Master the Elevator Pitch
A year ago, I walked into a networking event, name tag in place, drink in hand, and stomach in knots.
I had rehearsed my elevator pitch in my head, but the moment someone asked, “So, what do you do?” my brain froze.
Did I say I was in sales? Tech? Worked for myself? Was a mom? Building my own company? Do I share that I was let go and now I’m going all in on my side hustle?
The problem wasn’t that I lacked experience—it was that I didn’t know how to talk about it in a way that made sense.
So, I did what most people do. I rattled off a list of former job titles, watched their eyes glaze over, and then awkwardly asked, “So… what do you do?” hoping they wouldn’t ask me any follow-up questions.
Sound familiar?
I’ve learned that is SO important to learn how to communicate beyond job titles and what is listed on your resume or LinkedIn profile. It’s important to teach women and hard working professionals how to properly communicate their experience, value, and impact in a way that feels easy and authentic for them.
Why Your Elevator Pitch Matters More Than You Think
Most of us associate an elevator pitch with interviews or networking events, but the reality is, you use some version of it every day:
When introducing yourself at a company meeting
When asking for a promotion or raise
When explaining your work to new colleagues
When pitching yourself for a project or leadership role
The way you frame your experience and skills can make the difference between being overlooked and being remembered, respected, and even hired.
But how do you do that without sounding robotic, braggy, or rehearsed?
Enter… a new framework I’ve been teaching.
The IMPACT Framework
The IMPACT Framework is a simple, structured way to talk about your skills with confidence in any situation. It helps you shift from a list of responsibilities to a story of impact—which is what hiring managers, clients, and decision-makers actually care about.
Here’s how it works:
Introduce the Skill: Name the skill and why it matters.
Make It Relevant: Share a quick example of when you used it.
Prove the Impact: Explain the outcome or benefit.
My Elevator Pitch: Before & After IMPACT
Let’s go back to that networking event where I fumbled through my answer.
🚫 BEFORE: “I’ve worked in sales for the majority of my career, enablement, and even communication.”
👀 Their reaction? Confused. Disengaged. Not sure how to relate.
✅ AFTER Using IMPACT:
Introduce the skill: “I specialize in workplace communication and career development.”
Make it relevant: “In my career, I’ve helped professionals build stronger workplace relationships—whether it was through staffing and recruiting, coaching sales teams, or training young professionals.”
Prove the impact: “That’s why I launched Career Civility—to help people communicate their value, advocate for themselves, and build careers that align with their goals.”
👀 Their reaction? Engaged. Curious. Asking follow-up questions.
See the difference? Instead of listing job titles, I framed my experience around the value I bring.
Real-World Examples Using IMPACT
Now, let’s apply this framework to common professional scenarios so you can see how it works in action.
1. Interview Question: "Tell Me About Yourself"
🚫 BEFORE:
"I was a social media manager for a startup where I ran campaigns and managed content."
✅ AFTER Using IMPACT:
1. Introduce the skill: “I specialize in digital marketing and audience engagement.”
2. Make it relevant: “In my last role, I developed a content strategy that increased engagement by 40% in six months.”
3. Prove the impact: “This led to a boost in brand awareness and a significant increase in customer inquiries.”
2. Asking for a Promotion
🚫 BEFORE:
"I’ve been here for a while and feel like I’m doing good work. I’d love to talk about a promotion."
✅ AFTER Using IMPACT:
1. Introduce the skill: “Over the past year, I’ve focused on improving our project management processes.”
2. Make it relevant: “I implemented a new tracking system that cut down email back-and-forth by 30%.”
3. Prove the impact: “This freed up 10 hours a month for the team, allowing us to complete projects ahead of schedule.”
3. Networking Event
🚫 BEFORE:
"I’m in HR."
✅ AFTER Using IMPACT:
1. Introduce the skill: “I specialize in helping professionals navigate workplace communication and career growth.”
2. Make it relevant: “I’ve worked with employees at all levels—coaching teams on leadership, boundary-setting, and professional development.”
3. Prove the impact: “My goal is to create work environments where people feel heard, valued, and set up for success.”
How to Craft Your Own Elevator Pitch Using IMPACT
Here’s a quick fill-in-the-blank template to make this easy:
Introduce the Skill: “I specialize in [your key skill].”
Make It Relevant: “In my experience at [company or role], I [specific achievement].”
Prove the Impact: “This led to [specific outcome].”
Example:
"I specialize in career coaching and workplace communication. In my experience running professional development workshops, I’ve helped professionals build confidence in advocating for themselves. This has led to hundreds of people successfully negotiating raises, landing promotions, and stepping into leadership roles.”
When you master your elevator pitch, you will feel more confident in professional conversations, position yourself for better career opportunities, and networking events will be exciting instead of dreadful.
So, the next time someone asks, "What do you do?" instead of freezing up, use the IMPACT framework and tell them a story they’ll remember.
Because you already have the experience, the skills, and the value—you just need the words to express them.
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