How to perfect your elevator pitch

Even in an age where you apply for the majority of your jobs online, there's still a place in your arsenal for a great elevator pitch.

But how do you create the perfect one?

There's no universal formula, but here are five simple steps to get you started on yours.

1. Cut out the jargon

An elevator pitch needs to be clear and succinct. You need to ensure it doesn't end up as a business-speak-riddled, clichéd boast that someone has heard a hundred times before.

Likewise, don't pack it full of technical terms that not all people aren't going to understand or remember. Keep it simple, clear and use technical terms only when absolutely necessary.

2. Don't feel like you have to include everything about you

You just won't have time to mention absolutely everything that makes you great as a candidate – stick to a few core points.

And make sure those points count. Don't waste precious time talking about how you're always on time or how good you are at PowerPoint.

3. Tailor each and every one

Depending on who you're talking to and what position they're in, you're going to need to alter your pitch accordingly.

This is why you should never memorise your elevator pitch word-for-word – keep your core points the same, but be prepared to chop and change, swap the order, or even miss some bits out occasionally.

4. Use powerful words

While you should always steer clear of bluster and unnecessary jargon, a few scattered power words can go a long way to ensuring your pitch is the one that sticks in the memory.

The trick here is to swap in a few regular, everyday verbs for some more striking and effective alternatives.

The Muse has a great list of powerful verbs you can swap in to make your pitch that bit punchier.

5. Practice!

Record yourself on your phone, talk into the mirror, practise over and over to your friends and family.

There are very few people in the world who can rattle off a great elevator pitch without giving it a second thought. The rest of us get there by practising.

Don’t rehearse it word-for-word. Practise to the point where you can make your core points (plus those few extras) in many different ways – forwards, backwards, over the phone, face-to-face – your elevator pitch needs to work wherever you go!