Scratch the Pitch

[David Sandusky]

Yesterday I spoke at the Jobing.com career fair about "Networking to Sustain a Personal Brand".

The main point was to be a connector and add value to your growing network as part of your career strategy. Not just when looking for a job. Networking as a long term career strategy minimizes risk and fear during what can be a scary time - unemployed.

In a usual percentage, most present at my talk don't network much. Reasons are common - shy - not knowing what to say - pressure to have a great 30 elevator pitch - thinking you have to go to a "mixer".

You can imagine the relief when I suggested they scratch the pitch. What? Yea, forget it, scratch the pitch. But everyone suggest you have a 30 second elevator pitch. Don't get me wrong, you must have clarity in what you offer and you must be able to tell a short story of what you can do for someone. A personal brand defined with confidence.

Relief became present across many faces when they realized you can spend time getting to know someone first based on who they are. You can ask the other person questions until they are tired of talking. The other person feels good and you learned enough to hit them between the eyes with a relevant value proposition they can feel and therefore remember.

The long term strategy relates to where you network and who you help. Building trust and adding value to people that are in a position to call on you when you are the person that can solve a problem.

You don't like to pitch? Good, start asking questions instead. Are you concerned about being perceived as old, young, inexperienced, out dated...on and on? Many of there scenarios of concern came up in questions yesterday - common questions. My answer was redundant across concerns or excuses: learn, add value and do something you love.

Passion + talent = a great brand that gets hired - no excuses needed.