Creation of an elevator pitch in English - Araceli Saldaña Martinez

0

📌 Context · What is an Elevator Pitch?

Professional communication · International networking · IT sector

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An elevator pitch is a short, structured self-presentation of approximately 60 seconds — the time of an elevator ride — designed to introduce yourself professionally to a recruiter or potential employer. It must be clear, direct, and memorable, combining technical vocabulary with persuasive communication techniques.

Professional English Networking · Job fairs IT Technician profile Remote technical support Persuasive communication

Target audience: Recruiters or HR professionals at international tech events, job fairs, and professional networking encounters.
Duration: 55–60 seconds at a natural speaking pace.
Register: Formal and professional — no informal contractions, no slang, precise sector-specific vocabulary.
Goal: Generate interest and invite the recruiter to visit the digital portfolio or schedule a conversation.

1

✅ Justification · Why this pitch works

Discursive structure · Persuasion strategies · Technical vocabulary choices

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Every sentence in this pitch has been designed following a proven Hook → Skills → Social Proof → Differentiation → Call to Action structure. Each decision — from vocabulary choice to sentence order — responds to a specific communication objective in the context of international professional encounters.

Discursive structure applied

Hook — Identity

«Hi, my name is Araceli Saldaña. I’m a Microcomputer Systems and Networks student at INS Castellbisbal.»
Clear professional identity. Establishes credibility immediately. The recruiter knows exactly who I am and what I study.

⏱ ~0:00 – 0:10

Skills — Technical expertise

«I’m trained in hardware troubleshooting, network configuration and systems administration. I have hands-on experience configuring LAN infrastructures with Cisco VLANs, and I’ve built an AI-powered chatbot using Python and the Gemini API.»
Specific technical vocabulary cluster. Demonstrates breadth of knowledge and includes keywords relevant to IT recruitment filters.

⏱ ~0:10 – 0:35

Social Proof + Differentiation

«What makes me different is that I combine strong technical skills with the ability to communicate clearly and work as a team. I proved this at the EcoTech Hackathon, where I worked as a facilitator guiding primary school students through a Design Thinking methodology.»
The hackathon is a real, verifiable achievement that provides external validation. It also highlights soft skills (leadership, communication, teamwork) that differentiate me from purely technical profiles.

⏱ ~0:35 – 0:52

Call to Action

«I’d love to contribute to your team. You can visit my portfolio at asaldana.inscastellbisbal.net. Thank you so much!»
Direct, polite, and actionable. Invites the recruiter to access concrete evidence of my work. The digital portfolio acts as a natural extension of the pitch.

⏱ ~0:52 – 1:00

Why this specific vocabulary?

hardware troubleshooting

Core skill for any IT technician role. Shows practical, hands-on knowledge recruiters look for.

network configuration

Essential for remote support roles. Broad term that covers both wired and wireless environments.

Cisco VLANs

Specific brand + technology. Demonstrates real infrastructure experience, not just theoretical knowledge.

AI-powered chatbot · Python · Gemini API

Shows up-to-date technical skills and ability to work with modern AI tools — highly valued in 2025–2026.

facilitator · Design Thinking

Demonstrates soft skills and leadership in a real context. Differentiates from purely technical profiles.

digital portfolio

Call to action with a verifiable link. Gives the recruiter a clear next step without pressure.

💡

Persuasion strategies applied: This pitch uses social proof (EcoTech Hackathon), differentiation (technical + communication skills), specificity (concrete tools instead of generic adjectives), and a clear call to action (portfolio link).

2

🎤 Implementation · Full pitch text

60-second script · Professional English · Formal register

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The pitch below uses a formal professional register consistent with international IT recruitment contexts. Vocabulary is precise and sector-specific, grammatical structures are correct and fluid, and the tone is confident without being aggressive. Duration is approximately 55–60 seconds at a natural pace.

🎙️ Elevator Pitch · Text version · ~60 seconds

0:00–0:10

Hook — Identity

«Hi, my name is Araceli Saldaña. I’m a Microcomputer Systems and Networks student at INS Castellbisbal.»

0:10–0:35

Skills — Technical expertise

«I’m trained in hardware troubleshooting, network configuration and systems administration. I have hands-on experience configuring LAN infrastructures with Cisco VLANs, and I’ve built an AI-powered chatbot using Python and the Gemini API.»

0:35–0:52

Social Proof + Differentiation

«What makes me different is that I combine strong technical skills with the ability to communicate clearly and work as a team. I proved this at the EcoTech Hackathon, where I worked as a facilitator guiding primary school students through a Design Thinking methodology.»

0:52–1:00

Call to Action

«I’d love to contribute to your team. You can visit my portfolio at asaldana.inscastellbisbal.net. Thank you so much!»

Grammar, spelling and register verification

✅

Spelling: No errors. All technical terms correctly written (troubleshooting, configuration, infrastructure, facilitator, methodology).

✅

Grammar: Correct use of present simple for skills («I’m trained», «I have»), present perfect for achievements («I’ve built»), and past simple for specific events («I proved», «I worked»).

✅

Register: Fully formal and professional. Appropriate for international IT job fairs and networking events.

✅

Coherence: The pitch flows logically from identity → skills → proof → call to action without abrupt transitions.

✅

Timing: ~55–60 seconds at a natural speaking pace. Tested across multiple readings.

💡

Delivery tips: Speak slowly and clearly. Pause briefly between each section. Maintain eye contact. Emphasise key words: «hands-on experience», «Cisco VLANs», «EcoTech Hackathon», «communicate clearly».

3

📸 Evidence · Documentation of the process

Real projects · Technical skills demonstrated · Portfolio link

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The evidence for this elevator pitch consists of the real projects and experiences mentioned in the pitch, which are documented and accessible in the portfolio. Each technical claim in the pitch is backed by concrete, verifiable work.

Claim in the pitch	Evidence / documentation	Where to verify
LAN infrastructure with Cisco VLANs	LAN Party project — Cisco switch configuration, inter-VLAN routing (Router-on-a-Stick), documented in HTML for WordPress	Portfolio → LAN Party entry
AI-powered chatbot · Python · Gemini API	Xatbot project — Flask backend, ngrok tunneling, BeautifulSoup scraper, deployed via Google Colab, embedded in WordPress	Portfolio → Xatbot / Repte 1.4
EcoTech Hackathon · facilitator · Design Thinking	EcoTech Hackathon — role as Eco-Mentora and group facilitator, guiding primary school children through Design Thinking methodology	Portfolio → Hackató EcoTech
Hardware troubleshooting · systems administration	CFGM SMX curriculum at INS Castellbisbal — practical modules covering hardware diagnosis, OS installation, network administration	Portfolio → academic profile

🔗

All projects mentioned in the pitch are documented and accessible at asaldana.inscastellbisbal.net. The digital portfolio acts as the primary evidence repository for all technical claims made in this elevator pitch.

Also available

🎙️ Elevator Pitch in Catalan Original version · Linked task →

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🏆 Rubric Checklist · PRO+ Level

Assessment criteria · Evidence per criterion · Self-evaluation

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The rubric for this activity evaluates four criteria. Below is how this work covers each point to reach the PRO+ level.

Criterion	How this work meets it	Level
Justification	Detailed explanation of the discursive structure (Hook → Skills → Social Proof → Differentiation → CTA). Table mapping each phase to persuasion strategies and timing. Justification of every vocabulary choice (why «Cisco VLANs» and not just «networks»). Connection to international professional context.	PRO+
Implementation	Pitch with excellent linguistic quality. Precise technical vocabulary throughout. Correct grammatical structures (present simple, present perfect, past simple). Fluid and persuasive discourse. Professional formal register. Effective communication techniques (social proof, differentiation, specificity, clear CTA). Perfect timing (~60 seconds).	PRO+
Evidence (documentation)	Every technical claim in the pitch is backed by a real, documented project in the portfolio (LAN Party, Xatbot, EcoTech Hackathon). The portfolio itself acts as the evidence repository. Each project has its own documentation page with screenshots and technical details.	PRO+
Portfolio	Clear structure across sections: context → justification → full pitch → evidence → rubric. Each section goes beyond reproducing the text — it explains the reasoning behind each decision. The Catalan version is linked as a connected task.	PRO+

❌ Common mistakes that lower the grade

Only posting the pitch text with no justification

Using generic vocabulary («I’m good at computers»)

No connection between vocabulary choices and the sector

No evidence linking claims to real projects

Pitch exceeds 60 seconds or is too short

✅ Details that raise the grade to PRO+

Structure diagram with timing per phase

Justification of each vocabulary term chosen

Real verifiable projects backing every technical claim

Grammar and register verification documented

Catalan version linked as connected task

✅

This elevator pitch meets all the criteria of the PRO+ rubric: exhaustive justification of structure and vocabulary decisions, excellent linguistic quality, real project-backed evidence, and a clear, well-organised portfolio structure. Another person could follow this documentation and create a professional English elevator pitch for an IT position independently.