5 Ways to Nail Your Job Interview Presentation

Around 75% of the population is afraid of public speaking. So if you feel like you don’t even know where to start when it comes to presenting during a job interview, you’re not alone.

Presentations during the interview process are, how do I say this….. interesting. For the majority of interviewers, they are not necessarily worried about the context of your presentation per se. Instead, they want to see how confident you are at articulating your thoughts to a larger group.

I’ve coached dozens of clients now on how to prepare for an interview presentation and now I want to share my top tips with you, too!

WHAT ARE THE GOALS OF A JOB INTERVIEW PRESENTATION?

The goal of assigning a presentation during an interview setting is 3-fold:

  1. The interviewers may want to understand your baseline knowledge or skill set 

  2. The interviewers may want to reinforce that you are as competent in-person as you are on paper. It is one thing to have a great resume, but it is another thing to execute during a conversation or a presentation.

  3. Keeps the interview open-ended. It is a better way to get to know you than just asking you questions.

FIVE WAYS TO NAIL A JOB INTERVIEW PRESENTATION

  1. Ask questions first. When you are notified that you’ll be giving a presentation by the interviewer, ask more upfront questions, like:

    1. How long do you have for the presentation?

    2. Who will be in the audience for the presentation?

    3. What is the expectation/goal of this presentation?

    4. Do you have time for Q&A at the end?

  2. Brainstorm & focus on what you already know. You typically do not have that long to create a new presentation, so if the interview is open-ended, build a presentation on a topic you already are comfortable with that makes you look like an outstanding fit for the position. Make sure the topic you chose is closely related to the role you are interviewing for. Focus on showing off what will make you the best fit for this position. 

  3. Work backwards. 

    1. Know what questions will you answer in this presentation. It is easy to get lost in the material and the weeds of the content. If you focus on what specific questions you want to address in the presentation you are less likely to get 

    2. Have a clear roadmap of the material you want to present. Build an outline for how will you break up the introduction, details, summary, & Q&A portions of your presentation. These will cut down on awkward pauses and transitions.

  4. Less is More. Don’t overwhelm your audience. Add less material and content on the slides. That way, you won’t have to read tons of content off a slide and you can spend more time naturally presenting. You are the leader of this presentation, not the slides!

  5. Practice makes perfect. I would shout this from a mountaintop if I could, but you should always practice before a presentation or interview. In fact, reviewing everything and practicing statements showcasing your value are ESSENTIAL to nailing a job interview. So, after you put your presentation together, make sure to rehearse with someone before your interview.

For more insight into how you can level up your interviewing skills, consider my one-on-one interview prep services! You may also join my Career By Design membership. You’ll gain expert guidance and a network of professionals that will help you thrive in your career!

 
 

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Ashlee Klevens Hayes