elevator speech

at work a couple of weeks ago someone asked me what i want to be when i grow up. he wasn't being an ass, just curious to know where i wanted to take my career, what i wanted to do at the company i'm with or how i fit in with the growth. i didn't know how to answer. i was lost for words. i stumbled through a circuitous response, hoping to sort of saying everything and nothing, and he interrupted and said, "because i think you have a sense for things." i tried to take his words and make them mine, but they were too new, i didn't know how to structure that idea into something that would make sense.

i think you have a sense for things

when i'm being immodest, i like to think of myself as a renaissance man, someone that knows "stuff." stuff about art, literature, music, movies. i can carry a fairly in-depth conversation with anyone about those subjects and never feel out of place, i know just enough to make someone that knows more than me comfortable about talking about these things. so, for instance, i could discuss modern architecture with someone because i know just enough to get them to run with it, which is something i truly enjoy, if i can have an audience with someone that really knows their stuff, i want to hear what they have to say, and, it doesn't help that most people that Know, enjoy telling people what they know.

but knowing isn't enough. one of the primary traits that amazes me about chomsky or hitchens or dawkins or rushdie or any of the incredibly smart people i've listened to is their ability to converge information. so, not just knowing this or that, but knowing how this is similar to that. convergence mystifies me. the way hitchens seamlessly moves from talking about jesus to world war 1 to roger federer is intense and beautiful. now, i'm no where near the people i've mentioned, but i do have the ability to make sense of something through the understanding of something else. in fact, it's how i learn best. without a frame of reference i feel lost. the trick is to have a large frame of reference. if you can pull in a ton of information, sift through it and match up the pieces that fit, you're converging.

having a diverse background and interests helps. i've had all sorts of jobs. some pretty technical, others not at all. i like everything. i'm a computer geek, sports jock, book reader, outdoorsman. and i guess when someone says i have a sense for things it means i'm able to understand something or someone because of my relevant history.

elevator speech

an elevator speech is a 15 second pitch, you're supposed to be able to explain everything you can bring to the table in the 15 seconds it takes to get to the next floor on an elevator, something like that. the elevator can be anything really. if you bump into a hiring manager at a dream-job company at a conference or restaurant or whatever, you're supposed to be able to sell them on how badass you are. obviously, my elevator speech needs a lot of work.

but what would i say? what does someone that has a sense for things say? how is that a marketable trait? when i was talking to the guy that asked what i wanted to be when i grow up, i told him i like to be involved in diverse projects, the more i know about, the more useful i am. and i guess that's not true for everyone. some people want to focus on something highly specialized and dominate in their field. i don't have a field. i don't think i really want a field. but because i don't have a field, what is my primary marketable trait? isn't society becoming more specialized? isn't it not enough to be a lawyer or a doctor or a technical writer? don't you have to be an IP lawyer and a podiatrist and contract document specialist?

i'm not sure what i would say, but i won't be unprepared next time. i'll have to figure out a way to make it seem like what i bring is absolutely indispensable to a business. (i think it is, but i want to make sure my audience does too!!)