In
their 2009 book Brand You: Turn Your
Unique Talents into a Winning Formula.*, social scientists John Purkiss and
David Royston-Lee discuss the concept of the three-second statement: a brief (usually one- or two-sentence)
response to the question “What do you do?”
Often,
people who pose this query expect to hear about your career and professional
aspirations. But a three-second statement can communicate more than just what
you do for a living—including aspects of your personality, and passions of
yours that are unrelated to your vocation.
Why is it
important?
Like
an elevator pitch, the three-second statement is designed to convey information
in a clear, concise form. It permits you to instantly connect with individuals
whose interests are similar to your own, and can elicit further conversation
and idea-sharing.
Imagine
yourself at a typical social gathering, like a reception or mixer.
Introductions at suchlike events are typically brief—often less than ten
seconds—before the conversation drifts on to another topic. The next person you
meet could lead you to a great opportunity, and it never hurts to make an
endearing, memorable first impression. A succinct but informative description
of yourself will help you achieve exactly that.
Keep
the following principles in mind when crafting your three-second statement:
1. What is your unique
combination of attributes?
In
addition to your primary job, do you have another hobby or side gig that you
think may be of interest to people? What else are you passionate about?
Aim
to list two items—for example, “I’m a venture capitalist and hobby
photographer.” Or, “I’m an ophthalmologist and blues guitar player.”
Many
people have similar professional training, and most of us cannot realistically
claim to be the best or most qualified professional in our field. However, by
highlighting interests, passions, and personal attributes aside from our day
job, we can still stand out from the crowd.
2.
Tell your story.
After
your three-second statement, your conversation partner will likely follow up on
the item that most interests her (either your career or your hobby/side gig).
You can then elaborate on the topic in question. You may find that it’s helpful
to think in advance about how you would answer common follow-up questions,
like: How long have you been doing X? What do you most enjoy/find most
rewarding about it? What are some of the challenges involved?
3.
Keep business cards handy, and your website up-to-date.
If you
strike up a conversation with someone who is keen to learn more about you or
your work, but pressed for time (as many professionals are), you will find it’s
helpful to have business cards close at hand. A frequently-updated website with
a memorable, easy-to-spell URL likewise comes in handy for situations like
these.
4.
Test your three-second statement on a trusted friend or family
member.
Before
you put your three-second statement into practice, you may want to seek
feedback about it from a person you trust to offer constructive criticism.
Perhaps that individual will suggest that the items you’ve chosen are too
commonplace, or not sufficiently interesting or memorable. Or she may offer
fresh ideas that hadn’t occurred to you.
5.
Honesty is the best policy.
Don’t
even think about exaggerating your credentials. Odds are you will eventually
come across an expert interlocutor who can call you out on even minor
misrepresentations. Instead, strive to offer a realistic appraisal of your
skills, talents, areas of specialization, and past accomplishments. This is
another area in which the advice of a person you trust (see item 4. above) may prove useful.
*London: Artesian Publishing LLP, 2009.
