Introduction

The elevator pitch, often the most pivotal aspect of your interview, heavily influences the jury’s perception of you. It’s their first glimpse of you beyond your written application. For some, it’s a nerve-wracking experience, discussing yourself while the jury listens for just two minutes. The good news is that it’s predictable and entirely within your control. You can prepare, iterate, and perfect it. In this course, we’ll show you that crafting your elevator pitch can be an enjoyable process.

Module 1: What is the elevator pitch

Moment of Freedom

These two minutes are your canvas. You can say what you want, how you want, as long as it connects to the dual degree program. This is your moment to discuss what you’re comfortable with, setting the stage for more questions and addressing potential weaknesses – it’s up to you.

What the Elevator Pitch Is Not

Your elevator pitch should never be a mere list of achievements or examples; the jury has your CV for that. It should never be a repetition of your written application; that’s simply dull.

Objectives

Your elevator pitch should achieve several objectives:

  • Provide a clear and relevant summary of who you are, why the dual degree is perfect for you, and why you’re the ideal fit.
  • Introduce yourself to the jury, reminding them of the key points in your application, your experiences, and your motivations.
  • Guide the rest of the interview by offering cues for further questions.
  • Demonstrate your ability to summarize, organize your thoughts, and engage in a discussion rather than recitation.

Module 2: How to craft your elevator pitch

– Be Yourself: The recommendations provided here are meant to guide you, but the most crucial aspect is that your elevator pitch reflects your personality and motivation. Craft it in your own unique style.

– Worst Case Scenario: To avoid the worst-case scenario of not finishing your presentation and having the jury cut you due to time constraints, consider presenting it in two parts.

First Part (10/20 seconds): Provide the essentials as an introduction to your elevator pitch.

Second Part (1 minute 30 seconds): Delve into the development of your arguments with examples. This structure ensures the most critical points of your application are presented upfront.

– What We Recommend: A structured and logical argument populated with concrete examples. The structure of your elevator pitch should include:

  1. Introduction: Include your name, age (if desired), citizenship, your current activities and/or your aspirations, and why you’re applying to this dual degree program (all in one sentence). In other words, this first sentence should be the common thread that you have already developed in your personal statement.
  2. Development: Present your key arguments logically and with supporting examples.

Example:

Argument 1: I am Italian and French. I’m aware of the stereotype of applying to a Sciences Po dual degree program because of an international perspective, but I really believe that in the current context of the rise of populism in Europe, having multiple perspectives has allowed me to gain critical thinking. I’d like to develop this further by studying both the French and American perspectives, both facing growing populism.

Argument 2 (Answering a challenge): After working as a waiter for a year after high school, I became frustrated with the lack of intellectual stimulation. Realizing my passion for politics, I began watching parliamentary debates for an hour daily. This Sciences Po dual degree became the evident choice for me, offering a chance to understand politics on both sides of the Atlantic.

-Importance of Structure: Your elevator pitch should be well-organized to showcase your clarity and organizational skills. Ensure overall coherence in your presentation, maintaining focus on the primary objective: explaining why you’re applying to the dual degree program and why you’re an excellent fit.

-The Importance of Your Way of Communicating: In addition to the content, your delivery is crucial. Convey authenticity and passion; avoid rushing or overloading your presentation. Communicate clearly, maintaining a formal tone while avoiding excessive abbreviations or slang.

Exercise 1:

1) Re-read your personal statement. What is your common thread? What is the core of what you want to tell the jury about who you are and why you are applying to the dual degree? Write it down, this should be your introduction.

2) How can you justify your introduction statement? What are the arguments that lead to the overall statement “I am X and I want to apply to this dual degree because of Y”? Select the two or three most important ones and write them down. This is your development.

3) Find examples: Are there specific experiences that justify your arguments? You might have written them in your personal statement or decided not to include them because you had already reached the word count. Now is a great opportunity to illustrate the same argument with different examples! Remember, the jury will have read your personal statement, so no need to repeat everything.

Exercise 2:

Give structure to your elevator pitch. Remember, you need to make it easy for the jury to follow. Take your elevator pitch and add linking words (e.g., “first,” “also,” “as well,” “finally”) to make your arguments clearer and facilitate the jury’s understanding.

Exercise 3:

Anticipate your discussion with the jury. Your elevator pitch should trigger the jury’s curiosity and make them want to ask you more questions. For each of your arguments, leave a small question unanswered or give a hint at the fact that you have more to say and anticipate a question that the jury might ask you.

Exercise 4:

Ensure that all your arguments answer the question, “Why are you applying to this dual degree, and why are you a good fit?” You don’t need to repeat the question every time, but use it as a guide to ensure your arguments are articulated effectively.

Module 3: Time Considerations

– Importance of Time: Your elevator pitch should be around 2 minutes. Going below 1.5 minutes means you’re not fully utilizing your time, and exceeding 3 minutes may lead to the jury cutting you off. In these two minutes, you must convince the jury of various aspects, including your maturity, knowledge of the dual degree, flexibility, and intellectual curiosity.

– Be Flexible with Time: Depending on the jury’s reactions, you might need to adjust your pitch. This flexibility allows you to demonstrate your ability to synthesize and develop information as needed.

Exercise 5:

– Time yourself while delivering your presentation for 2 minutes. If it’s too long, make necessary cuts.

– Repeat the exercise for 1 minute and make adjustments, including anecdotes and examples.

– Then, practice delivering your pitch in 30 seconds, which will help you identify the core of your argument.

Exercise 6:

– Start by reading your presentation, and then say it without reading. You’ll notice changes in timing, so practice several times. Maintain authenticity and avoid reciting your presentation verbatim.