The Elevator Speech

If someone walked up to you right now and said, “Tell me about yourself.”  What would you say?

The common trap to that question is that the 'askee' may start talking about themselves and providing random facts. An example:

“Hi, my name is Nadia. I am a student at XWY Pharmacy School. I have worked at XYZ Pharmacy for six years. I am a dog mom. I am the oldest of seven…”

And while the 'askee' may feel that they answered the question, the asker may not. Why? Because it doesn’t tell them the type of person that you are, why they should bother themselves to speak with you, or why you should get the job or internship. That is why it is important to have an elevator speech. 

Your elevator speech is your (roughly) 11-second ticket into whatever conversation you want to engage in with a potential networking opportunity or internship/job interview. What the asker is truly asking is who are you? What do you bring to the table? What is it you want in life?

So, the question remains. What would you say?

Here’s my elevator speech from when I was a student:

'My introduction to pharmacy began way before my interest in pharmacy. I took care of my great-grandfather, and I did a lot of what I now know to be medication management; I got to witness firsthand the burden of polypharmacy and pill burden. Since starting my journey in pharmacy, I’ve worked for a large chain for five years and worked my way up in the company from trainee to intern. During that time, I was able to develop my passion for patient care and counseling, especially in the geriatric population, and develop my love for the outpatient setting. I've spearheaded MTM projects for my district, was student chapter president of my local AMCP chapter, and held various roles in SSHP and SNPHA.' 

There are far better elevator speeches out there on the internet that you can google and model (not copy) yours after. The most important thing is to make it personal and to be genuine. That is how you stick out. Mention interesting things without divulging too much information so that they can ask you about it. “Wow, you took care of your great-grandfather?” Mention a problem that is important to you within the profession that you would like to solve and possibly how you would like to solve it. 

Also, note that your elevator speech (like your resume) can adjust based on the role you're applying for or the people you are talking to. So don’t limit yourself to trying to fit everything in 11 seconds. Leave them wanting more!

Here is my elevator speech now. 

'My introduction to pharmacy began way before my interest in pharmacy. I took care of my great-grandfather, and I did a lot of what I now know to be medication management; and I got to witness firsthand the burden of polypharmacy and pill burden. As a pharmacist working in a major chain, I am passionate about patient care and giving patients the tools they need to remain adherent, minimize polypharmacy and pill burden, and live long, productive lives, especially in the elderly population. Through my commitment to my company, I was able to travel out of state to assist with a pharmacy buyout and assist in vaccination clinics. Outside of work, I am passionate about community service as I hold several positions in nonprofit organizations and hope to one day start my own, along with a patient-centered pharmacy.'