Are you ready for the toughest question: “So, tell us about yourself” in an interview?
An elevator pitch is your golden 30-60 second opportunity to make a powerful first impression. Whether you are at a career fair, an internship interview, or even applying for a campus leadership role, a solid pitch makes you stand out from the crowd.
We will take you through five elevator pitch examples for students covering career fairs, Internship interviews, Networking events, research introductions, and Campus leadership roles. Finally, we will work together to write a perfect 30-second elevator pitch about yourself!
What Makes a Strong Elevator Pitch for College Students?
A great elevator pitch is like a personal highlight reel or running your own “ commercial”! So what should it contain? Let’s have a look.
➤ Introduction: Start by saying who you are – a clear, concise intro.
➤ Your skills: Highlight what makes you unique. Spark interest by a skill, a project, or an experience that shows who you really are.
➤ Wrap up with a clear goal or an “ask”: what do you want? Is it an internship, a mentorship, or an opportunity?
Remember to tailor your pitch to suit the occasion. Keep it between 30 to 60 seconds and speak in a natural, conversational tone.
5 Elevator Pitch Examples for Students in Real Situations
The right pitch will open doors fast! Here are five elevator presentation examples you don’t want to miss!
1. Career Fairs and Recruitment Events
Can you deliver a killer elevator pitch with no academic qualifications? For a student, the goal of an elevator pitch is to start a conversation. Check the following example.
“Hi, I’m Emily, a junior majoring in Computer Science at the State University. I recently streamlined our student Club’s outdated event sign-up system, which cut registration time for members by 40%!
I have been following up on your company’s efforts on improving user experience, and keen to know about internship opportunities available this summer. What upcoming projects are you most excited about?”
🔎 Why this pitch works:
- Immediate introduction: Emily states her name, year, and major.
- A quantifiable achievement is stated: “Cut registration time by 40%.”
- Pitch is tailored to the recruiter: “Your company’s efforts on improving user experience.”
- A clear “Ask”: The goal is clear, Emily is looking for a summer internship.
You can also turn your elevator pitch into a polished, shareable presentation using AiPPT. We recommend the Dynamic Business Strategy PowerPoint Template.
Its clean layout, modern design, and structured slides make it perfect for showcasing your introduction, achievements, and goals clearly and professionally.
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2. Internship or Job Interviews
Facing your first job interview? When the interviewer says, “Tell me about yourself,” it’s up to you to make the most of the next 30 seconds. Here is an elevator pitch for students facing Job interviews.
“Thank you! I’m Sarah, a senior in finance, and I’m passionate about data-driven risk analysis. Throughout my coursework, I focused on predictive models. And last summer, I interned at a regional bank where I helped them identify risk across their investment portfolio.
I’m applying for the Financial Analyst position because I see a great opportunity to use my skills to support your growth in the APAC market.”
🔎 Why this Pitch Works:
- Sarah answers by stating her name, degree, and her passion.
- A relevant achievement is highlighted (Identify risk across investment portfolio).
- Clear goal/Ask (financial analyst position).
- Highlights the key advantages. Sarah smoothly matches her background to the company’s requirements.
To make your elevator pitch even more impressive, you can turn it into a polished presentation using AiPPT. For students facing internship or job interviews, this Pitch Deck PowerPoint Template is a perfect choice.
This template helps you clearly showcase your introduction, achievements, and career goals, helping you leave a strong impression in just 30 seconds.
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3. Networking Events or Industry Panels
In a networking event, the pitch changes from “I want a job “ to “ I value your insight!” It’s all about making connections. See this example.
Hi, I’m Maya, a sophomore studying marketing at UCLA. I’m running a marketing campaign for a local non-profit using A/B testing to optimize donor engagement. I saw you speaking earlier about shifting consumer habits, and I wanted to know how smaller brands can leverage platforms like TikTok for conversion. What’s the biggest challenge you see there?
🔎 Why this pitch works:
- Clarity: It’s immediately clear who Maya is and what she studies
- Demonstrates relevant experience: She is running a campaign with A/B testing.
- Hook: She has done her homework and ties up with the professional’s recent work.
- Conversation starter: The introduction ends with a clear, insightful question.
When attending networking events, your goal is to start meaningful conversations rather than directly asking for a job. To make your pitch stand out, you can create a professional, shareable presentation using AiPPT. This free Pitch Deck Presentation Template is ideal for this scenario.
In addition to clearly presenting who you are, highlighting relevant experiences, and framing thoughtful questions, you make it easier to engage professionals and leave a lasting impression.
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4. Professor or Research Introductions
Approaching your professor or research supervisor? You need to show that you are not looking for easy credit, but are willing to contribute to their work. Looks intimidating, right? Let’s break it down to an elevator pitch.
“Hi Professor Ben, I’m Andrew, a sophomore majoring in Environmental Science. I’m in your climate systems class and fascinated by how you break down complex data into real-world applications.
I’m involved in a campus sustainability project where I analyzed waste reduction patterns and presented the data to the student affairs office. I’m interested in your recent work on shoreline modeling and love the chance to support your team.
Do you have a few minutes to discuss a potential research role?”
🔎Why this pitch works:
- Clear and specific introduction that connects directly with the professor’s work.
- Highlights relevant experience in the sustainability project.
- Shows genuine interest: Reference to the professor’s recent work.
- Polite but a clear Ask: Discussion for a research role.
When introducing yourself to a professor or research supervisor, it’s important to show genuine interest and highlight relevant experience. You can make your elevator pitch more polished and professional using AiPPT. This best PowerPoint Template for Pitch Deck is perfect for this situation.
You can present your introduction using its clean and structured design, as well as showcase your relevant projects, and express your enthusiasm for contributing to their research.
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5. Campus Leadership & Project Pitches
Campus leadership pitch is different from all other personal elevator pitch examples we discussed. Here, you are not just selling your coding ability; you have to show that you are a visionary leader!
Let’s dive into an example.
“Hi, I’m Madison, the current treasurer of the engineering club. Last year, I managed the budget for our regional robotics competition team, helping to cut travel costs by 30%.
I’m running for student senate president because I see a gap between student expectations and the administration’s funding for mental well-being. I plan to launch a transparent scheme to employ three more counselors next year.
If you agree that student well-being is critical, vote for me and tell me how to improve my plan!”
🔎 Why this pitch works:
- Clarity and enthusiasm: Madison immediately defines her goal ( running for president).
- Credible achievement: She has managed to cut costs by 30%.
- Vision: She addresses a problem that relates to every student( mental well-being).
- Clear, actionable plan: recruit three new student counselors.
For campus leadership or project pitches, it’s essential to showcase your vision, achievements, and actionable plans clearly. AiPPT makes this easy with the Blue Canva Pitch Deck Template.
With a clean, organized layout, this template lets you showcase leadership achievements, outline actionable solutions, and captivate your audience.
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How to Write a 30-Second Elevator Pitch About Yourself?
We have seen five elevator speech examples, and now it’s time to write your one!
1️⃣ Perfect your draft: Start by writing the core elements we studied above ( who you are, what you do, and then what you want). If the draft goes over 45 seconds, start cutting. Chop, chop, chop until it’s lean, 30-second pitch.
2️⃣ Practice: Don’t just read the draft, say it like you mean it! Practice in front of a mirror until you get it really smooth. The goal is to have a conversational pitch rather than a robotic speech.
3️⃣ Simulate: Role-play with a friend, and ask them for honest feedback.
When the real opportunity arrives, you will be ready with those Examples of an elevator pitch we studied.
Conclusion
Making a lasting first impression is no longer stressful for you! You have studied elevator pitch examples for students, written your own Pitch, and practiced it. Now you are ready to walk into any room, trade fair, or interview and speak confidently.
And if you want to put down the pitch as a slideshow, just head to AiPPT and customise one of those wonderful templates.
Learn More About Elevator Speech for Students
Here are a few areas about personal elevator pitch examples that you might want to know more about.
1. How to write a 2-minute elevator pitch?
A two-minute pitch is not about speed but about impact. Focus on introducing yourself clearly, sharing a meaningful achievement, and connecting your story to the listener’s interests.
- Open the pitch strongly with a snapshot in the first 30 seconds. Your name, major, a one-sentence achievement, and the main problem you set out to resolve.
- Narrate your core story of a high-impact project. Dive deep, explain your process, and problem-solving skills.
- Connect the dots and ask. Bridge your story to the needs of the recruiter.
2. How to create a great elevator pitch with no experience?
Even without experience, you can make a strong impression by focusing on your skills, showcasing relevant projects, and clearly expressing your interest and goals to the listener.
- Identify your transferable skills from class or volunteering, like leadership or problem-solving.
- Highlight a project where you applied those skills.
- Show genuine interest in the project or role. State a clear goal or ask. Then, practice, practice!
3. What should I say in my elevator speech?
A strong elevator pitch for college students should clearly introduce you, highlight a key achievement, connect it to your listener, and state your goal or request. Here are four things any elevator pitch for college students should contain.
- The introduction: state your name, year, and academic area.
- Value statement: one high-impact achievement that shows what you can do
- The bridge: connect your achievement to the person you are talking to.
- Clear Ask/ Goal: state what you are looking for.
