PITCHES

Elevator pitch examples you can say in 30 seconds

An AI can write your elevator pitch in a few seconds. You still have to say it out loud, to a recruiter at a career fair booth, with a line forming behind you.

An elevator pitch is a short introduction: who you are, one thing that shows what you can do, and what you're looking for. It's named for the length of an elevator ride, so aim for about 30 seconds. You'll use it at career fairs and networking events, when someone asks "So what do you do?", and in a longer form at the start of an interview.

The structure: who, proof, ask

Start with who you are: your name and what you do now, in plain words. "I'm Sam, and I'm a junior studying accounting."

Then give one piece of proof, something you've done that shows it. Add a number if you have one, and pick the proof that fits the person in front of you.

End with the ask: what you're looking for, and one small next step they can say yes to, like a call or the name of the right person. Then stop talking.

Each example below is 60 to 80 words. Read one out loud with a timer to see how long that takes you, then write yours to the same length.

A fill-in template

"Hi, I'm [name]. I'm a [what you do or study] at [where]. [One thing you did and what came of it.] I'm looking for [the job or internship you want]. [Why them, in one line.] Could I [small ask]?"

Fill it in, then say it out loud and change any word you wouldn't use in conversation.

Eight elevator pitch examples

The people and numbers are made up. Read each one out loud with a timer, then use your own experience and numbers and keep the shape.

College student at a career fair

"Hi, I'm Priya. I'm a junior studying computer science. Last semester I built a booking app for our campus tutoring center, and about 300 students used it in the first month. I'm looking for a summer internship on a product team, and I saw you're hiring software interns this year. Could I send you my résumé and a link to the app?"

High school student looking for a summer job

"Hi, I'm Marcus. I'm a junior at Lincoln High, and I'm looking for a summer job. For the last two years I've helped coach a soccer team of eight-year-olds on Saturdays, so I'm used to showing up early and keeping a group of kids busy. I saw you hire camp counselors every June. Could you tell me who I should talk to about applying?"

Recent graduate looking for a first job

"Hi, I'm Jordan. I just finished a degree in marketing, and for the past year I've run the social accounts for a local coffee shop. I took them from about 400 followers to 2,000, mostly with short videos of the baristas. I'm looking for an entry-level job in social media or content, ideally at a consumer brand like yours. Would you be open to a 15-minute call next week?"

Nursing student

"Hi, I'm Elena. I'm in my last semester of nursing school, and I've done clinical rotations in med-surg and the emergency department. The ER is where I want to be. I like the pace, and I've learned to ask for help early when it gets busy. I'm applying to new-grad residency programs this spring, and yours is on my list. Who's the best person to ask about the application timeline?"

Changing careers

"Hi, I'm Dana. I taught high school math for eight years. For the last two I also ran our school's test data reports, the ones the principal used to decide where tutors went. That was the part of the job I liked most, so I took a data analytics course and built three projects from public school data. I'm looking for a junior analyst role. Could I send you my portfolio?"

Experienced, at a networking event

"Hi, I'm Chris. I'm an operations manager at a regional grocery chain. I run the team that keeps our 40 stores stocked, and this year we cut the number of empty shelves by about a third. I'm starting to look at bigger supply chain roles, maybe at a company that ships nationally. You've worked in logistics a long time. Would you be open to coffee sometime, so I could ask how you made that move?"

At the start of an interview

"I'm a customer support lead at a software company. I run a team of six, and this year we cut our average reply time from a day to about four hours by sorting tickets by urgency first. Before that I answered tickets myself for three years, so I know what a bad week looks like from both sides. I'd like to lead a bigger team, and that's why this role caught my eye."

In an interview, end on why you want the job instead of an ask. When it opens with "Tell me about yourself," give a longer version of about a minute. There are three sample answers in how to answer "Tell me about yourself".

For a business

"Hi, I'm Lee. I run a small company that makes booking software for dog groomers. We built it for groomers who take bookings by phone and miss calls while they're working. Our app takes bookings by text, and the 120 shops using it have cut no-shows by about a quarter. We're raising a small seed round this spring. Could I send you a one-page summary?"

For a full investor meeting, see how to practice your startup pitch out loud.

How to start

Start with your name and what you do. At a career fair, "I'm a junior studying accounting" is enough. Skip warm-ups like "So, basically..." and start with who you are.

How to end: one small ask

Ask for one next step they can take today or this week: "Could I send you my résumé?", "Would you be open to a 15-minute call?" or "Who should I talk to about the internship?" Keep it smaller than "Can you help me get a job here?" Then stop talking and let them answer.

What to leave out

Your whole history. One thing you did, with what came of it, gives them something to ask about.
Words about yourself, like "hardworking" or "passionate." Say what you did and let them decide.
Jargon and acronyms the listener might not know. Say it the way you'd explain it to a friend outside your field.
Reading it off your phone. Know your first sentence and your ask by heart. The middle can change each time.

Practice it out loud in 10 minutes

A pitch that reads well on paper can still come out long and tangled the first time you say it. Rehearse it the way you'll give it.

Write the three parts as bullet points: who, proof, ask. A few words each.
Start a timer and say it from the bullets into your phone's voice recorder.
Play it back. Check that your first sentence says who you are, that you're close to 30 seconds and that you stopped after the ask.
Record it again and fix one thing. Stop after three takes.
The next day, say it without the bullets. Then say it to a friend and ask them what you do and what you asked for. If they can't tell you, cut until they can.

Make a 10-second version too, for when someone asks what you do in passing: your first sentence and your ask.

Practice it with an AI coach in Charisma Lab

Charisma Lab is a speaking coach on your iPhone. In Speak, tap the center and tell the coach you're practicing an elevator pitch for a career fair, or wherever you'll give it. Then say your pitch straight through. A pause of about two seconds ends a take, so keep going until you've made your ask. You hear each take played back. Then the coach tells you what to fix and sends you back in.

Train's The Reasonable Request lets you practice the ask on its own. It's in the Influence track and open from the start. It hands you a demanding line, like "We need to have a long meeting about all of this." You say it as a small ask instead. An AI scores each take, and it passes when your version makes the ask small and easy to say yes to. Setup is free and includes a short live session with the coach. After that, Speak and Train need Pro, which is $14.99 a month in the US. See pricing.

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FAQ

How long should an elevator pitch be?

About 30 seconds. Keep a 10-second version for a quick hello and a one-minute version for when they ask to hear more.

How do I start an elevator pitch?

With your name and what you do now, in plain words. "I'm Elena, and I'm in my last semester of nursing school" tells them who you are before they've had time to wonder.

What's the difference between an elevator pitch and "Tell me about yourself"?

They use the same pieces. The interview answer runs about a minute and ends with why you want the job. An elevator pitch runs about 30 seconds and ends with an ask.

How do I write an elevator pitch with no experience?

Use what you've done: a class project, a part-time job, a team, volunteering or something you run. Pick one and say what came of it.

Should I memorize my elevator pitch?

Memorize your first sentence and your ask. Let the middle come out a little differently each time, so it sounds like you're talking to them.

More practice guides

Updated November 1, 2026.