What's Your Story? Mastering the "Elevator Pitch"

By: Kandice Thorn

"What do you do?"
"Tell me about yourself."
"What brings you to this [conference]?"
"Why are you interested in [international law]?"

All of the above questions, which may be asked in various settings, including interviews, networking events, or even more casual settings such as social gatherings, are a prompt for you to pull out your "elevator pitch."


For someone in the job market, an elevator pitch is a short summary of who you are. The term comes from the idea that you should be able to deliver the pitch in the time span of an elevator ride. Your elevator pitch should show that you are a confident, capable person who would excel in an appropriate position.

In formulating an elevator pitch, I suggest using a past-present-future formulation. In this formulation, the pitch would convey where you have come from (past), where you are now (present), and where you are going (future). These three elements should come together in a cohesive story--each part should lead into and relate to the next part.

For example, if you are an LL.M. student in the Intellectual Property and Information Technology program and your objective is to obtain a position with a boutique intellectual property firm, you might focus on the following:

• Past: What past experiences led you to pursue this LL.M. degree?
• Present: How is the LL.M. program making you a better candidate/helping you to reach your goals?
• Future: Where do you hope your LL.M. degree will lead you in the future?

The past-present-future formulation will show that you are a person with a clear direction and well-defined goals, and gives you the opportunity to highlight your experience and qualities that would make you a good candidate for a position.