Presentation skills

I have to give a presentation. What tips can you give me?

By Unicorn Jobs

Many employers ask candidates to give a presentation as part of the interview process. It may be daunting, especially if you’re not used to standing up in front of an audience, but don’t despair. If you stick to a few basic rules you should be able to give a polished performance.

1. Research. Make sure you read the brief carefully and research the subject matter. Knowing the topic inside and out will give you an air of authority and improve your confidence.

1. Know your audience. Are you presenting to board directors or a group of students? Don’t assume that your audience know anything about the subject but equally be careful not to be condescending.

1. Structure your information. In order to keep your audience engaged it’s important to structure your presentation well. Split your information into three parts; the introduction, the information and the conclusion. Your time should be roughly divided into 10–20% introduction, 60–80% information and 10–20% conclusion.

1. Simple is best. Reeling off lots of complicated facts and figures can be confusing and dull. Keep your information as simple as possible. Waffling to make up the time is not a good idea, you must make everything you say relevant to the brief.

1. Use visual aids sparingly. Whizzy words flying around a PowerPoint screen may seem tempting, but don’t do it! Similarly loads of text on a slide can mean your audience spend more time reading than listening. If you use slides at all, keep your information to bullet points in a large font. If you use a flipchart or white board write the basic headings of your information as you go along. You may want to prepare a draft of those points on a piece of paper first to use as a prompt.

1. Neat notes. Resist the temptation to write out a whole speech and read off a piece of paper. Invariably it will result in a dull delivery. Rustling through reams of notes looking for a quote or fact will make you seem unprepared and unorganised. Type your notes neatly onto a piece of paper or note cards and use them only as a prompt.

1. Delivery. Your delivery can make or break a presentation. The audience is on your side and wants you to succeed so use that to your advantage. Stand still and don’t fidget. Make and break eye contact with your audience regularly. If you are presenting to a panel or large group try to look at more than one person throughout the presentation. Remember to smile or you may come across as very stern. Be careful not to give a monotone delivery or your audience may nod off. You must sound enthusiastic about the subject in order for the audience to be.

1. Watch the time. If you have been given a time limit make sure you stick to it. Wear a watch and check it regularly.

1. Rehearse, rehearse, rehearse. Ask a friend to watch you present and ask for feedback. You may feel a little silly, but practice makes perfect. A rehearsal will allow you to time your presentation and adjust the length of it accordingly. It will also give you the opportunity to ask a friendly audience if there is any part of your information that is confusing or boring.

1. Be prepared for questions. It is likely that your audience will ask you questions at the end of your presentation. Keep your answers to the point. If you don’t know the answer it is acceptable to say “I don’t know, but I can find out and let you know”.