On Looking Focused: And the 30 Second Pitch

Yesterday, I had lunch with a recruiter for one of the only five investment banks in New York hosting MBA information sessions this fall. The circles under her eyes and weary gaze were troubling to me: Despite the relative good health of her company, she is clearly directly experiencing the fallout from the turmoil at Lehman Brothers, Merrill, and the rest of the "Street." Among her current challenges: an increased traffic in candidates from competing firms, many of whom are not exactly sure what they are looking for yet in terms of a new career opportunity.

My friend and I agree that one of the biggest challenges for job seekers and current employees is looking focused in a time of turmoil. It is natural to want to explore your career options but you need to look focused when you speak to potential employers.

If you need to develop your own soundbite for exploration with potential opportunities (and interview preparation), I recommend 15secondpitch.com. This site provides a free "Pitch Wizard" that coaches you to develop a focused pitch targeted on the needs of your audience. At the conclusion of the pitch, your pitch will be placed on a template of a business card--if it doesn't fit, you know you need to condense and refine your message. If it does fit, you can even purchase the cards--and add your picture to increase your chances of "total recall."

Kudos to 15SecondPitch.com. for an innovative product that makes preparation work easier...