Estimated Runtime: ~10 minutes
Tone: Energetic, coaching-style — like rehearsing before a big performance
You're at a networking event. Coffee in hand. The person next to you turns and
asks, "So, what do you do?
You have thirty seconds. Maybe less. What you say next either starts a
meaningful conversation or sends them looking for the appetizer table.
Most people answer this question terribly. They recite their job title. "I'm a
project manager at a tech company." That's informative, but it's not
interesting. It doesn't create curiosity. It doesn't make someone want to know
more. And in a job search context, it does absolutely nothing to differentiate
you. Today, we're building a pitch that makes people lean in.
Your pitch has three parts. The Hook. The Value. And the Ask.
The Hook is five to seven seconds that create curiosity. You do this by leading
with the problem you solve, not the role you hold. Instead of "I'm a data
analyst," try "You know how most companies are sitting on mountains of data but
still making gut-feel decisions? I fix that." You've just made someone curious.
They want to know how.
The Value is fifteen to twenty seconds where you deliver your through line plus
one killer proof point. Not five achievements — one. The most impressive, the
most relevant to your audience. "I help companies turn their data into
decision-making systems. At my last company, I built a predictive model that
identified at-risk customers six months early and saved twelve million in
retention.
The Ask is five to seven seconds. And critically — it is NOT "Are you hiring?"
or "Do you know anyone who's hiring?" Those questions put people in an awkward
position. Instead, end with a question that starts a real conversation. "I'm
looking for companies that take data-driven decision making seriously. What's
the biggest data challenge you're seeing in your industry?" Now you're having a
conversation, not making a sales pitch.
Here's the paradox of the thirty-second pitch. You need to prepare it carefully,
practice it extensively, and deliver it as if you've never rehearsed it at all.
A pitch that sounds scripted is worse than no pitch. It signals that you're
performing, not connecting. So how do you make something rehearsed sound
unrehearsed?
First, nail the structure but vary the words. Know your Hook, your Value, and
your Ask — but don't memorize a script word for word. Practice the ideas, not
the sentences. Each time you deliver it, the words should be slightly different
even though the message is the same.
Second, practice out loud. Not in your head. Out loud. In the shower. In the
car. To your dog. The sounds of the words matter — rhythm, pacing, emphasis.
Things that read well on paper often sound awkward spoken aloud.
Third, record yourself. Use your phone. Listen back. Are you rushing? Monotone?
Using filler words? Does it sound like you're reading or talking? Adjust until
it sounds like a natural, confident conversation.
Twenty repetitions is the minimum before it starts to feel natural. Fifty is
where it becomes effortless.
Your core pitch stays the same in structure, but the language shifts depending
on who you're talking to. For a recruiter, lean into industry terminology and
role-fit language. For a peer, be more casual and focus on shared challenges.
For an executive, go straight to business impact and ROI. For someone outside
your field, strip out all jargon and explain what you do in plain language.
The adaptation usually happens in the Hook. "You know how companies waste
marketing spend" works for a marketing crowd. For a general audience, you might
say, "You know how companies spend millions on advertising but can't tell if
it's working?
Same message. Different wrapper. Master this and you can pitch effectively to
anyone.
Your thirty-second pitch is the most versatile tool in your job search toolkit.
You'll use it at networking events, in interviews, on phone screens, and in
casual conversations that turn into unexpected opportunities.
Write it. Practice it twenty times. Record yourself. Refine it. And then forget
you ever practiced it and just have a conversation.
That wraps up Module Three — The Brand. You now have a career story, a powerful
resume, an optimized LinkedIn profile, a clean digital presence, and a pitch
that opens doors. Module Four is where we put all of this to work through
strategic networking.