Presenting yourself

Depending on your work situation you sometimes present yourself and at other times your project or idea, or both. In different situations you'll need different presentations such as the elevator pitch at a networking meeting or job interview, the pitch in a competition and an online presentation on websites and social media.

Online

You often already present yourself online, via social media or your own website. Maybe you have a resume, biography, artist statement and/or portfolio on one of these media to which you can refer. You can also connect with people through social media by regularly sharing new developments.

Also pay attention to what appears when you google yourself. There may also be things that you do not want to present yourself with, for example when you are going to apply for a job. See if you can remove these items or have an explanation ready.

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Publicity

Portfolio

Pitch

The term 'pitching' is used in all the arts. One definition of 'pitch' is 'sales presentation'. You sell yourself, your idea or your project to interested parties. The pitch is short, original and concise. Pitching takes place in the context of a competition, at a festival or on a (digital) platform. Usually it is a live presentation. Sometimes the term pitch is used for a written account of your idea.

There are all kinds of platforms where creative minds can present their ideas, such as TED and Het beste idee van Nederland, as well as crowd-funding sites such as Crowdaboutnow and Voordekunst. Each organisation or platform where you can pitch determines the precise amount of time available for your pitch, but assume somewhere around 5 to 10 minutes. Make sure to keep your target group in mind. You hold a different pitch to potential customers or clients than to a fund that provides grants.

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Networking

Elevator pitch

The elevator pitch is between 30 seconds and 2 minutes and primarily targets the network environment. You use it at a party, seminar, or interval in a performance, but also during a job interview. It is a short presentation in which you enthusiastically explain who you are and what you do.

The elevator pitch starts by making a good entry to attract the attention of your conversation partner. You then proceed to explain who you are, what you stand for, and what you are good at. It is a good idea to end with a request. That makes an impression on the interested party and ensures that you are registered better in the mind of your conversation partner. 

Pecha Kucha

Pecha Kucha is a concept for giving short, powerful and creative presentations. The name derives from a Japanese word for ‘chit chat’. It consists of a presentation of 20 slides, on each of which the speaker comments for 20 seconds. Each slide is shown for exactly 20 seconds, resulting in a total presentation time of 6 minutes and 40 seconds. There are several Pecha Kucha nights in Dutch cities, usually with participants from the creative sector.

Making business phone calls

The first impression determines the image people have of you, even if that is by telephone. Making a call can be complicated because you can not see each other and you can not judge the mood of your interlocutor. With a proper preparation, the chance of a successful conversation is better.

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Business phone calls

General tips

  • Be well-prepared;
  • Be consistent. Don't present yourself online completely different than you would in a cv or a pitch. Also think about appropriate clothing;
  • First the relation, then the information;
  • Mention important information twice, using different words;
  • Be positive and enthusiastic.

A showreel is a portfolio in the form of an edited film. It can be a visual collection of previous work edited on catchy music, but you can also make a new film to demonstrate your skills. What you show depends on your discipline and experience. Start with what you are most proud of and always make clear what your part is in the material used. Make it as short as possible, but certainly no more than five minutes.