Network Like A Pro With The 30 Second Resume

Imagine if someone asked you “What do you do?” or “Tell me about yourself.” How would you answer them? Try to sell yourself in 30 seconds. No really. Try it right now. Ready? Go.

How did you do? Is your 30 second resume ready to go? The concept of the 30 second resume is the key to successful and effective networking. The goal is to take a simple question and turn it into a network building conversation.

When you’re meeting new people you need to have a quick 30 to 60 second long sales pitch ready. You might need it at a job interview, a networking event, a party, a meeting, or when sitting at a bar. You never know who you’re going to meet or where you’re going to meet them

Design your 30 second resume today so that it flows off your tongue when you need it. Here are a few tips to help you craft your 30 second resume:

• Define your current position. – What do you do? How do you do it? Can you put a positive spin on being unemployed, job hopping, or having an evil boss?
• List your skills and show your qualifications. – What makes you unique? How have you developed your resume?
• Eliminate the jargon. – Eliminate technical words that most people do not understand. We like the acronym K.I.S.S. – Keep It Simple Silly!
• Leave the listener wanting to learn more. – Give the listener a taste of what you do. Try to leave the listener with questions that will delve deeper and generate conversation. Conversation is the ultimate goal.
• Don’t fumble over your words. – Craft and practice your 30 second resume. Eliminate disfluencies and make sure the speech rolls off your tongue. Make it sound natural.
• State your goals. – If you know what you want, be sure to include your goals.
• Keep it relevant and eliminate the uninteresting details. – Hit on the big picture, not the boring stuff.
• Be positive. – No matter what, put a positive spin on everything. Negativity doesn’t help any situation.
• Be memorable. – When you stand out, people will remember you. That’s what you want.

Once you plan out what you want to say. Write it out and practice reciting it. This will help it sound fluid and will eliminate any awkward moments. Fine tune it until it really is just 30 seconds long. Feel free to develop multiple variations of your 30 second resume to accommodate different situations.

Learn more about crafting an attention-grabbing 30-Second Resume here.

You’ll need your 30 second resume ready when you lease expect it. Dial in the details and get ready to sell yourself. It’s one tool that will drastically improve your networking skills. Be sure to have a business card ready too!