How to get a job

Prepare for the job interview

Prepare for the job interview

Develop your "elevator pitch" Many structured interviews, particularly those at large companies, start with a question like "Tell me about yourself." The interviewer doesn't want to hear about grade school or growing up. This is a work and experience related question with a right answer: in two minutes or so, the interviewer wants to understand your background, your accomplishments, why you want to work at this company and what your future goals are.

• Keep it brief — between 30 seconds and two minutes — and have the basics of it memorized so that you don't stammer when you're asked to describe yourself. You don't want to sound like recording or a robot, either, so only get the structure of it down, and learn to improvise the rest depending on who you're talking to. Practice your elevator pitch out loud on someone who can give you feedback.
• An elevator pitch is also useful for when you're networking, at a party or anywhere with a group of strangers who want to get to know you a little bit more. In a networking situation, as opposed to a job interview, keep the elevator pitch to 30 seconds or less.