Obviously, second example generated greater interest. In this elevator speech, Chris whet appetite of his listener by providing results and highlighted what he could give to an employer, NOT what he wanted from a company.

When you draft your elevator speech it is important that you start by writing down specific deliverables that you can provide. Next, take these services and translate them into benefits that would appeal to a listener. While these benefits don’t have to synch up exactly to audience, they should be sound enough to elicit interest.

After this has been drafted, write an opening sentence. The best openers leave your listener interested in learning more. Imagine what Chris’ comment did for his audience - who wouldn’t want to know how he increased sales by 30%? It is also not necessary to include your title or name of a current employer.

When you have written basics, practice – a lot! No matter how exciting your elevator speech is, if you cannot deliver it effectively it is useless. Practice in front of a mirror, practice in front of your friends, record it and listen to it several times. When you are satisfied that you sound confident, professional and at-ease, try it out. Attend a local Chamber of Commerce mixer. This is a great way to mingle and practice your networking skills, including your newly minted elevator speech.

While your pitch is designed to be used when networking for perfect pharmaceutical job, it can be used anytime. Job interviews are a great place to use your elevator speech, especially when you are confronted with question “Why do you think you are right for this job”?

Remember that career design is not a single-pronged process and it is rarely a short endeavor. With proper preparation, research and right amount of effort, you will be assured of building your network, perfecting your presentation and discovering a variety of pharmaceutical opportunities.

Ryan Stewart is the Founder, Owner, and Administrator of first-class Pharmaceutical Sales Job Search Megasite PharmBoard.com

* Providing additional product information * Sending a news article on a topic related to your conversation * Birthday or work anniversary cards * Telephone call announcing new product launches

If you are dedicated to creating a full sales funnel, you need to use all your available tools to cultivate your prospects and turn them into sales. Remember that even if you are closing a lot of sales, it is essential that you continue to build your client list. Following up with your prospects will help you determine which ones are hot leads and which require periodic contact only. The whole premise is to build rapport with as many prospects as possible and get them to call you!

Please note that this article speaks in terms of making a sale and remember that your job search is exactly that. You are selling a product (yourself) to customers (networking contacts) on a daily basis. Spend some time thinking about how tips from this article can improve your networking skills. If you network correctly, you should never have to walk away from contact again thinking, "When should I call him/her next?".

Ryan Stewart is the Founder, Owner, and Administrator of first-class Pharmaceutical Sales Job Search Megasite PharmBoard.com