Elevator Pitch: Useful HR practice

Kishore C.S. (Feb 2001)

My first orientation program in US had a program called ‘Elevator pitch’ on agenda that I could not understand, what it will be about. Now that I have seen it in action, I understand importance of this good practice. I have not seen such best practice before and certainly HR departments in India can use this practice.

Once you have decided to join a company, you will be receiving questions from your family, friends and ex-colleagues about what the new company is? ‘Elevator Pitch’ is about how confidently you can communicate about your company. What is your company? What are the values the company stands for? What is unique about this company? I think the term ‘Elevator Pitch’ must have been coined because most of such conversations take place in Elevators. There is very little time to explain, but you should be able to give convincing answers and make a good impression. The session aims to give brief and accurate answers which can make a very good ‘impression’ on the listener. The aim to make it very effective and at the end of the brief conversation the listener should a ‘fair’ understand of what you do at work.

During this program we were given a write up on the company that consisted the following:

What the company does? What products and services it offers? What is the mission statement? What is the vision? What values the company stands for? How the company has been doing? Where the company is headed? The write up is given to all the new employees. We were made to form groups. Each group has to brainstorm and make a presentation of what one would talk about if you face such a situation.

After the preparation each team made a small presentation of what our company stands for. Most of the teams choose to the program as a skit figuring at least two persons in conversation. Overall the program was fun and everyone enjoyed the same.

More than the fun and enjoyment, I was very impressed with this program. It enables a new employee

-          To understand what the company stands for

-          To be able to take pride in what company stands for

-          To be able to take ownership of the company’s values

-          Clearly understand uniqueness of the company

The program is one of the best practices that can be adopted by any company and benefits of such will be certainly very good.

Lack of such an understanding from an employee can create problems.

-          Employee may have only a vague idea of what the company stands for and will never be able to communicate effectively about the company to others. Because of this the image of company will not be very good.

-          Employee cannot understand business of the organization in its fullest sense

-          Employee cannot identify himself with the company’s goals and values and will not be effective in his job.

I feel every HR department should adopt ‘Elevator pitch’. Every company does it one way or the other, but a professional approach towards the same can make a big impact. The following is a link that gives a few suggestions on how to develop a very good Elevator Pitch.

Developing your Elevator Pitch: http://www.rhondaonline.com/recentcolumns/elevator.shtml