Preparation can help make job search successful
Amy Lindgren owns Prototype Career Service, a career consulting firm in St. Paul. She can be reached at alindgren@prototypecareerservice.com or at 626 Armstrong Avenue, St. Paul, MN 55102.
What happens when one of the most stressful events in modern life — the panel interview — collides with one of the most-feared activities — public speaking? That’s the situation when job candidates are asked to give a short demonstration of their product knowledge or some other hiring criteria as part of the interview.
In the best case scenario, the candidate’s presentation helps clinch the offer. Less optimally, the candidate risks nullifying a favorable impression by giving a poor presentation. Of course, no one sets out to do poorly in these situations. It’s just what happens sometimes when nerves combine with unfamiliar tasks in high-stake circumstances.
As with so many of the challenges presented by a job search, the secret to success is preparation. Here are some steps to help you make the killer presentation you know you’re capable of.
Pre-prep
Before you can create your presentation, you need to clear up some logistical points.
1. Get the details about the meeting. Who will be present, how long is the interview, how long should the presentation be, what points or topic do they want you to cover?
2. Ask about technology. What presentation equipment is in the room, and is there a tech person? Connecting with this person in advance can help ensure compatibility with your equipment and other points so you don't have to pester the interview team.
3. Decide. PowerPoint? Internet? Animation? As a word of advice from a very seasoned presenter, I'll tell you this: The less dependency you have on electronics, the better. Unless you're interviewing for a video animation job, your audience won't be grading you on how many moving parts your materials contain. But they will downgrade you for animation that fails or for content that falls short because all your energy went into making a dancing bear.
That said, if you’re not used to PowerPoint or other technical aspects of today’s standard presentations, accept this as a challenge to get up to speed. Enlist a friend to help you create the slides so you can concentrate on the content, and on learning the logistics of advancing slides while maintaining eye contact with your audience.
Preparation
Now you’re ready to create your presentation.
1. Organize the content. To start, identify the main points you're covering, then create the "flow" by making an outline, writing a narrative, or speaking into a recorder. Divide the content into five or 10 slides (less is more when it comes to presentations). Don't go overboard on editing at this stage; just get things organized.
2. Write your intro and conclusion. Again, less is more. Go for three or four sentences for each part. Don't try to be groundbreaking: Strike a balance between giving a very elementary presentation and one that only the top people in the industry could appreciate.
3. Proofread, then print your materials. If you've kept the slide count low, you'll be able to create a handout packet with only two or four slides on a page. Print in color, include your name and the date on each page, and leave plenty of room for notes.
Anticipate problems
The more problems you anticipate, the better.
1. Problems with the technology. If you bring your own laptop, clear the desktop so nothing but your presentation and hard drive icon are on display. Bring two backup flash drives and be sure both are otherwise empty so you don't risk files inadvertently transferring to someone else's system.
2. Problems with the material. The best antidote is practice, preferably with an audience of people in your field. Practice with and without the PowerPoint (assume that technology could fail you altogether). Time yourself; tape yourself; anticipate likely questions and know your material cold without sounding canned.
3. Problems with the presenter. The best content can't be fully appreciated if the presenter is clearly unhappy or scared, if the speaker can't be heard, if the speaker is dressed in a distracting way…you get the idea. Dress simply, get enough sleep, don't over-caffeinate.
Final tips
1. Resist requests to send your presentation ahead. It's not in your favor to have the content previewed or saved, nor do you want to trust others to have it ready when you need it.
2. Arrive early to set up. Call first for permission, but you'll do better if you can put out your materials packet, ensure things are operating correctly, check the room for sight lines, etc.
3. Enjoy yourself. No, really — this is a terrific opportunity and one you'll learn from, regardless of the outcome. Remember that people give higher scores to presenters they feel comfortable with. Strive to be that person and everyone will have a better time.
