During an interview process you might be asked to prepare a
presentation as one of the steps in the recruitment process. Below, we want to
give you some tips to help you prepare for what might be considered a daunting
aspect of a recruitment process.
Main purpose of the presentation
Always keep in mind the main purpose of what the
presentation is meant to convey. Generally speaking, an interview presentation
is for the company to check if you have the ability to represent and sell the
organization (and yourself), to the internal and external stakeholders in the
position you are applying for. A
presentation is often also part of the recruitment process to check whether you
can structure and explain your experience and thoughts in a convincing manner.
If you are unsure about the purpose of the presentation, feel free to ask your
recruiter for more information.
Preparation
As with every task you do, preparation is key, so is the
case with an interview presentation. It is important to know who your audience
is. You have to adapt your presentation
to your audience, ensuring that you are presenting the facts which they would
want to hear. Furthermore, make sure you practice your presentation beforehand;
this will make you more confident in your presenting skills. Also, estimate the length of your presentation
as presentations or pitches during the recruitment process are often capped to
a certain time limit.
Structure
Every presentation should have a beginning, middle and an
end. Make sure you give an overview of your presentation and tell the audience
what they can expect. Your presentation should have a logical order and a clear
message. Always build up to your key message with strong arguments and
evidence. When speaking about the topic, make sure you convey your points with
conviction. Also be sure you believe the message you bring forward, if you
don’t believe it yourself, then the audience definitely won’t!
Delivery
When you think back on successful presentations you have
seen, the presenter was most likely always standing up. So if asked to do a presentation, follow this
example and make sure you stand up as well. Standing up when you are doing your
presentation shows confidence and control. Another important aspect in the
delivery of the presentation is to relax and speak slowly and with enough
volume for the audience to hear you. Speaking slowly allows the audience the
time to absorb the information you are providing to them.
Visual
Using PowerPoint, or an equivalent, makes it very easy to
have a visually attractive presentation. Make sure however that you take into
account that the visual aids you use are there to support you, not for you to
read word for word what is on the slides!
Questions
When starting your presentation, it is a good idea to tell
your audience that you will deal with any questions they might have at the end
of the presentation. This way it doesn’t interrupt your train of thought and
the flow of your presentation. Answering
questions at the end may give you additional opportunities to further expand on
your facts in the topic. Some people might play the “devil’s advocate” role and
confront you with opposing opinions, if this is the case, take your time to
reiterate your points and remain professional in your response. A good way to deal with this is to start
interacting with other members of the audience and ask for their opinions, so
it will become a group discussion. This
will also shows strong leadership skills, as you are open to discuss and ask
for other opinions.
If you are interested in more tips and tricks for your
interview process, have a look at Competency Based Interview Tips and How to
prepare for a Telephone Interview.
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