CV/Resume Sample
You can find a comprehensive guide to crafting an amazing resume/CV here.
Crafting an “elevator pitch” about your conference experience
On occasion, you may want to discuss your conference activities in an “elevator pitch”. An elevator pitch is a short (2 minutes or less), targeted speech that gives the listener an idea of who you are, your skillset, and how your experiences/skills can benefit them. Think of it as a short advertisement where you are the product. Why would they want you? Why do they need you? Keep in mind that unsolicited advertisements are incredibly annoying, so it’s best to save your elevator pitch for instances where someone asks you what you do or who you are.
When crafting an elevator speech, consider the potential audiences, chiefly keeping in mind the sort of person you are most likely to encounter (e.g., university students are most likely to encounter professors, interns are most likely to encounter mid-level company executives, etc.). Once you have determined this, consider the kinds of skills or experiences that would carry the most import. What would they be most interested in hearing about? If appropriate, you may want to discuss your conference activities, particularly if you have given a presentation.
Here is an example of a basic elevator pitch in a university setting:
(Assume you’ve said your name previously)…Oh here you go! I carry my (business card/QR code for digital portfolio, CV/resume) with me. I’m a junior double majoring in Dance and PoliSci. Thanks to my Pi Sigma Alpha advisor, Dr. Burkes, I recently realized that post-grad I want to go straight into a PhD program so I can travel and research the role of the fine arts in foreign and domestic diplomacy. I actually just presented at a conference on a minor case study on the topic and it helped me decide to turn it into a bigger project. As a professor who’s been where I’m at, do you have any advice for me?
In this basic example, the student has informed the listener of their year, major, strong academic standing, future ambitions, and recent (impressive) accolade (i.e., passing a juried selection and successfully presenting at a conference). Should the listener be interested in anything else about the speaker, they also have a way of finding out more information at a later time. Lastly, since this is a conversation, a question is posed at the end that not only invites the listener to share information about themselves but also conveys the first speaker’s genuine interest in that individual and thoughtfulness.