30 Second Pitch presentation to Silicon Halton: Tech Under 20 event, May 27, 2015, Oakville, Ontario, Canada. Presentation given to high school students in aid of them landing a summer job. @SearchVelocity

1. Tech Under 20:
Pitch Yourself Workshop Session:
30 Second Pitch
Rick Stomphorst | rick@searchvelocity.ca | @StompR
President, SearchVelocity.ca

2. 30 Second Pitch
• In 30 sec, roughly an elevator ride,
you have to give an employer
enough information about you to
generate interest in you
• There’s no perfect
pitch, but there are
clearly wrong ones.

3. Who are you?
• The listener doesn’t know you from a
hole in the wall. Nothing. Zippo.
• Employers actually hope “you are the
one”
• Majors / specialties / strong interests in
school?
• Something unique?
• High mark in Math, English, Gym, etc.?
• Volunteering Experience?

4. Why?
• Listeners want to know why they’re
listening to your pitch. Tell them
up-front.
• “Summer job”
• Why you?
• E.g. Determined, independent, budding
software developer, where you live

5. What?
• What you do, what you have
experience in, how can you save
them (or make them) money?
• E.g. Excel, Word, Inventory Systems

6. The Ask
• What are you looking for?
• Hint: summer job
• In your case, include “When”
• I’m available starting June 1

7. Example
Hi, I’m Student Stomphorst, a Grade 12
student from Oakville, looking for a summer
job.
Two classes I’ve excelled at are math (90%)
and Computers (85%). I’ve previously worked
in Retail at ComputersAreUs, I’m very good
with Excel, Word & Powerpoint, and some
inventory management systems experience.
I’m spending my volunteer hours at Habitat for
Humanity. My past manager and volunteer
manager said they’d both be a reference.
If you need an enthusiastic proactive person
for the summer to off-load work to, I’m your
man/girl.

8. Interview Tips
• Arrive precisely 10min early.
• Bring 2 copies of your resume (one for you and 1 spare).
• Have 3 stories you'd like to get across. "We understand stories. So do you" -
Ron Howard, May 2014 addressing 4,000 people at IBM Summit
• Have a 2-3 minute rehearsed answer to the question "So tell me about
yourself" (tip, rehearse in the car on your way there)
• Have 3 questions ready (not HR questions)
• It's usually ok to jot down a few notes during the interview, but good etiquette
to ask "do you mind if I make a few notes". Don't spend the interview writing,
or it will seem like you're interviewing them!
• Immediately afterward the interview, stop to write down what happened during
the interview. People often use this for a basis for a potential 2nd interview
and/or thank-you email.
• Here's a good recent article on interview questions: http://onforb.es/y7yiZi
• Here's a good recent article on 5 questions great candidates ask:
http://bit.ly/UleSp0
• Great article on "The best ways to close a job interview http://yhoo.it/Q2FrPt
• Common Non Verbal Mistakes made at a Job Interview (infographic)
http://ow.ly/mi6oi
• 30 sec pitch for grads: https://www.kent.edu/career/your-one-minute-elevator-
pitch
• Be yourself