Preparing for an Interview? Practice Your Elevator Pitch!

By: Kandice Thorn

At the end of this month, dozens of Fordham LL.M. students will participate in the International Student Interview Program (ISIP), an annual job fair that brings together LL.M. students and employers from around the world.  For students who will be participating in interviews, a little bit of advance preparation will be crucial.  In this article, I will focus on what I consider to be the hardest interview question: "Tell me about yourself."

This question is the cue to launch into 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.

Past: What past experiences led you to pursue this LL.M. degree?  Don't start from birth here.  Talk about what's relevant.  Mention past work experience or educational experiences that led you to pursue the LL.M. degree.  Also talk about any work or educational experiences you have had that are directly relevant to the position.

Present: How is the LL.M. program making you a better candidate/helping you to reach your goals?  What are you learning and how can you apply that to your practice?

Future: Where do you hope your LL.M. degree will lead you in the future?  Be sure your description of where you want to be is consistent with the position for which you are interviewing.  For example, if you are interviewing for a temporary foreign associate position, you shouldn't say that your goal is to build your career in New York.

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.

Remember to keep it short - the length of an elevator ride and not longer.  Practice delivering the pitch out loud, which will help you to internalize your story and be able to delivery it flawlessly when called upon.  Finally, remember to inject your elevator pitch with genuine enthusiasm.

Good luck to everyone participating in ISIP!