4 Tips to delivering a winning interview presentation

Interview presentations can be a way for you to shine, but they can also be nerve-wracking. Read on for advice on how to prepare and deliver the best presentation in your interview.

When a hiring manager requests a presentation as part of the job interview, they are looking to see a showcase of your knowledge, experience, and a demonstration on how interested you are in the company and job. An effective presentation will reflect both your skills and personality fit for the job.

As you progress into more senior roles in your career, presentations are likely to become more of a regular requirement in interviews, and more common in second interviews. In fact, we are now seeing recruiters incorporating presentations for roles at entry level upwards. We recommend honing your presentation skills right away, to improve your interview success rate now and in the future.

What are employers looking for with interview presentations?

They are looking to judge: 

• If you have the abilities for the job
• Your communication skills
• Whether you are a diligent person
• If you are organized

Invest time in preparing your interview presentation to showcase each of these qualities, proving your commitment and excitement for the job.

4 Tips for a stand-out presentation

1. Prove you can do the job

Understand the task: Ensure you are absolutely clear on what is being asked of you from the presentation and how it relates to the role. Work with your recruiter. They will be in regular contact with your interviewer(s) and can help clarify anything you’re unsure of.

Demonstrate your skills: The presentation is testing for key competencies. Which competencies are these? Revisit the job description, highlight the required skills and incorporate these into your presentation.

Do your research: Look at the business objectives of the company. For example, are there any major industry or company changes that would impact the assignment?

Anecdotal evidence will make for a stronger presentation: Share real life success stories to demonstrate your knowledge and involvement in a project to keep hiring managers engaged and validate your experience.

2. Demonstrate your written communication skills

You know what you want to cover during your presentation; now it’s time to think about how you are going to convey it.  

• Structure your presentation: The first slide should give an overview of the contents. An introductory slide could follow with an interesting fact, quote or statistic designed to grab the interviewer’s attention. Each subsequent slide should provide a headline for the specific topic and use visual aids or a few succinct bullet points to provide detail and talking points. 
• Keep visuals simple and clear: Avoid busy layouts or too many transitions between slides as you don’t want to confuse or loose the attention of the audience.  
• Know your audience: You may be presenting to an interview panel with different areas of expertise. Keep the language simple and avoid using too much jargon.

3. Confident delivery, demonstrating your interest

Delivery of the presentation is equally (if not more) important. Presenting clearly and in an engaging way is essential, and this is your chance to show your passion for the industry, company, or project.

• Practice your delivery: Either practice your presentation with someone who can give you honest feedback, use a mirror, or simply record yourself. Body language is key, you'll also want to practice maintaining eye contact.
• Don’t read from a script: Instead, reiterate the key points from each slide, and then talk around them in more detail. Direct the presentation to everyone but keep the hiring manager engaged with regular eye contact to build rapport. At the end, sum up the key messages you want the interviewer to remember.
• Calm your nerves: Take deep breaths and try to remain positive throughout your presentation. Remind yourself that the interviewers are human – each of them has been in your shoes before. They are not trying to trip you up; they want you to succeed.

4. Show your diligence

The interviewer will want to see evidence that you approach tasks in an organized and conscientious manner.

• Plan for the technology: Check in advance whether you will be using their devices or one of your own? Make sure you are comfortable in using the tech.
• Bring a back-up with you: Even if you are presenting this slide deck on your own device, take a backup copy on your USB/save to the cloud, and email a copy to yourself.
• Stick to the time allotted: You will get extra points for being succinct, relevant and interesting.
• Try to be on brand: Look at the fonts and colors on the company website and use these in your presentation.
• Check and check again: From the formatting to the spelling and grammar – look at everything one final time.

For further insight and advice on preparing for interviews, download our Interview Guide.