If you were given 60 seconds to impress a room full of employers, what would you say?  Over the years this question has taken a life of its own, as CRMBA students  strive to make career-changing impressions and ultimately land that “dream job” interview.

“The Elevator Pitch is incredibly important as it sets the tone for what you’re all about,” says former MBA President Christie Lang. “Employers see it as an insight into who you are as a person and as a potential employee.”

The Elevator Pitch, as it’s known around the Rowe Building, is a nerve wracking professional development exercise that kicks off Interview Day. In a nutshell, each student is given one minute to convince employers from some of Canada’s leading firms to give them a “first impression interview” – putting each candidate’s experiences, ambitions and personalities centre-stage.

“The pitches are something we get excited for every year,” says Ally Howard, the program’s Corporate Residency Manager.  “The exercise adds another dimension to the application process and is an important part of a student’s personal brand and value proposition to our employers. It’s really remarkable what some students convey in under a minute.”

Last year’s pitches turned heads on Interview Day, as employers conducted a program-record 250 interviews, including 37 first impressions. As a result five candidates were hired based on their pitches, while the entire cohort secured a residency on time. In fact, the CRMBA Program has never had a student not get hired by an employer partner – a feat Howard and her team at Management Career Services plan to keep intact.

“I was nervous about my elevator pitch, not just because it was a daunting experience selling myself in 60 seconds to a large group of significant employers, but because it was the only opportunity for me to get that finance job I really wanted,” admits Heather Rashotte, who was successful in turning her pitch into a residency. “I was my awkward, funny, dorky self during my pitch and I used my perceived weaknesses as strengths. The whole experience was exhilarating, and I still use my pitch at various networking events in the corporate banking environment.”

Just recently, the 2015 CRMBA cohort condensed their list of attributes and experiences into mere seconds and successfully carried on the tradition.  CRMBA students are taught to leverage their resources, and past pitches have used props, recited poems, quoted famous speeches and even played sports – all in the spirit of securing a residency.

“Your goal isn’t to get a job with the elevator pitch. It’s to get people interested and excited about you enough that they want to get to know you better,” says Lang, who became a proud alumna in May. “Don’t try to pack everything you have to offer into 60 seconds; rather, make a positive and memorable impression on one key aspect of your personality or experiences.”

According to Career Coach and Executive Recruiter Rosemary Hook, there are a few “game-changing” components to perfecting your elevator pitch.  A champion pitcher makes every second count and strives to be memorable, agile and relevant. At the end of the day, your personal brand sinks or swims during your pitch.

“If you can get through a solo pitch in front of a packed room, you can do anything,” says CRMBA student Megan Maltby, who recently completed her residency with First Angel Network. “I think the elevator pitch really gives students the opportunity to overcome a major hurdle. The confidence that I gained after getting through my pitch carried over into my interviews, my residency and hopefully for the rest of my career.”

Dalhousie’s CRMBA program prides itself on teaching and cultivating its students beyond the classroom. A strong emphasis is placed on personal and professional development, and the elevator pitch is a leap in the right direction.

“In my job now I constantly need to make an impression about myself and my company in a very short period of time,” explains Lang, who currently works for CarbonCure Technologies.  “The ability to give an effective pitch is a skill that you’ll continually use throughout your entire career.”