using your 2-minute pitch to outline these skills is a waste of time since you wouldn’t be interviewing for the position if you didn’t meet those qualifications. Instead, spend a part of your pitch describing traits or skills that will help you stand out. Perhaps you have maintained CPR and first aid certification throughout your life, or you might have skills in an unrelated profession that could still be useful in your current career path. The point is to provide the interviewer with information about yourself that will help them remember you.

Once you create a strong pitch, you should focus your energy on creating a strong physical presence to match your compelling pitch. Keep a set of interview outfits with underclothes pressed and ready. You should feel comfortable in the fit of the clothes so you won’t suffer from self-confidence issues. Additionally, practice your pitch and posture in front of a mirror to ensure you’ll appear confident and polished in every interview.