It’s time for the second interview, and they’ve asked you to present - but how do you show what you know without sending people to sleep with your slides? We provide some top tips to ensure success.
The phenomenon of ‘death by PowerPoint’, or subpar use of presentation software, is one of those things that we all agree is a bad thing. However, when interview nerves strike, it can be all too easy to hide behind our presentation decks. The result is usually some unpalatable combination of too many slides, tiny fonts and unimaginative imagery.
In the course of our daily work, where decks are produced often and on short notice, some of these excesses may be forgivable. But at an important job interview, where you need to perform at your very best, your presentation needs to be up to the mark, too. We outline some top tips on slide design and presenting at interviews.
Keep the interviewer engaged, make them think and question
This is as much about how you fit with them as them fitting with you. Think of your presentation as one half of a conversation that you will lead, rather than a monologue where you will bludgeon them with facts and statistics. You need to take your listeners with you, get them participating in the argument or story you are developing.
Always consider the 80/20 rule of engagement
Of course, you want to create some impact and gain attention, but that needs to be backed up by substance. So, aim for 20% of your slides and talk to be thought-provoking and challenging, and the remaining 80% to be insightful or informative. Keep this balance all the way through so your audience keeps listening and is then rewarded for their attention with new knowledge. Remember that it’s only when people are listening that they can gain any understanding.
When you’re building slides, think simplicity
True simplicity comes from real intelligence. It takes a lot of work to craft a simple idea – a lot of time thinking about what to leave out, and how to distil everything down to one great point or example rather than an under-confident handful. Use your imagination - no one wants to see another light bulb representing creative thinking!
Get them glancing
A good slide should work on the principle of ‘glance technology’. Essentially, you want your listener to glance, get interested, and then move to you, the speaker, for greater depth.
Less is more
When it comes to slides, think ‘1 slide = 1 message’. This will give you greater control over the subject, and you can stay on each slide as little or as long as you like. It’s also important to remember that not every point needs to be backed up with a slide.
Never give away the story
You’d be annoyed if the last chapter of the book you were reading was revealed on page three. This is why bullet points often hinder rather than help – your audience reads on and gets to the punchline ahead of you. Your slides should leave your listener wanting more.
Morph for impact
The recent PowerPoint addition of the new transition tool Morph is a game changer. Morph allows you to move and enlarge shapes, pictures and text with one simple movement. What used to take hours now takes minutes, making your slides look like the work of the marketing team. Take care not to overdo it – your slides should enhance your presentation, not distract from it.
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