The electrothermal technique is developed to simultaneously measure the specific heat and thermal conductivity of individual thin samples suspended across two heat sinks, resorting to pulsed direct currents with or without a dc offset. The temperature evolution due to Joule self-heating is recorded and compared with the numerical solutions of transient heat conduction equations using the finite volume method. The thermal conductivity is determined by the steady temperature level and the specific heat by the transient temperature rise or relaxation. This technique is applied to a 10 microm thick platinum wire and the thermal conductivity and specific heat are in good agreement with the literature values. In addition, the influences of thermal radiation and thermal boundary resistance between the sample and heat sinks on the experimental results are discussed.