If you're actively job searching, you've probably been asked "tell me about yourself" more times than you can count. And here's the thing: most people wing it every single time.
But your elevator pitch isn't just an introduction.
It's your chance to set the tone for the entire conversation, and it needs to be deliberate.
Today, I'm walking you through my framework for crafting an elevator pitch that lands, and moves you on to the next stage.
What makes a strong elevator pitch
Most elevator pitches fall flat because they're either too vague, sound like a CV reading session, or they drag on for way too long.
A strong pitch has three parts: your top-line summary, your story threads, and what I call the turn.
Your top-line summary is the 10-second version of who you are professionally.
Something like:
I'm a Senior Product Manager with five years of experience building B2B SaaS products.
Your story threads are where the magic happens.
This is where you bring in 2-3 specific examples that showcase your impact.
You're not just saying you're good at something, you're proving it with data.
For example:
In my last role as a Senior PM at [Company], I led the development of a platform that increased user retention by 25%. I worked closely with engineering and design to identify the top pain points that could keep our customers with us, and built features that delivered value for the business.
The turn is where you connect everything back to the opportunity in front of you.
This is the only time I suggest proactively addressing questions.
What question(s) are you pre-empting?
→ Why do you want to work here?
→ What excites you about this job or company?
But most importantly, you are reinforcing why they even invited you to this interview, and you’re checking all the boxes they are looking for.
A great turn statement from a client who just moved on to the next round looked like this:
[Company’s] mission to help people build wealth with confidence really resonates with me, and I’m motivated by the idea of joining a product-led, high-growth team in a sector I care deeply about. I’m looking for a role where thoughtful product strategy leads to measurable, positive outcomes for both the customer and the business—and [Company] is exactly the kind of environment I’m looking for.
Let’s dig deeper into how to do this (and why).
Your story threads are the foundation
I've seen too many people treat their elevator pitch as a standalone thing they memorise once and repeat forever.
That's a mistake.
Your elevator pitch needs to connect to a library of stories you've prepared and tease out the ones you know are most relevant to the role.
I call these story threads.
You are teasing out these threads in short, 10-20 second snippets—but you’re ready to talk about each of them for 10 minutes if asked.
Stories about specific challenges you've tackled, results you've delivered, and approaches you've taken.
These stories should directly link to what you know they are looking for in the role based on the job description.
This helps make sure the Recruiter or Hiring Manager says to themself “this person has exactly what I’m looking for” or “they’ve solved the problems we’re having right now.”
If you’ve got a great story library, crafting your elevator pitch is even easier.
I'll be diving deeper into how to build your story library in future newsletters, including frameworks for crafting stories that resonate.
But for now, know this: the stronger your story library, the more confident and compelling your pitches will be.
Your turn is the key
Here's where most people drop the ball: they nail the first two parts of their pitch, then fumble the turn because it feels scripted or inauthentic.
The turn is the most important part to get right, and it's the one you should write specifically for each job before you get on the call.
Don’t wing this.
You wouldn't show up to an interview without researching the company.
So why would you wing the part where you connect your experience to their needs?
Take 10 minutes before each interview to write out your turn.
Look at the job description, their company mission, recent news, or product updates.
What genuinely excites you about this role?
What problems are they trying to solve that you've already tackled?
Authenticity matters more than polish.
If your turn sounds like you're reading from a script, it won't land.
Practice saying it out loud a few times.
Not to memorise it word-for-word, but to get comfortable with the ideas and the flow.
When you practice, you're not just rehearsing words. You're building confidence so that when the moment comes, you can deliver your turn naturally and with conviction.
That's probably why the best turns I've heard from clients sound conversational, not rehearsed.
They've practiced enough to be confident, but not so much that it sounds robotic.
If you've spent time defining your next role, and are prioritising talking with companies on your target list, coming up with authentic reasons for why this company, why this role, will come much more easily.
Where else to use your elevator pitch
Your elevator pitch isn't one-size-fits-all.
You'll adapt it depending on who you’re talking to, and also where you're using it.
Here are some other places where you can use it and how to adapt it:
At a networking event: Keep it brief and conversational.
I'm a Sr. PM, just wrapped up at [company]. I recently worked on [one interesting thing]. What brings you here tonight?
In a DM to a hiring manager: Add a bit more context.
I'm a Sr. PM who recently built [thing] for [company]. I've been working on [two interesting things]. Are you open to having a conversation about [role or company]?
The more you get comfortable with introducing yourself, the easier this becomes, and the more confident you are when delivering it.
And that confidence will help differentiate you as well.
How to write yours
You should be able to take everything I’ve shared above to start crafting your elevator pitches.
If you’re still unsure, though, I've built something that is going to make this even easier for PMs.
As part of the Job Search Accelerator I launched this month, I'm debuting a custom GPT designed specifically to help PMs craft their elevator pitch.
No need to copy and paste a long written prompt and leave it up to ChatGPT to tell you how great you are just to make you feel good.
Simply provide some inputs about you, and it will put together the first draft of the pitch for you.
I’m sharing it with my clients now and in the Job Search Accelerator program.
If you want to get your hands on it and all the other goodies I'm building, let me know.
Your next step
Take 10 minutes this week to draft your elevator pitch.
Start with your top-line summary, then write down 3-5 story threads that showcase your best work.
The bigger the library, the easier it will be to craft pitches for different roles.
The first 3 people to write me back with an elevator pitch draft will get tailored feedback.
Once you have these down, you'll feel so much more confident every time someone asks you to introduce yourself.
And trust me, that confidence makes a huge difference.
More coming to you next week.
Wishing you success,
James