Business Etiquette/Elevator Pitch Workshop

1. Business Etiquette/Elevator Pitch Workshop UCSB Actuarial Association

2. Preparation • Company research • Make a document with 5 target companies • Write down what the company does, interesting facts, any questions that you may have, and why you’re interested in it • Try to have 1-2 unique, relevant questions for recruiters • Thoroughly going over your resume • Make sure you are able to explain every single project/activity listed in your resume • Attending info sessions, taking notes, and actively participating • Knowing what type of internship/job you’re looking for

3. Your Resume • Try to figure out the aspect which makes you stand out • Academics • High GPA, Honors student, etc • Hobbies/Extra-curriculars • Leadership roles • Projects • Research: Time Series project, Regression Analysis project • Experience • Previous internships, work experiences, etc

4. Appearance • Solid Eye Contact • Walk with confidence • Be sure to smile when you approach them :) • Business Formal • No dirt on your shoes or multi-colored socks • Padfolio and Pen • Straight Posture • Review your facts and questions while you’re in line

5. Women & Men Business Formal Attire

6. The talk • Strong, firm handshake with a smile • Hand your resume • Many recruiters may ask to see your resume at the very beginning while you speak to them • Go with their flow, not your flow • Try to find common topics to talk about • Add in strong highlights about yourself • Don’t read your entire resume to them (just focus on strongest aspects) • Use professional language while speaking • Talk about their company and internship program • Ask Good Questions

7. Thank You Letter • Make sure you note down the recruiter’s contact information • List down quick bullet points about what you talked about after meeting them • Send them a thank you email and give them a brief summary about your conversation so that they can remember you • “I really enjoyed talking to you about _____ and I hope to hear back from you soon” • “It was a pleasure to meet you yesterday and I truly learned a lot about the actuarial department at Pacific Life as well as its internship program. Thank you for answering my question about ___”

8. Elevator Pitch • Should not be more than a minute • Make the best first impression • Give your full name, smile, extend your hand for a handshake and add a pleasantry like, “It’s nice to meet you!”. • Include your class level, most relevant work experience, key strengths • Have a follow up question right after finishing your pitch

9. Elevator Pitch Examples • “Hi, my name is Maria and I am a 3rd year actuarial science major at UCSB. I believe I would be a strong candidate for Milliman’s internship program as I have 2 actuarial exams passed and I am sitting for my third exam in November. I am the Exam Coordinator of the Actuarial Association and I help prepare students with actuarial exams, offer them resources for exam material, and facilitate study groups. Additionally, I interned at Mercer last summer and I truly learned a lot about consulting, which will come in handy as I will be able to put my strong communication and problem-solving skills to use.” • “Hi, I’m Jake and I am a 1st year actuarial science major at UCSB. I attended the Fidelity info session yesterday and I had a great time learning about the internship program, work atmosphere, and day-to-day routine. I currently do not have any exams passed, however, I do intend on taking my first one in December. I am passionate about actuarial science because I always calculate the risks in my everyday life before making any decisions. Additionally, I am an active member of UCSB’s Actuarial Association, and I attend numerous professional, social, and academic workshops to learn more about the actuary field.”

10. Your Turn • Step 1: Start with a list of your strengths that you want to highlight • Step 2: Write down 3-4 sentences which include those strengths • Step 3: Revise and edit your script • Step 4: Practice, practice, and practice!