Latest / Career Coaching with Fexingo: Professional Coaches, Career Counselors, and Guidance for Workers / How a Career Elevator Pitch Can Open Doors
Transcript
- Lucas: So, picture this. You're at a conference, someone asks, 'So, what do you do?' and you freeze. Or you ramble. Or you give your job title and then nothing. That moment — that seven-second window — is where most career elevator pitches die. Luna: And I think we've all been there. It's such a simple question, but the stakes feel huge. Lucas: Exactly. And the irony is, we obsess over our resumes, our LinkedIn profiles, our interview answers — but that one-off, unscripted pitch? It's often the thing that opens the door to all of that. Luna: So what makes a good one? Because I've heard so many formulas. 'Tell a story.' 'Lead with your passion.' 'Keep it under thirty seconds.' But those are all kind of vague. Lucas: They are. So let me give you something concrete. The framework I like is problem solution outcome. You state a problem that your target audience — or your ideal employer — faces. Then you say how you solve it. Then you describe the outcome. And you do it in about three sentences. Luna: Give me an example. I'm a marketing manager who wants to pivot into product management. Walk me through it. Lucas: Sure. Problem: 'Companies struggle to turn user feedback into product features that actually drive retention.' Solution: 'I help bridge the gap between customer insights and product roadmaps using a structured prioritization framework.' Outcome: 'In my last role, that approach boosted user retention by 15 percent over six months.' That's maybe twenty seconds. Luna: I like that. It's specific. It's not 'I'm a marketing manager looking to move into product.' It actually shows value. Lucas: Right. And the beauty is, you can adapt it. If you're at a product conference, you might lead with the outcome. If you're at a general networking event, you might lead with the problem. The core stays the same. Luna: So you're saying there's no single perfect pitch? That's actually reassuring. Because I've seen people try to memorize one version and then it sounds robotic. Lucas: Exactly. I call it the modular pitch. You have a core sentence — that's your non-negotiable. Then you have two or three optional hooks. A hook might be a specific metric, a memorable anecdote, or a question you ask back. The pitch changes based on context, but the core stays consistent. Luna: That makes a lot of sense. I think the biggest mistake I see is people trying to cram everything into one pitch. Their whole career history, their skills, their passions — it becomes a laundry list. Lucas: Complete overload. The listener is not taking notes. They're forming an impression. And research shows that impression is largely set in the first seven seconds. So if you haven't landed something memorable by then, you've lost them. Luna: Seven seconds. That's terrifying. But also liberating — because it means you don't need a perfect, comprehensive statement. You just need a strong opening. Lucas: And you need to practice it. But not like a script. More like improv — you know the structure, you know your core, and then you let the conversation guide the rest. That's where the real confidence comes from. Luna: I want to go back to something you said earlier — about the pitch opening doors. And I think that's genuinely valuable, especially for people listening who might be in a career transition or feeling stuck. And it connects to something I've been thinking about with this show. Lucas: What's that? Luna: We deliberately don't run ads on these episodes. No sponsors, no commercials. And that's a choice we've made because we want the content to be directly useful, not padded. But it also means the show relies on listeners who find value in it. Lucas: Yeah, and we're not going to guilt anyone. But if you've ever gotten a useful tip — like this elevator pitch framework — and you want to support the fact that we keep it ad-free, there's a simple way. It's buy me a coffee dot com slash fexingo. That's it. Luna: And honestly, even just sharing an episode with a colleague helps. But the coffee thing — that directly lets us keep doing this without chasing sponsors. Lucas: Alright. Back to the pitch. So we have the core, we have hooks. But there's one more element I think is underrated: the call to action. Luna: Oh, interesting. So after you deliver your pitch, what do you want the other person to do? Lucas: Exactly. A pitch without a next step is just a statement. If you're at a networking event, you might end with, 'I'm actually looking to connect with product leaders who've made a similar transition — do you know anyone I should talk to?' That invites a response. Luna: And it shows you're proactive. It's not just 'here's my story' — it's 'here's how you can help me, and by the way, it's easy to help'. Lucas: Right. And you can tailor that call to action too. In an interview setting, it might be 'I'd love to walk through how I'd apply that framework to your current product challenges.' That's a pitch that leads to a deeper conversation. Luna: So we've got: a core pitch, optional hooks, and a call to action. That's a solid three-part structure. Lucas: And I'll add one more thing: practice out loud. Not in your head. Say it to your mirror, to a friend, record yourself. You'll hear where it drags or where you sound unsure. The goal is not to memorize — it's to internalize so the words come naturally. Luna: That's good advice. Because the worst thing is when someone clearly rehearsed a script and it feels like they're reading off a teleprompter. Lucas: Exactly. So here's a challenge for our listeners: this week, draft your core pitch using the problem solution outcome model. Keep it to three sentences. Then say it out loud three times. See how it feels. You can always tweak it later. Luna: And if you want to share it with us, we'd love to hear how it went. Maybe we'll do a follow-up episode with listener pitches. Lucas: That's a great idea. For now, I think the key takeaway is: your elevator pitch is not about summarizing your resume. It's about opening a conversation. Make it specific, make it adaptable, and always know what you want to happen next. Luna: Well said. And if you found this useful, you know where to find us. Thanks for listening. Lucas: Yeah, Luna. Same time next week? Luna: You bet.