Learn more about developing an elevator pitch

When interviewing with potential employers, it’s important to communicate who you are, your value as a security professional, and what qualities you’re searching for in a potential job. A simple way to deliver this information succinctly is with an elevator pitch. An elevator pitch is a brief summary of your experience, skills, and background that should be communicated in 60 seconds or fewer.

Although an elevator pitch is often specific to an idea or a product, you can also use it to sell yourself as a professional to potential employers. In an interview, a strong elevator pitch can be used to stand out to your interviewer. It can be used to help explain why you’re a good fit for the role or to answer the popular interview question “tell me about yourself.” This reading helps you prepare your elevator pitch to express the value you can provide as an entry-level security analyst or a more experienced cybersecurity professional. 

Provide an introduction

Start by providing an introduction. Introduce yourself and give a brief overview of your professional background. Explain some job roles you’ve had, your years of work experience, and the types of industries you’ve worked in. If this is your first job in security, mention some of your past roles and skills used for those roles that can translate to success in the security field. Some of these skills can include attention to detail, goal-orientedness, and good collaboration skills.

Describe your career interests and transferable skills

Even if you’re interviewing for your first internship or job in security, it’s important to clarify that this is your desired career. For example, you could say, “I want to apply my excellent skills for collaborating with others, and my attention to detail, to help the security team protect company data and assets.” To determine which transferable skills to highlight in your elevator pitch, consider ones that you have already developed and how they might apply to your goals as a security professional, such as problem-solving, communication, and time management. 

Express your excitement

This is where you share your passion for the field and why you want to work in the industry. If you’re motivated to help an organization defend itself against hackers, mention that. This is also a good time to talk about your goals. 

For example, you could say, “I love security because it gives me the opportunity to safeguard valuable information from malicious actors attempting to cause unnecessary harm to people and organizations. Long term, I’d love to develop a security and hacker mindset to play my part in defending against the constantly evolving threat actor tactics and techniques.”

Communicate your interest in the company 

Communicating why you are interested in the company—and not just the role—is a great way to help the interviewer recognize that you are knowledgeable about the company. This helps you to establish a rapport with the interviewer and shows that you’ve done your due diligence before coming to the interview. 

For example, if you were interviewing for a position for Google’s security team, you could say, “Being a member of Google’s security team helps protect millions of people’s private and sensitive information. As a long-time Google products user, I’m looking forward to the opportunity to be able to help safeguard those products and ensure customers have the best experience possible.”

Key takeaways 

Creating an elevator pitch that's 60 seconds or fewer is a great tool to use to quickly share who you are. Use an elevator pitch to introduce yourself to career and business connections in the future. You can even use your elevator pitch in other types of situations, like meeting new friends or colleagues.