Interview presentations are a popular choice for interviewers. That’s because they get to assess different skills like organisation and communication. But job interview presentations come in different shapes and sizes. You may need to give a powerpoint presentation about yourself. Or you could be asked to sell a product or give a presentation about a topic.
Either way, there are some key things to remember when you’ve got an interview with a presentation. Follow these tips to crush your interview!
What skills are employers assessing during an interview presentation?
Of course, the presentation is part of the interview process for a reason. It’s to assess a variety of hard and soft skills:
- Communication
- Persuasiveness
- Confidence
- Organisation
- Attention to detail
- Written skills
- IT skills
- Time management
- Research
- Ability to work under pressure
12 tips to smash your interview presentation
Read the brief
Before even putting your presentation together, go back and read the brief. Make sure you’ve understood the assignment before getting to work. Many people will overlook important details in the brief. But interviewers assess your attention to detail to see if you’ll stick to the brief.
Frame your presentation
Always start by framing your presentation. This means explaining what you’re going to cover during the presentation. This helps the audience feel comfortable and know what to expect.
Use images and white space
If you’re making a powerpoint presentation, make sure you include lots of images and white space. Don’t just fill your slides with text. This is a quick way to put your audience to sleep!
Keep it uniform
Make sure all your slides follow the same format. That means using the same colours, same borders and positions for titles. This makes it look neater and is easier for the audience to follow. This will show the employer you’ve got an eye for detail too.
Use brand colours
To really make your presentation pop, use the company’s brand colours. This is an extra little detail that shows you’ve put thought into your presentation. It’s the little touches that make a big impression.
Use statistics
Statistics are a GREAT way to engage an audience. Whatever point you’re trying to make, use statistics to strengthen your argument.
Engage the audience
Be sure to include your interviewers in the presentation. Ask them a few questions throughout the presentation to keep them on their toes.
Make eye contact
Don’t spend the whole time staring at your powerpoint presentation. Be sure to engage the audience by looking at them as much as possible.
Stick to the timeframe
One of the skills the interviewers will be testing is your time-keeping skills. So make sure you don’t overrun. Practise your presentation before the interview day. And keep timing yourself to make sure it runs smoothly.
Proofread
There’s nothing more embarrassing than giving a presentation with a huge typo on the screen. Always double and triple-check your work. The interviewers may mark you down for typos!
Take cue cards
Prepare some cue cards to help prompt you throughout your presentation. You might not need them. But it’s good to have them handy in case stage fright gets the better of you.
Leave time for questions
At the end of your interview, you’ll have time to ask the interviewer questions. So you should also leave time at the end of your presentation for questions from the interviewer. This is an essential part of any presentation.
Breathe deep!
As much as you prepare for your presentation, it’s still a daunting experience. Just remember to take a deep breath before you begin.
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