30 seconds of fame
AutoWe all know the importance of a first impression. Whether you’re on a first date, meeting your girlfriend’s parents for the first time, selling a product, or in a job interview, the ability to not only connect with your audience but also impress them quickly is the key to a successful result. successful. I recently spoke with a car salesman who told me that he had 18 seconds to build a relationship and earn the trust of a potential buyer. Wow, that’s fast talking! In the interview process it has been proven, time and time again, that we have about 30 seconds to impress our audience. We have 30 seconds to share our story, show our interest, generate value and move our audience to action. Those 30 seconds have been dubbed our “30-second commercial,” our “intro,” and also our “elevator speech.” Whatever the name, those first 30 seconds of a match will greatly influence the outcome. When looking for a job, you will determine whether or not you get the job of your dreams.
As a recruiter, I take every opportunity to network as I am always looking for talent. Recently, I had the opportunity to meet a very unique young man. When we met, he was casually but neatly dressed, well-groomed, and had a very pleasant smile. He thanked me in advance for my time. His handshake was firm and professional. He proceeded to tell me who he was, gave a synopsis of his story, and expressed his interest in establishing a relationship with me. He eloquently shared his value and his hope for my call to action, all in about 30 seconds. There are no words to describe how impressed I was with this young man! I had just witnessed the epitome of a 30 second commercial.
A 30-second commercial is key if you’re trying to create a powerful first impression when looking for a job. It consists of four main objectives, all of which are important. Here are the steps to create an effective 30 second commercial:
1) Introduce yourself and your target. For example, a salesperson might have the following introduction: “My name is Jane Doe and I have 5 years of proven success in a sales and service environment. I am interested in using my talents to increase the results of your organization.”
2) Next, tell your story. In other words, list your experience in an award. That? In a sentence? You can do it! Going back to the salesperson, here’s an example: “During my tenure as a sales professional, I have gained valuable experience in both inside and outside sales, and have had the opportunity to sell business-to-business as well as business-to-consumer in your industry.”
3) Third, this is your opportunity to create value, tell that employer exactly what you can do for them and why they should hire you. Here’s another example: “Over the past 5 years, as the sole salesperson for my current company, I have exponentially increased the revenue for the organization. I believe the industry knowledge I have gained as well as my commitment to customer service , could improve the efforts of your team, as well as the profitability of your organization.”
4) Lastly, you need a call to action! A call to action is a statement that asks the recipient of your commercial to complete a task, to do something, to take action! The last sentence of this salesperson’s 30-second commercial might say, “I’m interested in working for you and would like to schedule a one-on-one interview…would Tuesday at 2:00 pm be convenient for you?” If the hiring manager cannot meet at that time, he or she will let you know. However, this opens the door to communication. Nine times out of ten, the hiring manager will schedule a time to meet with you, if not at the proposed time, then at a time that is most convenient for him. And that is his goal, his call to action.
In a nutshell, here’s an example of a 30-second commercial from a vendor in its entirety:
“My name is Jane Doe. I have 5 years of proven success in a sales and service environment, and I am interested in using my talents to increase the results of your company. During my tenure as a sales professional, I gained valuable experience in your industry through business-to-business and business-to-consumer selling Over the past 5 years as the sole seller for my current company I have grown the organization’s revenue exponentially I believe the industry knowledge I have gained , as well as my commitment to customer service, could enhance the efforts of your team and the profitability of your organization I am interested in working for your organization and would like to schedule an in-person interview Next Tuesday at 2:00 pm Would it work with your schedule?
Once you have your 30 second commercial ready, practice, practice, practice! This will give you the confidence to approach those you have never met. I was lucky enough to work for a company that helped us create our 30 second commercial. They asked us to write our speech in the elevator, and then they asked us to deliver it in an actual elevator! We had to start talking when the elevator opened and we were expected to finish our speech before the door closed. They videotaped us and then the management team gave feedback. As scary as it was at the time, I think it gave me a chance to perfect my “elevator pitch” and gave me some valuable insight into how important it is! Trust me, when someone hands me their 30-second commercial, I listen very carefully. This is your chance to “sell yourself” to me. This is your chance to convince me why you should be hired. This is your chance to make me act!
As for the young man I recently met who made such an impression on me, you may be surprised to learn that he was not looking for a job at all… in fact, he was homeless. He was asking for money so he could afford a bite to eat. Needless to say, because of his excellent presentation and his candid and professional 30 second commercial, I bought him breakfast. If he had been interviewing for a job, he would have easily moved on to the next round. Never underestimate the importance of a powerful and well rehearsed 30 second commercial!