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Complete Guide For Preparing Job Interview Presentation With Examples

Making a presentation during an interview can be intimidating! Still, it’s a terrific method for you to highlight your abilities, personality, and suitability for the position and an excellent approach for employers to learn more about your expertise and knowledge.

Your ability to effectively communicate essential information and the quality of your design can frequently make the difference between a failed and successful presentation. No matter how solid your research or ideas are, excessive slides, packed content, and unreadable fonts might turn interviewers off. However, developing an eye-catching presentation can support your expertise and give you more confidence. It is a skill you should invest time in learning.

In today’s blog, we will go through all the components you should include in a presentation for interview and how to deliver them efficiently.

What Is A Job Interview Presentation?

Before seeing what you should include in a presentation for interview, let us discuss what is an interview PowerPoint presentation: 

As your career advances, especially to an executive position, you might be required to give a presentation during an interview. These kinds of presentations help the hiring manager in doing employee performance reviews and let them decide whether you’re worthy of the position. 

What Is A Job Interview Presentation

You may have to assemble a business plan and present your ideas, finish a task and demonstrate how you approached it, conduct research and submit your findings to a panel, or even give a presentation about why you would be an excellent fit for the position. All these presentations and tasks can be classified as interview presentations as they will convey your knowledge about the industry, organizational skills, communication skills, attention to detail, creativity, and more.

Giving presentations is something that many people find scary, especially when they’re concerned about an interview. However, you might have to do it at some point in your career, so the sooner you learn how to do it, the better. So, in the next section, we will see what an employer expects to see in your presentation for interview. 

What Is the Employer Looking for in a presentation for interview?

The employer searches for a candidate who will stand out throughout the hiring process. They are looking for someone who will blend in with the business culture and who is knowledgeable about their profession. Another method to determine if candidates are qualified for the position is to ask them to give a presentation.

During the interview, your employer might notice the following crucial competencies:

  • Your written and vocal communication style
  • The way you interact with your audience
  • Your profession and industry expertise
  • Your capacity to adhere to a brief
  • Your capacity for organization
  • Your meticulousness

When an employer witnesses a blind presentation, they can additionally note:

  • Your ability to function under pressure
  • How imaginative you are

In the end, the employer is also determining whether you fulfill the requirements listed in the job description, so make sure to review it while you prepare.

What to include in a job interview presentation template

Here are a few components that you should consider while preparing a powerpoint presentation for interview:

Presentation type and topic

Choose a presentation style before you start getting ready for a presentation. It will impact the kind of template you make. For a virtual slideshow presentation, write a simple slide breakdown or a script for an oral presentation. The technologies used during your interview also influence your presentations. Consider contacting a recruiting manager with any queries before making any preparations if you need clarification on what they anticipate. When given a topic for your presentation, you can plan your study accordingly. Alternatively, suppose you have the freedom to select your topic. In that case, it’s advisable to focus on themes that ignite your passion and align with your expertise, ensuring you can effectively convey your message quickly.

Make a shorter presentation with tons of words, even if you want to impress your potential boss by showing how much effort you put in. Keep it simple with short slides that look good and convey your message. Aim for no more than ten slides, and make everything brief. It guarantees that the material you present will stick in the recruiter’s mind and make you stand out from the other applicants. Some recruiters might even allot a certain amount of time for your presentation; be sure to account for this and stay within it to avoid giving the impression that you lack time management abilities.

Include research findings and quotes from prominent figures in the industry in your presentation if you are performing research for it. It exhibits your business awareness and lends authority to your ideas.

Brand Style

Use the presentation and style of the company. It will demonstrate your diligence in research and draw attention to your brand awareness.

How To Prepare A Presentation For A Job Interview

Shows How to prepare for job interview

To prepare a PowerPoint presentation for interview, follow these five steps:

1. Analyze the business

Be sure to research the company you are applying to before submitting your application. By exploring the business, you can incorporate crucial details into your presentation. To learn more about the company’s offerings, application procedure, market size, performance, leadership, and governance, visit their website. Examine news stories, features, and press releases recently covered by the media. If the business has a social media account, review the most recent updates to see the preferred tone and any new advancements.

2. Recognize your target audience

The audience for your interview will probably vary depending on the job you are applying for. It is essential to know who will be at your presentation, their departments, roles, and what they’re good at. For example, suppose you’re applying for human resources. In that case, your presentation will differ from someone applying for a sales or executive role. Hence, it will be more effective if you customize your presentation for the audience. Make a PowerPoint presentation that interests and is relevant to the audience’s technical and non-technical segments.

3. Get notes ready

Make notes on the company or sector you will present for. It’s crucial to be ready to discuss the topic you’ll be given during the interview. The interviewer can gauge your understanding of the more significant business the company works in, so include current industry news in your notes.

4. Adopt a rational framework

Make sure that the format of your presentation is well-organized. An organized presentation makes it easier for your audience to follow along and stay interested. A strong finish, exciting material, and an engaging introduction define a successful presentation. A strong opening grabs the audience’s attention, and your engaging facts persuade them that you are a standout contender.

5. Work on your delivery

Once your presentation is ready, practice delivering it. You can also catch presenting mistakes with proper practice. You can get prepared by using a camera to record yourself. You can also present in front of your friends and solicit their opinions on what went well and what still needs improvement.

How to Deliver Your Presentation For Interview

When delivering a PowerPoint presentation for interview, follow these tips:

  • Seek advice
  • Recognize your target
  • Identify a central idea
  • Tell an engaging tale
  • Take a strategic stance
  • Adopt a constructive mindset
  • Get comfortable delivering
  • Communicate nonverbally
  • Conclude powerfully

How to Deliver Your Presentation?

1. Seek advice

Ask the recruiting manager for any clarification you might need before you start working on your presentation. Read and review all the directions regarding the presentation first. Ask the hiring team if they would prefer to hear about a particular topic or if you should develop your own if the instructions do not specify one. Next, determine how long you can expect to speak with the hiring team. You can show that you are detail-oriented, receptive to criticism, and have practical communication skills by asking for help.

2. Recognise your target

Find out how knowledgeable the audience is so that you can communicate at a level that is understandable and sophisticated. To better understand the audience and adjust your discussion to your audience’s knowledge, experience, and interests, think about asking for names and positions. Obtaining all your information will help you make your discussion more effective and relevant, raising your candidature rating.

3. Identify a central idea

Be careful to choose a focal point when deciding on a presentation topic. Ensure the audience understands your presentation’s main point by organizing it around a single idea. Reduce the points in your presentation to make it seem comprehensive, well-thought-out, and professionally prepared.

4. Tell an engaging tale

Some of the best ways to organize a presentation are through conventional storytelling techniques , whether you’re talking about a finished project or a highly technical subject. Using a proven method, you can make your message stick in people’s minds and grab their attention. To tell an engaging story, take the following actions:

  • Describe the issue.
  • Describe the significance of the issue.
  • Talk about the difficulties you encountered while trying to find the solution.
  • Finish with a powerful impact and resolution.

5. Take a strategic stance

Without being too commercial, use your presentation to establish yourself as the protagonist of your own tale. When feasible, use evidence to support your claims; otherwise, highlight your best traits and the most pertinent experience in your presentation. Seize the chance to show that you are a candidate who can quickly help the organization achieve essential goals.

6. Adopt a constructive mindset

Throughout your presentation, maintain an optimistic attitude while discussing your challenges. Consider emphasizing how you improved a problematic situation or discussing your efforts to overcome difficult circumstances. When appropriate, project an image of being proactive and emphasize your steps to resolve a problem. Let the information and data lead your presentation so the interviewers can grasp your thought processes.

7. Get comfortable delivering

To ensure you leave a positive first impression on the recruiting team:

  • Practice your presentation multiple times in advance.
  • Try presenting without consulting your notes or reading your script after a few practice sessions.
  • Keep track of the time during each practice session to determine the perfect pace.
  • Choose the main themes you want to discuss as you review each presentation segment to help it sound more natural and prevent it from coming across as too prepared.

8. Communicate non-verbally

Practice confidently expressing yourself while standing up and speaking. Face the audience directly, have a cheerful look, and smile naturally. To make points, keep your shoulders back and utilize small hand motions. Keep eye contact throughout your job interview PowerPoint presentation, particularly when making a crucial point.

9. Conclude powerfully

Create a memorable conclusion to ensure your presentation is as compelling as possible. A broad, open-ended question that came up throughout your study could be an excellent way to wrap up. A one- to three-word key takeaway that helps your audience recall the presentation’s primary point can also be used to wrap up. Integrating your message with an intriguing quotation next to the organization’s mission, vision, and goals is another effective wrap-up technique. In closing, raise any queries to show you are receptive to criticism and conversation.

3 minute presentation for job interview

Helpful tips For the Job interview Presentation

Here are some tips that you can use during the presentation for interview: 

1. Create the outline

When requested to give a presentation at an interview, you should have enough time to organize it according to a predetermined outline. If the interviewer still needs to provide you with all the necessary information, ensure you know how the process will work out regarding the topic, time limits, available multimedia devices, and participants. Remember that adhering to the brief is a necessary component of the evaluation process, so if you’re requested to do the task in less than or equal to 10 minutes, stay within that amount of time. After you’ve confirmed the nature of the interview, you should begin preparing a presentation that will wow the audience and showcase your qualifications for the post.

2. Establish a framework

Developing a presentation with a coherent framework facilitates the communication of your ideas. A well-considered framework conveys your thoughts intelligibly and concisely rather than jumping from one notion to another. Naturally, an introduction is the ideal place to begin. Set the scene immediately and emphasize how your solution makes a real difference. Next, compose a story using informative statistics and first-hand accounts. It should demonstrate how your skills and expertise help the business achieve its objectives.

3. Improve the visual assistance

Your audience shouldn’t just be able to read the slides from your presentation. They must endorse what you’re saying to keep their attention on you. It entails using fewer wordy slides and increasing the number of images to illustrate your arguments better.

4. Practice For The Job Interview Presentation

Although it may seem obvious, people must practice their presentations long enough. Even if you have a better idea than the other interviewees, there’s a considerable possibility the hiring panel will only understand the relevance of your speech if you convey it well. To find the ideal balance, practice with friends or family and ask for feedback on your areas of weakness.

5. Get ready to adjust

It would be best if you rehearsed to project a powerful presence during your presentation. Still, the hiring panel may try to knock you off balance. Consider potential question topics when you draft your presentation. It might assist you in preparing answers that demonstrate that you have thought through the issue.

6. Pay attention to the little things

Once the creation of your presentation is complete, focus on fine-tuning the minor elements. We’ve already discussed the need to speak deliberately. Still, to project confidence, you should also remember to make eye contact and display open body language. Your presentation will go more smoothly if you are more prepared. Ensure you arrive early on the interview day so you can set up your presentation. Ensure your tech gadgets function properly, bring extra batteries for your remote controls, and allow enough time for a final evaluation.

Lastly, you can ensure you deliver a standout presentation showcasing your most substantial skill sets by giving your job interview presentation more thought and preparation.

Job Interview Presentation Examples:

Here are some job interview presentation examples of a presentation template to assess a candidate’s ability to teach by having them give thesis statements:

What Is A thesis statement?

Introduction.

Brad Cooper

As a seasoned academic writer, I plan to teach English in middle schools. A thesis statement is a crucial sentence that sums up your paper’s central topic. I will define a thesis statement today and give you an example to see what one may look like in an academic work.

Defining a thesis statement

A thesis statement is a sentence that exposes the reader to the primary idea of a paper or essay in the opening paragraph. Your thesis statement is one of the most crucial sentences in your work and one of the first things the reader will see, but it may also be one of the most difficult to compose! 

An example of a thesis statement

It is an illustration of a thesis statement for a literary devices-related English paper: The central premise of this novel is that hardship can lead to triumph with hard effort and perseverance; the author presents this idea through metaphors and foreshadowing.

As I explained in my presentation today, a thesis statement is a paper’s central notion. Since it’s an essential component of the writing process, young children must know this subject as soon as possible. I appreciate your attention to my presentation. Do you have any questions concerning my credentials or the information I provided? I would be happy to help.

Job Interview Presentation Templates

SlideUpLift is well-known for its vast collection of expertly designed PowerPoint templates covering a wide range of subjects and businesses. One notable category within its repertoire is the Job Interview Presentations section. Here, you can find templates explicitly tailored for interview scenarios, enabling seamless presentations during job interviews such as job interview presentation examples. These templates come in various styles, such as making dynamic employee profiles and using the STAR system to highlight skills. 

Interview Resume Presentation PowerPoint Template

Shows Resume Template

The Interview Resume Presentation PowerPoint Template aims to help people with different professional backgrounds increase their chances of getting hired. This template consists of 11 slides, including all the relevant information that a job seeker should include in their resume to seek an excellent job. Job seekers, interns or students, professionals looking for a promotion, independent contractors, consultants, etc. can all use it.

Presentation Agenda PowerPoint Template

Shows Presentation Agenda

The Presentation Agenda PowerPoint template is valuable for incorporating a structured agenda into your job interview presentation. The Agenda Presentation template features four dedicated agendas, providing a clear, organized layout highlighting key topics. The slide can be included in your presentation, allowing you to communicate the issues to be covered effectively. Whether you are outlining the interview process, presenting key points, or discussing specific aspects, this template ensures a professional and visually appealing agenda for a presentation.

Star Job Interview Presentation Template

The Star Interview PowerPoint template adopts a structured format featuring four blocks: Situation, Task, Action, and Results. 

What is a Star Interview Template?

This template is tailored for interviews or presentations using the STAR (Situation, Task, Action, Results) method to assess or communicate experiences. Each block provides dedicated space to articulate the specific Situation, Task at hand, Actions taken, and Results achieved.

30 60 90 Day Plan for Interview PowerPoint Template

What is a 30 60 90 day plan for interview

A 30 60 90 Day Plan for an interview presentation is a structured outline that illustrates your intentions and proposed actions during the first three months of your employment in a new role. It’s a tool used to demonstrate your understanding of the position, your strategic thinking, and your ability to set goals and achieve them.

Animated Job Interview Presentation PowerPoint Template

Shows Animated Resume Template

This is another amazing resume PowerPoint template for you. The unique thing is that it comes with animations. These Animations make your presentation more exciting and attractive for the audience. Download it and customize it as per your requirements. Add your details, and you are good to go.

With all the information and tips in this detailed article, you can end your worries and prepare for your job interview presentation like a pro . You now possess all the specific presenting advice needed to ace the interview. If the design aspect overwhelms you, peruse our vast collection of PowerPoint Presentation templates and select particular components (such as data charts, shapes, and diagrams) to give your presentation the best visual appeal.

How long should my job interview presentation be?

Aim for a concise presentation, typically lasting 5-10 minutes, to maintain audience engagement.

What's the best way to conclude my job interview presentation?

The best way to conclude your job interview presentation is by summarizing key points, expressing enthusiasm for the role, and opening the floor for any questions from the interview panel.

What should be the key focus of my job interview presentation?

Prioritize showcasing your skills and experiences and how they align with the job requirements and company values.

How can I handle questions during or after the presentation for interview?

Be prepared for questions by anticipating potential inquiries related to your content, experiences, or the role.

How can SlideUpLift benefit me in preparing a job interview presentation?

SlideUpLift provides a wide array of professionally designed PowerPoint templates, including specific templates for job interview presentations. This resource can significantly help you create a standout and impactful interview pitch.

Table Of Content

Related presentations.

Resume Templates Collection

Resume Templates Collection

30 60 90 Day Plan For Interview Presentation Template

30 60 90 Day Plan For Interview Presentation Template

STAR Interview Presentation Template

STAR Interview Presentation Template

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Home Blog Presentation Ideas How to Give A Compelling Interview Presentation: Tips, Examples and Topic Ideas

How to Give A Compelling Interview Presentation: Tips, Examples and Topic Ideas

How to Give A Compelling Interview Presentation

Interview presentations have now become the new norm for most industries. They are popular for sales, marketing, technology, and academic positions. If you have been asked to deliver one for your job interview presentation, prepare to build a strong case for yourself as a candidate.

Giving a general presentation is already daunting. But selling yourself is always the hardest. Spectacular credentials and stellar expertise don’t count much if you cannot present them clearly, which you are expected to do during your interview presentation.

So, let’s prime you up for the challenge. This post is action-packed with job interview PowerPoint presentation examples and will teach you the best way to do a presentation without stressing too much!

Table of Contents

What is an Interview Presentation?

What should an interview presentation look like, how to prepare for a job interview presentation: the basics, define your structure, what slides to include, how to come up with 15-minute interview presentation ideas, how to conclude your interview presentation, how to prepare for an interview: the final tips, what to do at the first interaction with the company elevator pitch for interview, presentation design tips, how to overcome presentation anxiety, tips on maintaining positive body language throughout the presentation, your final act.

An interview presentation, also known as a job interview presentation or interview portfolio, is a formal and structured way for candidates to showcase their skills, qualifications, and suitability for a specific job position during an interview. It goes beyond the typical Q&A format of interviews, allowing candidates to demonstrate their expertise through a prepared presentation. Employers commonly request interview presentations in various industries, such as sales, marketing, technology, academia, and management roles. These presentations serve several important purposes: assessing communication skills, evaluating cultural fit, measuring expertise, analyzing problem-solving skills, and observing presentation skills. While the specific format and requirements of interview presentations vary widely, candidates typically receive guidelines from the employer regarding the topic, duration, and any specific criteria to be addressed. In essence, an interview presentation is an opportunity for candidates to make a compelling case for their candidacy, showcasing their qualifications, experience, and suitability for the job. It requires careful preparation, effective communication, and the ability to engage and persuade the interview panel. A successful interview presentation can significantly enhance a candidate’s chances of securing the desired position.

Think of your interview presentation as a sales pitch.

Your goal is to convince the human resources team that you are the best candidate. The kick here is that you will present to a warm audience – you already impressed them enough with your resume to be called in for an interview. We recommend generating a strategy and presentation based on a 30 60 90 Day Plan .

Employers request interview presentations for a few simple reasons:

  • To assess your communication and public speaking skills.
  • To understand whether you are the right cultural fit for the company.
  • To develop a better sense of how well-versed you are in the domain .

So, your first job is ensuring your presentation fits the criteria. Review the company’s job description again and jot down all the candidate requirements. Take the time to read about their company values and mission. Be proactive and ask precisely what you should cover during your presentation.

Most interview presentations will differ in content and style, but here’s a quick example to give you more context:

Iterview PowerPoint template design

[ Use This Template ]

Before you get elbow-deep in designing that PowerPoint for a job interview presentation, do some scouting and reach out to the HR team with a few questions.

You want your presentation to be on-point and technically accurate, so ask your contact the following:

  • How long should an interview presentation be? Fifteen minutes is the golden standard, though some employers may ask to cut it down to just 10 minutes or extend it to 20-25.
  • Who exactly will be present? A conversational presentation would undoubtedly be welcomed by your peers and a team leader but may appear too casual for the senior managers or board of directors.
  • Does the HR team have a particular agenda in mind? Ask some leading questions to understand what kind of skills/experience they want you to demonstrate. If needed, use a proper agenda slide to include your content.
  • What’s the IT setup? Should you bring your laptop? Do you need an adapter to connect to their projector? What kind of presentation software have they installed – PowerPoint, Keynote, Google Slides?

Everyone appreciates clarity.

In fact, 89% of professionals state their ability to communicate with clarity directly impacts their career and income.

Your presentation should flow, not rumble. Make sure that your story is easy to follow and your key message is easy to digest, remember, and pass on. If you want people to retain your main points, opt for the following structure:

3D Ladder with arrow PowerPoint infographic

Source: this infographic was created with  3 Steps Editable 3D Ladder Infographic

Here’s an interview presentation example styled in this fashion.

What is: The company’s presence in the Middle East is low. Only 15% of revenues come from the top markets.

Why this matters: The UAE fashion market alone is expected to grow at a CAGR of 21% during the next five years.

What could be: I have helped my previous employer open a flagship store in Dubai, have a lot of industry contacts, and am familiar with the local legislature. Your brand can expect a 17% revenue growth within one year of opening.

You can find even more ideas for designing your presentations in this post .

The choice of slides will largely depend on whether you are asked to talk about yourself or present on some task that you will be required to do as part of your job (e.g., create marketing campaigns).

Most interview presentation templates feature the following slides:

  • Opening Slide
  • Quick Bio/Personal Summary
  • Career Path
  • Education timeline
  • Key Skills and Expertise
  • Case studies/examples of the problems you have solved at your past jobs
  • Your vision for your future role.
  • What exactly can you bring in as the candidate (we will come back to this one later on!)

Can’t figure out where to start? Check out our AI PowerPoint generator to create an entire interview slide deck in a couple of clicks, or just download a job interview template . Swipe down to learn from the either of the following job interview presentation samples.

Typically, a talent acquisition team will suggest broad interview presentation topics for you. For example, if you are applying for a sales position, they may ask you to develop a sales presentation for some product (real or imaginary).

Some employers will request a short presentation about you or your hobbies to understand whether you are a good “fit” for the team and share the company’s values. Remember this: your audience will be assessing your aptitude for the role, no matter which topic you were given.

In fact, the interviewers at this point don’t care that much about your experience and skills. They want to know how you can apply those to solve the company’s pressing problems – meet sales targets, improve ROI from social media marketing or help them earn more revenue.

Your job is to make an educated guess
 predict the most wrenching problem, and pitch your “magic pill” during your interview presentation.

I know what you are thinking – but how do I find the right opportunity/problem to tackle?

Businesses across different industries pretty much struggle with the same generic challenges related to either of the following:

Your topic should clearly address one of these areas and offer a potential roadmap for solving some specific problem within it.

Let’s say that you are applying for a sales role. Clearly, you will want to tackle the “customer audience” set of problems. To refine your idea, ask yourself the following questions:

  • Can you think of a new customer segment the company should target? Who are they, what do they want, and how you can help the company reach them?
  • Do you have a network or experience to identify and pitch new clients?
  • Can you think of new collaboration opportunities the company could use to attract a whole new niche of customers?

So a sample job interview presentation about yourself should include a series of Problem & Solution Slides , showing exactly how you will address that issue if the company hires you.

Here’s another PowerPoint presentation about yourself for job interview example worth using – incorporate a case study slide, showing how you have successfully solved a similar problem for your past employer.

Wrap up your presentation by laying out the key steps the company needs to take. Give an estimate of how much time it will take to tackle the problem, and what changes/investments should be made.

Your conclusion should tell this: “Hire me and I will solve this problem for you in no time!”.

How to Prepare for an Interview: The Final Tips

Source: StockSnap

Dial-Up Your Power

Take a deep breath and strike a “power pose” before you enter the room.

According to her research, power posers performed better during interviews and were more likely to get hired. Another study also proved this theory: unaware judges gave major preference to the power-primed applicants. So yes, pep talks do work!

The first 30 Seconds Count The Most

What you do and say in the first 30 seconds will make the most impact. Psychological  research  shows that listeners form opinions about your personality and intelligence in the first 30 seconds of the interview. So be sure to start with a compelling opening, framing exactly how you want to be perceived.

Try To Appear Similar to the Interviewer

Lauren Rivera, a professor from Kellogg School,  came to the conclusion that interviewers tend to hire “people like them” .

Even the top human resource management folks fall for this bias and tend to base their evaluations on how similar a candidate is to them, instead of trying to decide whether the person’s skill set is ideal for the position. So to be liked, you will have to act relatable.

Back up your statements with facts

To deliver a presentation with a bang, you can make use of pre-analyzed facts to support your hypothesis. Make sure to do your homework, study the company and its competitive landscape, and do the professional work you would have done as a member of the company crew. At some point in your interview presentation, you go “off the script”, and pull out a bunch of documents, supporting your statements.

3 minute presentation for job interview

For example, you can give away a quick plan indicating a number of things the employer could do today to save money, even if they don’t hire you. Make sure to be meticulous; your work will speak for you. But giving away this work will show the employer your commitment, skills, and focus.

And that’s exactly how to make your job interview presentation stand out. Most candidates just ramble about their skills and past career moves. You bring specificity and proof to the platter, showing exactly what makes you a great hire fair and square.

Within a selection process, there are many interactions (interviews and dynamics) that you must successfully complete in order to be the next selected candidate. One of your objectives in this first interaction should be to generate a great first impression in the company. For this, we recommend using the Elevator Pitch for Interview technique.

The Elevator Pitch for Interview will allow you to present yourself in a solid and professional way in less than 60 seconds, in order to generate an outstanding first impression.

What is an Elevator Pitch for an Interview?

The Elevator Pitch is a condensed speech about yourself that aims to generate engagement in no more than 60 seconds. Entrepreneurs widely use this type of speech to persuade investors and job seekers in job interviews. Your Elevator Pitch for the Interview will generate a great first impression to the employer and be better positioned than other candidates. If your goal is to make a convincing presentation in a job interview, your Elevator Pitch needs to be well crafted.

How to Make an Elevator Pitch for an Interview

There are many ways and tips to make an excellent Elevator Pitch for a job interview. This section provides you with essential advice to make your interview more convincing.

Identify your target

You need to know to whom you are presenting yourself. Is it a recruiter? or an executive?. Your Elevator Pitch will change depending on the receiver.

Comprehend the needs of the hiring company

Make an advanced study about the search requirements for the job position. Identify your strengths. Highlight them. Demonstrate your experience. Identify your weaknesses. Show that you have a profile that seeks constant improvement

Create a clear, concise, and truthful Elevator Pitch

This point is critical. Your Elevator Pitch must be clear, concise, genuine, and impactful. Go from less to more. Generate a real hook in your audience. Try not to go off-topic or talk too much, and be brief in everything you want to say.

Speak naturally and confidently

If you can speak fluently and naturally, you can show a confident profile. Show you know what you are talking about and what you want.

Elevator Pitch Example for Job Seekers

This section illustrates an Elevator Pitch Example targeted to Recruiters. It will help you put together your own.

“My name is [NAME]. After graduating with a degree in Business Administration, I have spent the last five years accumulating professional experience as a Project Assistant and Project Manager. I have successfully managed intangible products’ planning, strategy, and launch these past few years. I was excited to learn about this opportunity in Big Data – I’ve always been passionate about how technology and the use of information can greatly improve the way we live. I would love the opportunity to bring my project management and leadership skills to this position.”

Ways to avoid common mistakes in your Elevator Pitch

Keep in mind the following points to avoid making mistakes in your Elevator Pitch for an Interview.

Don’t hurry to make your Elevator Pitch

The Elevator Pitch lasts approximately 60 seconds. Do it on your own time and naturally, as long as you make it clear and concise.

Do not always use the same Elevator Pitch for all cases

One recommendation is not to repeat the same Elevator Pitch in all your interviews. Make changes. Try new options and ways of saying the information. Try different versions and check with your experience which generates more engagement and persuasion.

Make it easy to understand

Articulate your pitch as a story. Think that the person in front of you does not know you and is interested in learning more about your profile. Don’t make your Elevator Pitch challenging to appear more sophisticated. Simply generate a clear and easy-to-understand narrative, where all the data you tell is factual and verifiable.

Don’t forget to practice it

Practice is the key to success. Your Elevator Pitch for Interview will become more professional, convincing, and natural with practice.

How to End an Elevator Pitch?

An essential aspect of ending an Elevator Pitch for an Interview is demonstrating interest and passion for the position. You have already presented yourself and established that you have the necessary background for the job. Closing with phrases revealing passion and attitude will help reinforce your pitch.

We recommend you use expressions such as:

“I have always been interested and curious about the area in which the company operates, and it would be a great challenge for me to be able to perform in this position.”

“I have been interested in moving into your company for a while, and I love what your team is doing in IT.”

“I would like to advance my career with an employer with the same values. I know that thanks to my profile and experience, I can make excellent contributions to your company.”

Keep It Visual: Use visuals like images, graphs, and charts to convey your points effectively. Visuals can make complex information more accessible and engaging. Consistency Matters: Maintain a consistent design throughout your presentation. Use the same fonts, color schemes, and formatting to create a cohesive look. Practice Timing: Be mindful of the allotted time for your presentation. Practice to ensure you can comfortably cover your content within the time limit. Engage the Audience: Incorporate elements that engage the audience, such as questions, anecdotes, or real-world examples. Interaction keeps the interview panel interested. Use White Space: Avoid cluttered slides. Use white space to create a clean and uncluttered design that enhances readability.

Presenting during a job interview can be nerve-wracking. Here are some strategies to overcome presentation anxiety:

  • Practice: Practice your presentation multiple times, ideally in front of a friend or mentor. The more you rehearse, the more confident you’ll become.
  • Visualization: Visualize yourself by giving a successful presentation. Imagine yourself speaking confidently and engaging the audience.
  • Breathing Techniques: Deep breathing can help calm nerves. Take slow, deep breaths before and during your presentation to reduce anxiety.
  • Positive Self-Talk: Replace negative thoughts with positive affirmations. Remind yourself of your qualifications and the value you bring to the role.
  • Focus on the Message: Concentrate on delivering your message rather than dwelling on your anxiety. Remember that the interviewers want to learn about your skills and experiences.
  • Arrive Early: Arrive at the interview location early. This gives you time to get comfortable with the environment and set up any technical equipment you use.

Maintain Good Posture: Stand or sit up straight with your shoulders back. Good posture conveys confidence and attentiveness. Make Eye Contact: Establish and maintain eye contact with your audience to show confidence and engagement. Use Open Gestures: Employ open gestures, like open palms and expansive arm movements, to convey enthusiasm and openness. Smile and Show Enthusiasm: Genuine smiles and enthusiastic facial expressions demonstrate passion and eagerness. Control Nervous Habits: Be mindful of nervous habits like tapping or fidgeting, which can distract your audience and convey anxiety.

Stop fretting and start prepping for your interview presentation. You now have all the nitty-gritty presentation tips to ace that interview. If you are feeling overwhelmed with the design part, browse our extensive gallery of PowerPoint templates and cherry-pick specific elements ( diagrams , shapes , and data charts ) to give your interview presentation the top visual appeal.

Here you can see some 100% editable templates available on SlideModel that could be useful for preparing an interview presentation.

1. Versatile Self-Introduction PowerPoint Template

3 minute presentation for job interview

Use This Template

2. Professional Curriculum Vitae PowerPoint Template

3 minute presentation for job interview

This a sample of PowerPoint presentation template that you can use to present a curriculum and prepare for a job interview presentation. The PPT template is compatible with PowerPoint but also with Google Slides.

3. Modern 1-Page Resume Template for PowerPoint

3 minute presentation for job interview

4. Multi-Slide Resume PowerPoint Template

3 minute presentation for job interview

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HR, Human Resources, Interview, Job, Resume Filed under Presentation Ideas

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3 minute presentation for job interview

Interview presentation preparation tips

The interview presentation is becoming more common in the hiring process. It gives employers a better overview of your general aptitude and provides you with an opportunity to showcase your skills, knowledge, and experience. But how should you prepare for an interview presentation? What should you include? What if it goes wrong?

A man confidently gives an interview presentation.

4th Jun, 2021

Olivia Maguire

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What is an interview presentation?

As you progress further in your career, particularly to executive level, you may be asked to give a presentation for interview. Perhaps you’ve been asked to conduct research and present your findings to a panel, complete a task and show how you approached it, put together a business plan and present your ideas, or even give a presentation about yourself and how you would excel in the role. Whatever you are presenting about, how you approach it should remain the same.

Many people find giving presentations intimidating, especially during an interview when you’re already nervous, but it’s something that you may have to do throughout your career – the sooner you tackle this skill, the better.

Why are you being asked to do a presentation for a job interview?

Many employers opt for a presentation-style interview as it gives a better overview of your general aptitude when compared to, or combined with, a traditional question and answer interview, like a competency-based interview . The interviewer is looking for proof that you can do the job and that you possess the required skills and traits.

Additionally, if you put time and effort into your presentation, this will highlight to the hiring manager that you are committed to the role and enthusiastic about joining the company. How many times have you been asked in an interview ‘Why do you want this position?’ or ‘What is it about this role that attracted you to it?’. They want to know how much you want this position, rather than just any position.

How to prepare a presentation for an interview

Where do you start? What should you include? The presentation is your opportunity to showcase your knowledge, experience, and communication skills as well as your organisational skills and diligence – so start with the job description and person specification and pick out key skills and traits that the company is looking for. Then you can prepare your presentation around what they want to see.

For example, if the business is looking for someone creative, pay great attention to the style of your presentation. If it is looking for someone who is a confident public speaker, spend more time perfecting your speech. If attention to detail is paramount in the role, double and triple check your spelling and grammar. This is a great starting point and gives you something to build your presentation around.

What to include in an interview presentation

Although you may be tempted to go all out and show your potential employer that you are committed to the job, don’t fall into the trap of creating a 30-slide presentation with reams of text. Try to keep each slide short and significant and aim for no more than 10 slides. This ensures the information you deliver is memorable and will help you to stand out from other interviewees. Some interviewers may even give you a specific amount of time for your presentation, make sure you factor this in and don’t go over the time limit – otherwise you may appear to have poor time management skills.

Another way to make sure your presentation engages hiring managers is to include a range of formats to help you illustrate your points. Include graphs, statistics, diagrams, video clips, and images to help break up large volumes of text and maintain the attention of the interviewers.

If you are conducting research as part of your presentation, include quotes from industry leaders and/or research pieces. This gives your points authority and demonstrates your commercial awareness.

You should also try to incorporate the company’s colours, fonts, or style in your presentation. This will show that you have done your research and highlights your brand awareness.

Finally, check your spelling and grammar thoroughly! Small mistakes can really undermine the content of your presentation.

Tips for presenting at the interview

Presenting is a skill which can be learnt. Even if you are not a confident public speaker, the more you practice, the better you will become.

Present confidently and enthusiastically - Remember to speak clearly, make eye contact, and use open body language.

Don’t just read the slides - There is nothing worse than watching a presentation where the presenter has their back to you the whole time just reading reams of text from their PowerPoint notes.

Try not to talk too fast - Make sure you breathe, and take your time.

Practice, practice, practice - Ensure you are well rehearsed so that you are familiar with the structure of your presentation and are able to deliver it smoothly. If possible, practice your presentation with family members or friends to get used to speaking in front of other people.

Arrive early to give yourself time to set up the presentation and settle any nerves - Get comfortable with PowerPoint and presentation equipment. Make sure you know how to work any projectors, screens, or remote controls before you begin to avoid any awkward stumbles or pauses.

Stay within the allocated time - If you have not been given guidance on length, aim for the 10-minute mark. Time your presentation when you are practising to make sure it will fit within the time limit. If you need to reduce the content of your presentation, cut out the least relevant or weakest points.

Be prepared to adapt - You may have practised your presentation in a certain way, but the interviewer might not respond accordingly. Be prepared to be interrupted by questions or further discussion unexpectedly.

Breathe and try to enjoy it - By relaxing, you will find yourself presenting better and, if you enjoy it, your interviewers will respond to that and be better engaged with what you are saying.

Tips for keeping the interview presentation simple

It can take a lot of work to make something simple, yet effective, and when it comes to interview presentations less is often more. Keep it short - As previously mentioned, try to keep each slide short and aim for no more than 10 slides in total.

One idea per slide - To make sure your presentation is clear and concise, each slide should represent a different point/idea you want to make.

Stick to the important bits only - If you don’t think it’s important enough to spend time on, don’t have it on your slide.

Use the 4x6 rule - Aim for either four bullet points with six words per bullet point, or six bullet points with four words per bullet point. This way, your slides won’t look too busy.

Minimal text - Instead of writing paragraphs of text, use bullet points and a minimum font size of 24.

What's better for your interview presentation? Cue cards or presenting from memory?

Should you use cue cards in your presentation for interview or try to present from memory?

The answer to this question depends on what you feel most comfortable doing. If you find that having cue cards will help ease your nerves and ensure that you don’t forget your speech, then there is nothing wrong with that.

However, if you choose to use cue cards, you should not rely too heavily on them. You shouldn’t stand in front of the interviewers and look down at the cards continuously, neither should you write your whole speech out on the cards and read directly from them. They are cue cards for a reason and should only give you prompts on what to talk about. If your interview presentation has a lot of statistics on, using cue cards to remember the figures if you are unable to memorise them all is an excellent strategy.

What to do when things go wrong

You can practice your interview presentation as much as possible, but something may still go wrong and it’s important to be prepared for this eventuality. Here are some things that could go wrong and how to deal with them: Technical issues

There is not a lot you can do to prevent technical issues, especially if you are using someone else’s computer. But there are ways you can prepare just in case. Ensuring you have access to multiple sources of your presentation is key. Email the file to yourself and the recruiter, bring a copy on a USB stick and printed handouts. This way you are covered if anything goes wrong with the file you’re intending to use.

Your mind goes blank

Even those who are pros at presenting can sometimes lose their train of thought and find that their mind goes blank. The key here is not to panic. If possible, take a bottle or glass of water in with you and use this chance to take a sip, breathe and try to relax. Then look at your presentation slide or your cue cards and pick up where you left off. It may be helpful to repeat the last point you made as saying it out loud could spark your memory for your next point.

You are asked a question that you don’t know how to respond to

If you have allotted time at the end of your presentation to allow the interviewer to ask any questions (which is recommended), don’t worry if someone asks a question that you are not sure on. It may be that the interviewer is looking to see how you respond to a challenging question, so how you react is often more important than the answer itself.

If you do not understand the question, ask the person to explain. There is nothing wrong with doing this and shows more confidence than just saying that you don’t know. If you understand the question but are not sure of the answer, then admit that you don’t have the full answer, provide what information you do have, and offer to come back to them at a later date with a complete answer.

10-minute interview presentation template

Below is a presentation for interview example. Use this as a baseline and adapt or reorder where appropriate based on the task you have been set by the interviewer. Slide 1 - Introduction – Reiterate the objectives you have been set and lay out the structure of your presentation so that the interviewers know what to expect. Slide 2 - About you – Detail your professional experience, skills and working style. Slide 3 - Company history – Give a brief summary of the company history, any milestones or awards. Slides 4-7 - Answering the brief – Give your responses to questions you’ve been asked to answer, the benefits and limitations of your suggestions. Slide 8 - Question and answers – Include a slide titled ‘questions and answers’ as a cue to pause for interaction. Slide 9 - Conclusion – Sum up the key points you have made, reach a decision, and explain your reasoning. Slide 10 - Personal achievements – End the interview on a high with a brief slide highlighting achievements that show how you will succeed in the role.

For more information on how to ace your interview, download our free guide, ‘ Getting the best from your interview: Candidate interview tips and tricks ’, or contact your local recruitment specialist today.

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Frequently Asked Questions

A job interview presentation is all about selling yourself. Be confident, speak clearly, and make eye contact with the interviewer. Don’t be afraid to promote yourself and highlight your achievements. This is your chance to really show the interviewer that you are capable and have the necessary skills to do the job. By putting time and effort into your presentation, you can show them how dedicated you are to the role and the company. For more information on how to ace your interview, download our free guide, ‘ Getting the best from your interview: Candidate interview tips and tricks ’.

Using cue cards can support you with your interview presentation, as long as you use them for their intended purpose. Do not write your entire presentation for interview out on cards and read from them word for word or constantly hold them in your hand and fail to make eye contact with the interviewer. Use them only to prompt you or for remembering key facts and figures. For more tips, read our article on ‘interview tips & questions’ .

If you have been sent a presentation brief that you do not understand – don’t panic. If there are words that you are not sure about, do some research and try your best to figure out what the organisation is asking of you. If you are still unsure, you could ask your recruiter as they may have seen this brief before and can give you an idea. If you are dealing directly with the hiring manager, then it may be worth checking that your interpretation of the brief is correct.

It is better to ask the question than present on something completely different to what the interviewer has asked. However, instead of saying to them that you don’t understand the brief and leaving it at that, tell them your understanding of it and ask if this is correct. This will show that even though you are unsure, you have taken the time to try to come to a conclusion yourself before asking for help. Download our free interviewing guide for more tips and advice.

How long your job interview presentation should last depends on what guidance you have been given. Thoroughly read the brief, as the recruiter or hiring manager may have specified the length of time you have for your presentation. If they haven’t given any indication, you should aim for 10 minutes, including time for questions and answers. For more tips on interviewing, read our article on ‘interview tips & questions’ .

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Job interview presentations: how to crush your next job interview presentation.

Job Interview Presentation

The Job interview presentation is a typical, but difficult part of the interview process. The presentation you have to give can differ massively to someone who is applying to a different role. For example, for a junior SEO or content writing position, you may have to do a written task beforehand, and then present on it.

But in a PPC or Paid ads position, you may be asked to conduct some data analysis and report on your findings and what your actionable outputs would be.

But despite this variety, there are a few universal rules for your job interview presentation that you should be aware of: From the key things to remember during a presentation, to common mistakes to avoid.

What is a Job interview Presentation?

A job interview presentation is a task, set by the interviewer, to assess your knowledge of a certain skill or skills, usually one that is incredibly important to the position you’re applying for.

While job interviews primarily consist of interview questions (and you definitely should prepare for the typical digital marketing interview questions you’re likely to face), you are likely to have to complete a job interview presentation as well.

These interview presentations can range from technical tasks and presenting your results and how you found the task, to giving a mock pitch or presentation for a client, or even presenting about yourself and why you are a great fit for the job.

And while there are a wide variety of job interview presentations you can be asked to give, your approach should stay the same.

Why Are They Asking You to Do a Presentation in Your Job Interview?

Employers primarily use a job interview presentation to gain a deeper understanding of your skills or experience: An area that will be crucial in your new role.

An interview presentation or task gives an interviewer a stronger sense of your ability than traditional interview questions. Which is why it’s essential to get it right.

But getting it right, depends on the role you’re applying for. So it’s important to identify which skills the task is asking you to show.

For example, if you’re going into a data heavy role, then a business will be eager to see how well you can work with large datasets and Microsoft Excel. Or in a client-facing, account management role, you’ll need to show you’re confident presenting and in high-pressure situations.

Recognising what the interviewer is looking for lets you know where to focus your efforts for your presentation. 

Key Things to Remember for a Job Interview Presentation

When completing your job interview presentation, there are a few key things that the interviewers will be looking for from your presentation that you need to remember:

3 minute presentation for job interview

These are the biggest points to remember during your interview presentation, but they’re not the only ones. You can always be up front with the interviewer or hiring manager you have been working with and ask them what they want to see from the interview.

11 Job Interview Presentation Tips 

1. keep it to a good length.

Something to ask yourself is, how long should your interview presentation be? Unfortunately, the answer is “it depends”. A presentation should be as long as it needs to be, to concisely and clearly convey the subject matter.

Many interviewers often give an outline of how long your interview presentation should take. And you can always ask the interviewer how long they would like the presentation to be: After all, they will have had multiple people complete this presentation for them before, and should know roughly how long it should take.

2. Make it visual

Your interview presentation should engage the interviewer, but without boring them.So you should aim to make it visually appealing: Which means more than just slides filled with text after text.

Instead of having fields of data, use graphs, diagrams and charts to make these more digestible and visually interactive. 

3. Don’t overcrowd the slides with information

We generally advise only having one idea or point per slide. You want your presentation to be easily digestible, without bombarding your interviewer with too much information at once.

After all, you should use the slides to highlight the most important parts of your presentation, and then go into more detail and expand on them yourself.

4. Use the company’s branding

A small touch for your job interview presentation to impress the interviewer, is to match the branding of the company you’re looking to join.

This simply entails looking at the company website, perhaps even downloading some of their downloadable assets, and copying their brand feel and style. 

While not a make or break for your presentation, it does show that you’re putting in the extra effort, and recognise how important the company brand is.

5. Proofread

When you’re finished with putting together your presentation, it’s time to double and triple-check it. Because there’s nothing more embarrassing than going to present and noticing a spelling mistake that throws you off your game. Or even worse, having it pointed out by the interviewer.

6. Make sure to practise beforehand

Whether you practise on your own or with others, it’s crucial that you practise your presentation beforehand. This allows you to:

  • Make sure your presentation flows smoothly from slide to slide and point to point.
  • Ensure you have fully memorised the content of the presentation.
  • And that your presentation is an appropriate length, not too short or going on for too long.

And if you’re not a natural presenter, rehearsing and ensuring that you’re as practised as you can be is a great way to increase your confidence.

7. Present confidently and clearly

Just as important as the content of your presentation, is how you present it. Your job interview presentation could be full of information and be beautifully written and presented. But if you can’t present with confidence and clarity, the interviewer isn’t going to have much faith in your ability to work cohesively with others.

This is especially important in roles where you’ll be working with customers/ clients, or have to regularly collaborate within other teams within the business.

8. Don’t rush it 

When in a high-pressure situation, it’s understandable that you want to get through the presentation as quickly as possible. But your interviewer will absolutely pick up on if you’re rushing through the presentation and your nerves.

But it’s important to slow down and not rush through it. This allows you to take control of the presentation, and deliver it confidently and clearly.

9. Have relaxed and confident body language

Your body language tells your interviewer a lot more about how you’re feeling than you realise. So aim to have open body language, animated but not erratic. 

Meanwhile try to avoid having arms crossed, with conveys being uncomfortable in the situation. Or having a lack of eye contact, that can convey that you’re not confident with what you’re saying. And if your body language is saying that you aren’t confident with what you’re saying, why should the interviewer believe you!

For more information on what your body language says about you, and tips to improve your body language in interviews, have a look at our full guide here .

10. Leave some time at the end of your interview for questions

For example, if you’re given 30 minutes for your presentation, we would advise aiming for around the 25 minute mark, allowing 5 minutes for any questions.

This gives you ample time to answer any interviewer questions, and gives you the time to respond to challenging questions without feeling rushed, knowing you have the time to think of an answer.

11. Understand what the interviewer is looking to see, and prepare for any questions you might face

While it can be tricky, it’s important to put yourself in the shoes of the hiring manager and interviewer. Try to understand what exact skills they’re looking for from your presentation.

Understanding this will have a huge impact on your presentation and its contents. 

Additionally, understanding the areas of importance to your interviewer helps you to predict and prepare for potential questions you’re likely to face.

While you won’t be able to predict every question, you can prepare answers that can be adapted and used to answer a variety of questions.

For example, say you’re interviewing for a client facing role where your presentation is creating a pitch for new customers. A good idea would be to prepare answers for any potential objections the imaginary client may have to your pitch.

5 Mistakes to Avoid in a Job Interview Presentation

Just as important as it is to know what to do in your presentation, it’s important to know what not to do. Because these common interview presentation mistakes can cost you if you don’t prepare!

1. Being Nervous With Presenting

This one is certainly easier said than done. But it is possibly the most important thing to avoid in your job interview presentation. A little nervousness is absolutely normal. But being overly anxious can stop you putting your best foot forward.

A presentation is all about projecting confidence, in both yourself and the subject you’re speaking about.

And if you’re not a natural public speaker, (and even if you are) the best bit of advice we can give you is to practise your presentation until it feels natural. The more you practise, the better you’ll know what you’re presenting, and the more confident you will feel.

It can sometimes even be helpful to go over your presentation with a colleague or someone who can give some friendly advice. 

Of course, this is one of the perks of working with a recruitment agency, as we have seen hundreds of job interview presentations and tasks, and give you tailored advice on what the client is looking for


2. Not Understanding the Task

When the interviewer gives you your task, it’s obviously important to understand what the presentation is asking you to do. But as we discussed earlier, you are asked to complete a job interview presentation for a specific reason. 

Understanding the reason behind this allows you to focus your time and efforts into what really matters, and put your best foot forward in the interview.

3. Having Too Much Information on the Slides

A common mistake we see from the candidates we work with is having too much information on your slides. Which sounds contradictory, after all, you want as much information in your presentation as possible, right?

Well yes and no. After all, you want your presentation to be chock-full of relevant information. 

But you should aim to use the slides of your presentation as talking points that allow you to present information. The slides should have examples, key figures, or data on, that allows you to expand on them in your own words. Because you want the attention to be on you, not just on the slides.

After all, nobody wants to sit through a half hour presentation of you reading out all the information that’s already on the slides in front of them.

4. Not Being Prepared For Potential Questions

Part of preparing your interview presentation, is predicting the potential questions you may face.

This may require some introspection: Thinking which areas of the presentation are most important, and which areas the interviewer is likely to focus on.

Realistically, you can’t think of every possible question that you can be asked. But, even the act of preparing answers to potential questions will make you more confident going into the interview, and help you to rehearse everything you need to present.

5. Going Overboard on Time and Content

One of the key things to remember for your job interview presentation is the need to follow the established time limit.

While you may have a lot to say on the subject, your interviewers will be keenly paying attention to how well you manage your time in a presentation.

If you’re in a client-facing role for example, the business won’t want to put you in front of clients when you go over the 30 minute allotted time by 10 minutes


Or Work With a Recruiter Who Will Help With Your Job Interview Presentation !

Of course, it’s always helpful to have someone who can help you with the presentation in your job interview.

One of the perks of working with a recruitment agency like us here at Herd, is that we support the digital marketers and candidates we work with on their interview presentations. While we’re not SEO or PPC experts, we have seen hundreds of interview presentations, and can offer insight into what interviewers are hoping to see.

If you want some support with your job search, (just like with preparing for your job interview presentation), you can reach out to us here to see what we can do to support you in your job search.

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How to Start a Presentation for an Interview

Interviews can be really tense situations. Throwing a presentation into the mix only adds to that pressure. What can you do to ease those nerves and start your presentation in a calm and confident manner? How can you captivate your audience and help assure them that you’re the right candidate for the job? This article outlines a number of useful tips to guide your interview preparation and address these important questions.

Preparing a Presentation – Where to Begin?

If you plan your presentation in advance you’ll increase your likelihood of success. Make sure you know what type of message you want to convey and think about the most effective way to deliver this message.

Ready? Take a look at our six preparation tips below.

1. Tell a personal story

Presentations can often be over-professional, impersonal affairs. But they don’t have to be.

Adding a storytelling element to your presentation can ensure that your delivery is both down-to-earth and professional at the same time, which will make your presentation a whole lot more engaging overall.

Think of any personal experiences of your own that are applicable to the content of your presentation. Do you have anything of value that could aid the delivery and help with engagement?

Example: Say you have an interview for a HR role at an international corporation HQ in the city. You’ve been told that you need to deliver a presentation on how you manage conflict in the workplace (we’ll use this example throughout).

By opening with a relevant story of your own about a time when you successfully and diplomatically resolved a conflict outside of the workplace – at home, or wherever it may be – you’ll:

  • Demonstrate your competency in this area
  • Ease any tension that is characteristic to the situation
  • Capture your audience’s attention with an account that can only be delivered by you – making it unique and remarkable
  • Openly display your personality and values, enabling the employer to make a better informed selection decision – beneficial for everyone involved

interviewwoman

2. Use media

Starting your presentation can be the most difficult bit.

You’re tongue-tied, stumbling over words and your heart is beating so fast.

Give yourself the opportunity to collect yourself by using some form of media early on in the presentation.

Begin your presentation with a quick introduction to who you are and what the presentation is about (use a title slide and a ‘What I’ll cover’ slide, for example) and then incorporate a media break.

Use video, music, an infographic – whatever, as long it’s suitable and on-topic, use any form of media that allows you to have a breather and recover from that all too familiar fear of public speaking.

Example: so here we are again – biting your lips and fumbling with your hands as you wait to open your presentation for the HR role.

Your presentation is on conflict management, a fairly sensitive topic, which you’ll want to get right. But don’t sweat it; simply introduce yourself and your specific presentation details/content, then bring in an attention-consuming piece of useful media.

In our case, it could be a funny clip of workplace conflict from a TV Program such as The Office* – this will lighten the mood and create a talking point. You’ll be back in the driver’s seat, and you’ll be surprised by how quickly those nerves calmed down.

* Disclaimer: implement with appropriateness! Only you can decide on what sort of media will be acceptable to use in your situation, so think about this one carefully.

using_media_presentation

3. All eyes on you

Feeling a little more confident?

Create a memorable moment by temporarily presenting without the aid of a prompt.

Open your presentation with conviction by using a blank slide as your second slide.

Once you’ve introduced yourself and the topic of your presentation, most people will expect a thoroughly professional delivery from there on in.

Surprise them; switch the attention to you, shatter expectations, disrupt conventional presentation practice and display clear confidence in your ability to speak independently.

Using such a brave tactic will help in stimulating and retaining interest in your presentation throughout, and perhaps keep you top of mind when the employer is making a selection decision.

It will also show your potential employer just how much you know about the topic at hand.

Example: Conflict solving requires someone with a calm temperament and an almost instinctive ability to thoroughly – and empathetically – understand the issues faced by people other than yourself.

Show that you’re able to remain calm under scrutiny with all eyes in the room on you and truly understand a topic without any form of prompt using this tactic.

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Need a Course?

Head over to our  Business Skills Course Library  and browse available courses from  Presentation Skills Training  to  Leadership and Management Training . All courses are fully online so you can complete them at your own pace, on your commute or in the comfort of your own home.

4. Incorporate props

Presentations can sometimes be a little boring to watch and listen to.

That’s no fault of your own; one person talking for a prolonged period of time is not a normal situation – how often does that actually happen in everyday life?

Engaging your audience during a presentation is a common problem that is widely discussed. I won’t go into it here as that’s not the core purpose of this post.

(This post from American Express details  nine simple tips for preparing an engaging presentation if you’re interested).

So what props should I use? Think what you can use/bring that will be both relevant and add value to your presentation.

If you can’t think of anything, then don’t bother – this tip will only work in set situations.

Example: For your conflict resolution presentation, you could bring in something that will create a talking point and engage your audience.

In this situation, we’ll go with a newspaper – you could start a debate about a widely discussed controversial topic, and use this quick exercise as an illustration of how you’re able to apply your conflict solving ability in any circumstance.

using_props_interview_presentation

5. Start with something you know

It’s natural to be concerned about freezing and making mistakes in the presentation that you’re preparing for.

If that were to occur, it’d be likely to happen at or near the beginning of your presentation when your emotions are at their highest.

To ease those nerves and open in a calm and confident manner, it might be advisable to use content that you know inside-out – that way, you’ll feel more secure in the first few minutes of your delivery.

Once you’ve sailed effortlessly through that first part of the presentation, you’ll find the remainder of your content will flow just as easily now that you’ve settled those self-doubts.

Example: Your presentation on workplace conflict is expected to last 20 minutes – that’s a lot of content to get through!

Before you find yourself scrambling for the right words, simply introduce yourself and the topic of your presentation, then start with something such as:

  • Simple conflict stats that are easy to memorise
  • An article or study that you really like and have read a few times
  • Cornerstone conflict management knowledge that’s embedded deep in your brain

presentation_delivery_interview

6. Engage your audience with an activity

A presentation is all about you.

It doesn’t necessarily have to be though.

By introducing an activity for your audience to get involved in, you can take the spotlight off you temporarily, and seize a rare opportunity to connect with your audience in a candid manner.

It’s pleasing just how much this strategy can reduce tension when starting your interview presentation. Once you’re able to start a dialogue with your audience, the unnatural situation becomes significantly more manageable.

Example: Well, you could make this one real interesting. Why not initiate a role play of a common workplace conflict, and then show the potential employers how you would deal with said conflict?

This is a fun exercise that shows your ability to apply the knowledge that you possess and will hopefully put your potential employers in a better mood for the rest of your delivery!

presentation_interview

All of the techniques I’ve outlined above could be applied to almost any interview situation in which a presentation is required – now it’s over to you to get creative with how you’re going to actually implement these ideas!

In writing this post I made a conscious effort to consider different personality types in the interview presentation opening tips that I have suggested.

But these actionable methods represent only a very small proportion of ideas that you can utilise for making a lasting impression in your interview presentation.

Further Resources:

  • Communication Skills Quiz
  • How to Write a Business Letter & Envelope
  • Presentation Skills Training

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Jordan Bradley

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How To Give a Successful Presentation During an Interview

Learn how to prepare for and ace a job interview presentation

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Why Employers Request Presentations

What interviewers will be evaluating, how to prepare for an interview presentation, tips for a successful presentation, how to ace a video interview presentation.

Madeleine Burry writes about careers and job searching. She covers topics around career changes, job searching, and returning from maternity leave.

For certain roles at some companies, the interview process may require that candidates give a presentation. Even confident speakers can feel some nerves about presenting in an interview setting. It can be a challenge to showcase your ability in front of a prospective employer, regardless of how much experience you have.

The keys to giving strong, effective presentations that wow interviewers are planning and practice.

Review advice on when employers request presentations from candidates for employment, tips for preparing for in-person and video presentations, and advice on how to ace your presentation during a job interview.

Interviewers are most interested in seeing you present if presentation skills are a key part of the role.

“The goal of having candidates present in interviews is to make sure whoever is hired can speak eloquently,” Melissa Hirsch wrote in an email to The Balance. Hirsch is the principal recruiter at Betts, a nationwide technology and recruiting services firm. 

Presentations are most often requested of candidates seeking roles in sales or leadership, according to Leslie Schmidt, vice president of recruiting at Betts, via an email to The Balance. 

Depending on the role, other factors may be at play. For sales roles, for instance, it’s typical to ask candidates to present on the company’s product.

“When a company asks a candidate to demo their current product, they are listening to their communication style, sales process, how well they qualify and close, and overall selling strategy,” Schmidt said.

Interviewers may also be looking for how well you understand the company’s product and the common pain points for customers. 

If you’re applying for a leadership role, you may be asked to share your plans for your first three months on the job, Schmidt said. If that’s the case, be specific. Talk about exactly what you would do, and how. 

Giving a presentation on top of a job interview may feel overwhelming. It may help to remember that, in a way, the job interview itself is also a presentation.

“You are presenting yourself as the product to be ‘sold’ to the hiring manager,” Tom Cobin wrote in an email to The Balance. Cobin is the founder of DynamiCoach, which offers coaching and workshops to improve public speaking and presentation skills.

Follow these strategies to prepare for and ace an interview presentation. 

 During presentations, interviewers will be keeping an eye on your communication skills and organizational skills.

Communication Skills

Interviewers will want to see if you are well-spoken and can share information clearly.

“Depending on the job you're applying for, they may be interested in analyzing whether or not you communicate in a way that will connect with the appropriate level of individuals (for example, senior leadership),” said Lisa Nichols, career and leadership consultant and CEO of Love Your Niche, LLC, in an email interview with The Balance.

Organizational Skills

They’re also looking to see how you organize and share information. Interviewers will be looking for a well-organized presentation and assessing how you use visuals and handouts and get participants involved. 

As with thinking through answers to common interview questions, a bit of preparation will help you feel at ease during a presentation. Try these strategies below. 

Confirm What’s Expected

Before you fire up your PowerPoint, make sure you have a good sense of what the hiring manager is looking to see.

“Most companies are more than happy to provide extra information and answer questions about the presentation prior to your interview, but make sure you can’t find the answer yourself first,” Schmidt said. 

Before you begin preparing, you should have a sense of the following presentation details:

  • Audience (e.g., whether the presentation is geared toward C-suite executives, clients, or another group)

Keep It Short 

You’ll want to adhere to any time guidelines set by the hiring manager. As a general rule, if the timeline is uncertain, keep it short.  And remember to leave time for questions at the end.

“If an interviewer says you’ll be given 20 minutes to present with extra time for Q&A at the end, then your presentation shouldn’t be 10 minutes or 30,” Schmidt said. 

In terms of slides, 10 is a good maximum, with an intro slide, agenda slide, and a final slide with the next steps or Q&A.

Go ahead and share your slides with peers for feedback, too.

“The more eyes and feedback you can get, the better” Hirsch said.

Don’t Procrastinate

If you’re pulling an all-nighter to get it done, that might show. Spend sufficient time, and focus on the project.

“Hiring managers can tell when there was a lack of effort and time put into a presentation,” Schmidt said. 

Keep in mind that multiple candidates may be presenting on the same topic, making it easy for hiring managers to compare your work to others. Investing time in your presentation will help you make the best impression.

Practice, Practice, Practice

Once you’ve planned your presentation and perfected your slides, you’ll want to practice. The goal is to be very familiar with the material—without memorizing it, according to Cobin. That way, you won’t stumble if you forget something, but your delivery will still be natural: Memorizing can lead to a stiff, stilted presentation. To get comfortable, try rehearsing in front of a mirror or recording yourself.

Take a look at some additional tips for giving a strong interview presentation. 

Make Slides Attractive

Your slides should look good. Here are some tips for creating effective supporting visuals: 

  • Don’t use too much text : Aim for a few bullet points. “The goal is to engage your audience and make it interactive," Hirsch said. "Nobody wants to be talked at for 30 minutes, and nobody wants to read a 10-paragraph essay that's a size 6 font either."
  • Don’t read your slides : Instead of reading slides out loud, you should use them as backup, including data, tips, and charts or summarizing your points, Nichols said. Consider printing out copies of your presentation for the interviewers, as well.
  • Add color and logos : But don’t overdo it. Your slides shouldn't look busy or distracting.
  • Add your contact information : This will help with follow-ups.
  • Check for errors—then check again : A typo on a big projector screen is particularly embarrassing. Review for accuracy, spelling, and grammar. Consider having someone else proofread, too.

Visual materials should support—not detract or distract from—your core message and any supporting points you’re trying to make.

Be Clear and Succinct 

A presentation should show off your verbal communication skills. That means you don’t want to ramble or be poorly organized in how you share information. Limit filler words, such as “um,” “like,” and “you know.”

Aim to make your presentation interesting and engaging.

“Connect with interviewers on a human level. If you start with a stat or a story that grabs their attention and makes it interesting for them, you will be more memorable,” Nichols said.

Then, be clear on the main points you want to communicate. 

Be Mindful of Your Nonverbal Presence 

You’ll want to seem engaged, poised, and knowledgeable during a presentation. To that end, pay attention to your tone of voice, facial expressions, gestures, and other nonverbal body language. 

It’s not uncommon for interviews to occur over video. That’s true for interview presentations, too. Here are some tips for performing well if your presentation is occurring on a video screen: 

  • Get in front of a good background : You’ll want to be well lit (but not backlit), with a professional background. Remove kids, pets, and other distractions from the room beforehand. 
  • Master the technology before the presentation : Make sure you’re comfortable sharing your screen, for instance.
  • Make eye contact : Look at the camera to make eye contact while also monitoring the faces of your audience. Avoid looking at another monitor for your notes or the presentation deck. That can be confusing for your interviewer. 
  • Stay high energy : It’s a bit harder to be engaged during a video presentation (whether you’re giving one or in the audience). Still, make sure to keep your energy high. “If you can visualize yourself standing in front of a live audience while you speak, it can help you feel more energized,” Schmidt said.

Key Takeaways

  • Make sure your presentation meets the interviewer’s guidelines for topic and length. If you’re not sure, check with the hiring manager.
  • Prepare your presentation well in advance, and practice it beforehand.
  • Consider getting feedback from peers, friends, or family on both your presentation and your slides.
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Job Interview Presentation Guides The Secret to Crushing Your Job Interview

  • Career Tips
  • 27th October 2023

During your job search and as a part of your interview process, it’s not uncommon to have to give an interview presentation. 

Here at Dynamic, the professionals we help with their job search regularly give interview presentations. And we offer support throughout this process: From helping them to understand what the interviewer is looking for from the presentation, to actually helping with the content of their presentations.

We’re here to help you answer the questions you’ve been wondering like: What exactly is an interview presentation? What should you include? And what to do when your interview presentation doesn’t quite go as planned.

What is an Interview Presentation?

At any stage in your career you may be asked to give an interview presentation. This interview will likely test you on one or more of the skills that are most important to the role.

The interview presentation you are asked to give can vary largely, depending on the role you are applying for and the industry you work in.

For example, a Solutions Architect may have to give an interview presentation that shows their technical ability, but also highlighting communication and presentation skills. 

Meanwhile someone earlier in their career at a Network Engineer level, will likely have to give a presentation that focuses purely on their technical ability: Because that is what is most important to the employer when hiring at this level.

But the core approach and things to remember about giving an interview presentation

Why Are You Being Asked to Give an Interview Presentation?

When an employer asks you to give a presentation in your interview, it is typically to gain a greater understanding of your skills or experience. These will be the skills or experience that are most important to the role, and can offer you insight into what will be expected of you in the role.

The questions you are asked in an interview are obviously important, and it’s always a good idea to research the typical interview questions that you are likely to face . 

But the interview presentation can be just as, and is likely more important than, the questions you answer: And is typically where many potential candidates are rejected from the interview process.

The interview presentation will also help you to understand whether the job is one that would be right for you. The presentation task will likely be something you will be doing in the role everyday, or something that is of crucial importance. So the interview presentation task can give you more insight into the role than you can get from asking questions in the interview.

The 5 Things Your Job Interview Presentation Needs to Show

Before we get into the practical tips for your interview presentation, there are a few essential things that your presentation must show:

1. That you understood the task and the job you’ll be doing.

All too often we see candidates who have rushed into an interview task, without really taking the time to understand the task or understand what the employer was really looking to see. 

Because it’s feedback we hear from the employers we work with all the time. It’s crucial to make sure you understand what the employer wants to see from your task.

2. Your technical experience and expertise.

Pretty obvious, but pretty important. If you’re given a technical task, you need to show that you’re an expert at what you’ve been asked. This can mean going back and doing some revision around this area, to refresh your memory and prepare yourself for any questions you might face.

3. That you can handle yourself in a high-pressure situation.

Being cool under pressure is an essential skill and is an attractive quality in almost every job. Conversely, while someone may be great on paper, if they can’t articulate themselves or crumble under pressure, that can be a huge red flag to employers.

4. You can communicate well with clients and colleagues.

Communication is key, especially in a position where you’ll be working closely with clients or colleagues. And if you can’t articulate yourself effectively in a presentation setting, employers will be hesitant to put you in a role where you will be presenting to clients.

5. That you really want the job.

If you’re in the interview, then it’s fairly obvious that you want the job you’re interviewing for. But one of the things that employers will look for is who really wants the job.

Putting in the effort, preparing for any questions they may have and rehearsing your presentation, will show the interviewer that you’re serious about the opportunity.

13 Interview Presentation Tips and Steps to Success

These 13 tips will outline the steps you need to take when creating, presenting and what you need to do after your interview presentation.

1. Understand your audience and what they are looking for

The most important tip we can give is to understand what your audience, the interviewer, is looking for from your presentation. 

If you’re interviewing for an IT Account Manager position and asked to give a mock pitch to clients, is it the contents of your presentation that really matters? Probably not. 

Instead, the interviewers are looking to see that you present yourself well, can communicate effectively, and have a technical understanding of what you’re selling.

2. Keep it nice and short

Nobody wants to sit through a seemingly endless presentation. So try to keep the presentation you give nice and short: As concise as it needs to be.

If you’re really not sure about the length of the presentation, you can always ask the interviewer about how long they would like the interview presentation to be.

If you haven’t been given an outline for how long your presentation should take, you might be tempted to put in as much useful information as you can, to show off your knowledge and skills. But we advise having only the necessary information you need to complete the task at hand or answer the questions that you need to.

3. Have a structure for your presentation

Imperative to having a streamlined and professional interview presentation, is having a solid structure. Whatever the subject of your presentation, you should have an introduction, the main points you want to address, and a conclusion.

4. Use images and graphs, not just text

Make your presentation more engaging by including images, graphs, diagrams and maybe even a video if you’re feeling a bit creative. 

This prevents your presentation from becoming monotonous, and can help to break up slides of text after text or large sets of data.

5. Don’t try to fit too much information on each slide

It can be tempting to try and use up all the real estate on your presentation slides, cramming them with information.

But we advise having slides with just the key points that you want to explore, or a graph that will support what you say.

Keeping the majority of the information off the slides gives you more to talk about, stops everyone from sitting and reading the slides in silence, and will keep the interviewers attention on you. 

6. Try to match the branding of the business

Something we advise that doesn’t take too much effort, is mirroring the branding of the business you’re applying for a role at. 

What we mean by this, is to say you’re applying for a job at BT. Going on the BT website and downloading some pamphlet or e-book from their website and matching the logos and overall colour scheme that they use.

It’s not the most important thing in the world, as it won’t save your interview presentation if everything else goes wrong. But it does show you’re putting in the extra effort to impress the interviewer.

7. Double check for any mistakes

And in opposition to this, is making sure that there are no mistakes in your presentation. Because having simple errors or spelling mistakes in your presentation isn’t a great look, and the interviewer will be sure to notice. 

So make sure to proofread your presentation. And even better, have someone else double check it for you.

8. Practise presenting to yourself, or to friends/ family

The difference between someone presenting for the first time and someone who has rehearsed is absolutely noticeable to a hiring manager. So we strongly advise taking the time to practise your interview presentation beforehand. 

Not only will this help you appear more natural when you present, it will also help you to know if your presentation is too long and needs to be cut down.

9. Be confident when presenting

Not everyone is a natural born public speaker. But exuding confidence in your presentation is essential. Which means:

  • Taking your time and not rushing through your presentation. 
  • Speaking confidently and clearly.
  • Asking whether you’ve been clear with what you’ve said so far.
  • Even your body language.

Because if you struggle to present confidently and can’t articulate yourself properly, then the employer won’t be confident that you will be confident in front of customers or clients.

10. Be confident with your body language

When you present, the interviewer will be aware of your body language and what it says about you: So it’s important that you are aware of it too, and you’re in control of it. This can involve making eye contact, using appropriate and positive hand gestures, having a good posture, and smiling.

These are just a few tips, but for more information on how to convey confidence with body language throughout the interview, read our guide on interview body language here .

11. Don’t go overboard on time, and leave time for questions

We’ve mentioned the length of your presentation earlier, but it’s important that you don’t go over the assigned time limit. 

It shows poor time management, poor communication skills (if you take too long to get to the point), and an employer would likely be more hesitant to put you in front of customers or clients.

You should also aim to leave about 5 minutes of time at the end of your presentation to give the interviewers the opportunity to ask any questions, without going overboard on time.

12. Think what questions you need to expect

Predicting the questions you’re going to face seems like an impossible task. After all, you could be asked about pretty much anything. But in reality, understanding the task and what the interviewer is looking for will help you to have an idea of the kinds of questions you’ll be asked.

For example, if you’re giving an interview presentation that is a mock pitch to clients, then you can attempt to think of some objections that a client would raise about your pitch. Or if you were listening to your presentation, what are the questions you would ask?

13. Thank them for their time, and reiterate your interest in the position

When you’ve finished your presentation and interview, remember to thank the interviewer for their time and say again how interested you are in the position and in joining the company.

When an interviewer is trying to make a decision between a few competitive candidates, being the one who is eager and actively wants the job can be a deciding factor.

What to Do If Your Interview Presentation Doesn’t Go to Plan?

Hopefully your interview presentation goes perfectly and you can skip this section completely. But just in case it doesn’t, here are a few things that could go wrong in your presentation and how to avoid them.

Technical difficulties

Technical difficulties can be frustrating at the best of times but especially in a high-pressure situation like an interview. And even worse, they can be completely out of your control.

The best thing you can do is to prepare for any eventuality.

Email a copy of your presentation to yourself. Have another copy on a USB memory stick that you bring with you. Print out a few copies to hand out as a backup. Try to cover all bases where possible.

You are asked a question you don’t know the answer to

While you can try to predict the questions you’ll be asked, it’s unlikely you’ll get them all. And you may even be asked a question to which you simply don’t have the answer. 

So instead of trying to come up with an answer on the spot, it’s best to pause and ask for a minute to consider. Or if you’re truly stumped, be upfront and say you don’t have an answer at that time but will revisit at the end of the interview, or at a later date.

While it would be an ideal situation to have an answer to every question, asking for time to revisit shows confidence and self-awareness.

Your audience seem disinterested or not engaged

Interview presentations are necessarily the most exciting things in the world. Especially if an interviewer has conducted multiple of the same interview. 

So don’t be disheartened if the interviewers don’t seem the most engaged. And if they do, you can always ask the interviewers if everything you have said makes sense so far or if they have any questions about anything you’ve discussed up to that point.

This also helps to stop your interview presentation turning into a lecture and gives yourself a pause to collect your thoughts and take a break.

You’re going overboard on time

Before you go in, you should have a good idea of how long your presentation will last. Even so, you can find yourself going overboard on time when in the interview.

It’s important to be aware of how much time you have left and if you’re going to go overboard on time.

But you can prepare for this beforehand. Before you go into the interview, try to think of areas that you can trim or cut from your presentation just in case. That you would like to include if you have the time, but aren’t 100% necessary to keep in, or that you can summarise quickly if you need to.

5 Ways How Working With a Recruitment Agency Can Help Your Interview Presentation

Interview presentations can be incredibly stressful, and the whole interview process is hardly a barrel of laughs. But working with a recruitment agency can be helpful for a number of reasons:

  • Recruiters often have insight into exactly what the interviewer is looking for, giving you an edge over the competition.
  • Recruiters have seen hundreds of interview tasks and presentations, and can give you individually tailored advice.
  • It gives you someone to rehearse with, or give you feedback on your presentation.
  • And the recruiter may also know where previous candidates for the job have gone wrong in their presentations, telling you how to avoid these mistakes.
  • All of which can give you a big confidence boost, knowing that you have a recruitment professional in your corner to support you

Support with your job interview presentation is just one of the many benefits of working with a recruitment partner. Have a look at our open IT jobs here , or reach out to register your interest here .

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3 minute presentation for job interview

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How to create and give a great presentation at a job interview?

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How to create and give a great presentation at a job interview?

A job interview presentation can be your own initiative or the company’s requirement for meeting with HR or a recruiter. In both cases, it is your chance to demonstrate your mind, approach, and skills from your vacancy perspective. Additionally, a quality and attractive interview PowerPoint presentation shows your ability to analyze, talk, explain, and persuade. If you’re a designer, you should make a pitch on colors, fonts, and other visual components. If you are a sales manager, you should concentrate on numbers and better send a presentation design to the agency.

If you feel you can rely on yourself, we’d like to share some tips on how to make a presentation for an interview and present it confidently.

interview presentation

Slides to Include in an Interview Presentation PPT

The zero advice here is to include only the most relevant details and facts of your biography. If you apply for a manager position, mentioning psychology as a hobby will add points. However, if you apply for a programmer, there is no need to show your rewards in ballet or box.

To begin with, aim for one slide per minute. If given 10 minutes, try to contain 10 to 12 slides. Let’s outline some basic slides in your presentation for the interview ppt.

All these slides cover a simple 3-stage presentation structure:

  • Introduction: tell them what you’re going to tell them.
  • Middle: tell them.
  • End: tell them what you told them.

Slide 1: Welcome the audience.

Welcome people to your presentation by introducing them, saying what you will cover, assuring their comfort as observers, and asking them to leave all questions until the end.

Slides 2-3: About me (education, past jobs, courses, skills).

Slides 4-5: What I can do for you (the reason to apply, strengths, previous achievements).

Slides 6-7: Why I can do it (skills, solutions).

Slide 8: Summary.

Some positions allow including slides about hobbies or some interest outside the work, but we suppose that depends on the seniority of your position and its type. If those interests strengthen your skills required, add them but briefly.

Tips to Improve Your Presentation for Interview

Research the company.

The first interview presentation tip is to personalize slides for the company’s industry and their latest challenges/news/issues. What kind of products and services do they sell? You adjust your expertise to the company’s current problems showing how your skills impact and contribute as soon as they hire you. However, we advise not adding these references to every slide because it may look obsessive.

Know yourself

The second tip to ace your interview presentation slides is to know your strengths. You can list dozens of certifications, but how do they really work and help in practice? Name advantages related to the company. Tell the audience what you have done and can do to assist the company in current challenges. For example, you’ve researched the company’s goals to achieve, and you should focus on those strengths that complement these aims.

Present with PCS format

PSC is an abbreviation meaning Problem, Consequences, and Solution. For example, you start the presentation by identifying a company’s problem, continue with the consequences they face without your expertise, and end with the clear solution you propose to overcome the problem. The solution shouldn’t be perfect, but this approach shows you’re a creative problem-solver.

work interview

6 C’s to Consider to Give Top-Notch PowerPoint Presentation for Job Interview

Psychologically, you need to do a couple of preliminary things to recognize what interviewers are looking for in the first place. Let’s review what they specifically search:

1. Communication

They will look at how you communicate, articulate, or are cohesive and smooth. Not only slides but words coming out of your mouth must make sense.

2. Carry yourself

They will notice whether you’re enthusiastic, energetic, polished, professional, persuasive, etc. For example, if you apply for a senior position, the interviewer will definitely consider if you can give confident pitches or arguments.

Are you comfortable with this entire environment? Is it easy for you to be present? People who interview dozens of candidates easily read your comfort or discomfort level by analyzing body gestures: how you click the clicker, look at the slides, bite lips, change voice tone, react at the interruption, etc.

4. Construction of presentation

It is more than just an outline structure, and it is about whether the person is going through a cohesive story with all the necessary information and prepared slides. It is about the packaging you must put together from PowerPoint or Google slides , a deck, handouts, etc.

It is the biggest key of the whole meeting. Sure, presentations are about introducing yourself, but the insight, information, and sequencing will cover the most time.

6. Compelling

You’ll often need to make a persuasive argument for the audience to see it as a good “deal” and you as a profitable “offer” they want to buy. Don’t consider it offensive but aren’t you selling your expertise and time, right?

To get the offer, you need to know what they want to give something valuable. People make mistakes when they think about their personalities while creating slides. The right approach is to consider the company’s needs when compiling skills, adding certifications, and listing advantages. Don’t waste anyone’s time 🙂

If you consider our tips, you know now how to give a good interview presentation. It is all about focusing on the company’s current needs or challenges. If you use this perspective, you’ll look like a more valuable candidate interested in the vacancy and able to propose solutions to real problems and ways to achieve current goals. Companies will never kick off individuals who know their strengths, communicate confidently, and show sincere interest in the company.

#ezw_tco-2 .ez-toc-widget-container ul.ez-toc-list li.active::before { background-color: #ededed; } Table of contents

  • Presenting techniques
  • 50 tips on how to improve PowerPoint presentations in 2022-2023 [Updated]
  • Keynote VS PowerPoint
  • Types of presentations
  • Present financial information visually in PowerPoint to drive results

How to write a resume presentation: tips and tricks from experts

How to write a resume presentation: tips and tricks from experts

How to make a presentation interactive

  • Design Tips

How to make a presentation interactive

Inspiration for PPT: how to find design ideas

Inspiration for PPT: how to find design ideas

COMMENTS

  1. Interview Presentation Templates (Plus Examples)

    What to include in an interview presentation template. Here are seven components you can think about when preparing your interview presentation template: 1. Type and topic of presentation. Before you begin preparing for a presentation, consider selecting a method of presentation. This can influence the type of template you create.

  2. 10 Tips for Delivering a Winning Interview Presentation

    How to give a good job interview presentation Use these tips to deliver a presentation in an interview: Ask for guidance. Know your audience. Find a focal point. Tell a compelling story. Position yourself effectively. Take a positive approach. Practice your delivery. Use nonverbal communication. Create visuals. End strongly. 1. Ask for guidance

  3. Job Interview Presentation Guide With Examples

    Make notes on the company or sector you will present for. It's crucial to be ready to discuss the topic you'll be given during the interview. The interviewer can gauge your understanding of the more significant business the company works in, so include current industry news in your notes. 4. Adopt a rational framework.

  4. How to Deliver a Winning Interview Presentation

    Stick a font size of 36 pixels for titles and at least 30 pixels for body text. Additionally, to make your message pop, maintain a solid contrast between your text and background. If you use a dark background, use a white font color and vice versa. You can grab inspiration from the job interview presentation sample below.

  5. How to Give A Compelling Interview Presentation: Tips ...

    2. Professional Curriculum Vitae PowerPoint Template. This a sample of PowerPoint presentation template that you can use to present a curriculum and prepare for a job interview presentation. The PPT template is compatible with PowerPoint but also with Google Slides.

  6. JOB INTERVIEW PRESENTATION! (How To Give A Brilliant ...

    JOB INTERVIEW PRESENTATION (How To Give A Brilliant Presentation In An INTERVIEW!) EXAMPLE INCLUDED! https://passmyinterview.com/how-to-give-a-job-interview-...

  7. How to Ace an Interview Presentation

    Here are the steps you need to take to improve your chances at an interview presentation: 1. Research the company and the position ahead of the presentation. Before the date of the presentation, research the company and the position you are applying for. Doing this will help you determine the type of pitch to create for your presentation.

  8. How to prepare a PowerPoint presentation for an interview

    Here's a list of steps to consider if you want to make a presentation: 1. Do your research. The first step is to do some research and gather all of the information you require. The nature of this information depends on the subject of your presentation. For instance, if you're applying for a marketing position, the hiring organisation might want ...

  9. Interview Presentation Preparation & 10-Minute Template

    A job interview presentation is all about selling yourself. Be confident, speak clearly, and make eye contact with the interviewer. Don't be afraid to promote yourself and highlight your achievements. This is your chance to really show the interviewer that you are capable and have the necessary skills to do the job.

  10. The Complete Guide to Crushing Your Job Interview Presentation

    A job interview presentation is a common part of the interview process, and something we coach our candidates through every day. Here's how. 0208 629 6006; Twitter; ... For example, if you're given 30 minutes for your presentation, we would advise aiming for around the 25 minute mark, allowing 5 minutes for any questions. ...

  11. 12 Tips for Delivering a Successful Interview Presentation

    Deliver your presentation to family or friends in advance of the interview to learn more about what you might be saying nonverbally. 9. Use clear diction and adequate volume. A benefit of standing is that it makes it easier to breathe deeply and speak with adequate volume, so you are easily understood.

  12. How To Prepare for an Interview Presentation (With Tips)

    Here are the five steps you can take to prepare a presentation for a job interview: 1. Research the company. The first step is to research the organization to which you are applying for the job. Researching the company allows you to include important information in your presentation.

  13. How to Give a Presentation in a Job Interview

    How to Give a Presentation in a Job Interview🌞 FREE DOWNLOAD: Ace Your Job Interview: Master on the best answers to the 14 most effective job interview ques...

  14. How to Make a 90-Day Plan Interview Presentation

    5. Scorecard. An essential part of any 90-day plan is building a report out. As you put your thoughts to paper, be sure to include the summary of actions, progress, and updates your manager will see each week. Design your report out in an easy to follow summary you can update each week. Think of it as a mini billboard of your accomplishments.

  15. HOW TO GIVE A JOB INTERVIEW PRESENTATION! (Job Interview Presentation

    Make it personable! INTERVIEW PRESENTATION TIP #5. - Keep it simple! - Keep your presentation simple. - Don't try to impress the panel with fancy words or statistics. - Consider using images and colour within your presentation (PowerPoint) to enhance the visual nature of your talk. INTERVIEW PRESENTATION TIP #6.

  16. 5 Steps to Acing Your Interview Presentation

    Try these steps for interview presentation success. 1. Know What You're Working With. As soon as you're asked to give a presentation, start by asking the hiring manager a few questions. Learn more about the topics you should present on, see how much time you'll have, and ask what technology, if any, you'll have access to.

  17. How to Start a Presentation for an Interview

    Capture your audience's attention with an account that can only be delivered by you - making it unique and remarkable. Openly display your personality and values, enabling the employer to make a better informed selection decision - beneficial for everyone involved. 2. Use media. Starting your presentation can be the most difficult bit.

  18. How To Give a Successful Presentation During an Interview

    A presentation should show off your verbal communication skills. That means you don't want to ramble or be poorly organized in how you share information. Limit filler words, such as "um," "like," and "you know.". Aim to make your presentation interesting and engaging. "Connect with interviewers on a human level.

  19. How To Do a Presentation About Yourself (With Tips)

    3. Create a short segment to engage the audience first. Before you begin talking about yourself in your presentation, you can first engage the audience with a short segment. There are several effective approaches you can try to recognize your audience and draw their attention. Some presenters may introduce a compelling quote or statistic and ...

  20. Tips for Preparing a Presentation for an Interview

    Then, divide the presentation into clear sections to display a succession of ideas. Ensure logical structuring of your arguments. Towards the end, give a summary of your arguments to encapsulate the main ideas of your presentation. Finish with a brief conclusion that gives recommendations or suggestions, if applicable to the topic at hand.

  21. 13 Tips to Create a Stand Out Job Interview Presentation

    The 5 Things Your Job Interview Presentation Needs to Show. Before we get into the practical tips for your interview presentation, there are a few essential things that your presentation must show: ... So instead of trying to come up with an answer on the spot, it's best to pause and ask for a minute to consider. Or if you're truly stumped ...

  22. How to Introduce Yourself with a Great Job Interview Presentation

    To begin with, aim for one slide per minute. If given 10 minutes, try to contain 10 to 12 slides. Let's outline some basic slides in your presentation for the interview ppt. All these slides cover a simple 3-stage presentation structure: Introduction: tell them what you're going to tell them. Middle: tell them. End: tell them what you told ...

  23. 7 Tips for Nailing an Interview Presentation

    7. Practice (and Practice Again) The only way to know whether your presentation is the right length is by practicing. And, rehearsing will also build your confidence and make you more fluent for the real thing. Ideally, perform your talk for someone you trust so you can get some honest feedback.