The elevator pitch is a part of every job search.  The Harvard Business School has created a new tool to help job seekers start the process of creating their own elevator pitch.  It’s called the HBS Elevator Pitch Builder

The tool helps the job seeker build his or her elevator pitch in four steps.   These are:

• Describe Who You Are
• Describe What You Do
• Describe Why You Are Unique
• Describe Your Goal

Each of the four steps of the tool provides the user with a text box to write his or her pitch and even supplies suggested words.  The suggested words are easy to add to the pitch by simply clicking on them.  The final tab of the tool gathers together all the text that the user typed into the previous four steps.  That final tab, which displays the complete elevator pitch, gives a word count and an estimate of the how long the pitch will take.  It also keeps track of the repeated words each job seeker used.  Finally, the tool provides the choice of printing the pitch or emailing it.

There are no user directions but it is suggested that  after the user reads each tip, he or she must then click where it says “Close Tip”.  Otherwise, the user can’t see the progress and he or she won’t know how or where to add his or her own words.

The New England Job Show gives job seekers the opportunity to tape their own elevator pitches.    The Show provides coaches who  help the individuals write and present their pitches.   Although the Show does not endorse this tool, the tool does provide a good format that helps individuals to start drafting  effective elevator pitches.

The file format for this program is Shockwave Flash.  If it does not work, you may want to download Shockwave Flash.