The concept of an Elevator Pitch can help you make the most effective and efficient use of the short window of opportunity called a Job Interview.

In a job interview, time is of the essence. You have a limited amount of time to impress upon your potential employer; your skills and experience, and demonstrate why you are the best candidate for the job. This is where the concept of the elevator pitch comes into play.

An elevator pitch is a brief, concise, and impactful communication delivered in the time it takes to ride an elevator, typically 30 to 60 seconds. The goal of an elevator pitch is to capture the listener's attention, make a strong impression, and leave them wanting to know more about you. Now, let's apply this to job interviews.

An average job interview lasts about 45 minutes, during which you have to convey your entire career, key achievements, your skills and capabilities and why you are the best fit for the role. It's a lot to cover as compared to the time available. That's why it's super critical to deliver your responses concisely and effectively. Every unnecessary word is a wasted word.

Hence, you need to be PREPARED with your responses. Be prepared with a concise impactful version of all the stories/examples/incidents that you would want to narrate in the interview. Being prepared enables you to Start-Speak-Shutup in a time-bound manner without rambling on and on until the interviewer interrupts.

During the job interview, you should ideally wrap up each response within a minute or two. If you take too long to answer a question, you risk losing the interviewer's interest, and you won't be able to cover all the things you want to showcase. The only question where you can take more time is "Tell me about yourself," which can take up to five minutes for less than 10 years of work experience and can go up to eight minutes if you have more than 15 years of experience.

Considering the above, you will get to talk about yourself and about 12-15 other responses in a 45-minute interview. That gives you ample opportunity to present your well-rounded personality and fitment for the job. Longer responses mean lesser number of opportunities for you to speak The key to delivering an effective elevator pitch during a job interview is to pick what you want to talk about and stick to it. If the interviewer asks you about your best project, your leadership skills, or a time when you failed miof serably, you should know exactly what you are going to say and wrap up within a minute or two with maximum impact - connecting the dots for the interviewer.

By delivering concise and effective answers, you demonstrate your communication skills and your ability to convey your ideas and experiences effectively. This approach also gives the interviewer more material to assess you on, making it more likely that you will stand out as a strong candidate for the job. In conclusion, an elevator pitch is not just a valuable tool but the primary mode of communication. By preparing in advance and delivering concise and impactful answers, you can make a strong impression and increase your chances of landing the job.