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Your personal MBA elevator pitch is a compelling and concise conversation starter that expresses who you are, what you\u2019re passionate about and what\u2019s motivating you to pursue the MBA. In essence, it\u2019s your brand statement. It\u2019s valuable in the context of networking events with faculty members, alumni and students because you get about 30-60 seconds to make a stellar first impression (the time it takes to ride a few floors in an elevator.) Your elevator pitch is about inspiring interest and opening the door to further conversation.
\nAs you develop your pitch, your objective is a statement that\u2019s brief, targeted to the audience you\u2019re hoping to reach and goal-oriented. I\u2019ve heard of a lot of pitch statements\u2014from my career in admissions and student affairs at Carnegie Mellon Tepper and Berkeley Haas to my coaching role at Fortuna. With MBA interview invitations beginning to go out, having a powerful personal pitch should be top of mind.<\/p>\n
Here are my top five tips to crafting your personal MBA elevator pitch:<\/strong><\/p>\n 1. Get clear about your goals. 2. Understand your audience. 3. Be conversational and concise. 4. Presentation matters. 5. Inspire their interest. Once you\u2019ve developed your pitch-perfect elevator statement, seek every opportunity to practice\u2014with colleagues, friends and even yourself in the mirror. Ask for honest feedback from trusted sources. You\u2019ll want to feel confident and ready to enter any scenario\u2014from a networking session to an MBA interview to (hopefully!) your first day on campus in the school of your dreams.<\/p>\n
\nBroadly speaking, your branding should be consistent across your MBA application. Meanwhile, your personal elevator pitch must be responsive to the context. As you approach an event, like any interaction, know what you want to accomplish. Why are you attending and what do you want to get out of it? What are your goals? When it\u2019s all over, what do you hope to take away (and leave behind)? Perhaps it\u2019s first-hand insight on a certain academic offering or new contacts from alumni. Think customizable and consistent, not canned.<\/p>\n
\nIt\u2019s important to know what business schools care about, in terms of the key attributes they\u2019re seeking in a candidate\u2014the ability to work on teams, leadership, analytical thinking and emotional intelligence, and among other qualities. A deeper awareness of the values championed by your target schools will allow you to make relevant connections to your personal passions, strengths and personal story. Authenticity is critical, so as you make these links within your pitch, stay true to your personal style and to yourself.<\/p>\n
\nAim to strike a conversational tone that\u2019s not overly-rehearsed (which, ironically, takes practice). This means being able to tailor it to a situation, customizing it to be relevant to whom you\u2019re speaking and where you are. Sprinkle in an interesting anecdote that might serve as a conversational segue, as the situation allows. For example, if you\u2019re at a Haas event where Dean Lyons is speaking, you talk to an alum about Lyons\u2019 talent for guitar or whether he\u2019s expected to perform that evening. It\u2019s also useful for opening a door into conversation about the school\u2019s personality and vibe.<\/p>\n
\nIt\u2019s not just what you say, but how you say it. Present yourself with strong eye contact, a solid handshake and an energy of positively that expresses genuine interest in learning more. Your impression on others often has more to do with how you make people feel than what you actually say.<\/p>\n
\nPutting your MBA materials together requires a lot of reflection, and your personal elevator pitch is just one component of the brand you\u2019ll want to present. As you frame your brand to a succinct statement, it\u2019s helpful to think about the top three or so things you want to convey \u2013 about your ambitions and yourself. Remember that your objective is to both make a positive impression and inspire further conversation by generating interest, not to share your life story.<\/p>\n