Presentations: In The Interview

Presentations In The Interview

In many information agencies, it is customary for the candidate to make some sort of a presentation before a group as part of the interview situation. Ask if this will be true in your situation. If it is, be certain that you understand how much time is available, the nature of the audience, and the purpose of the presentation. The presentation should be specifically designed to meet the audience needs and interests. If you will be using ANY information technology, verify the availability of hardware and software. Let your host know your hardware/software requirements and how much setup time you will need before your presentation.

Always take manual backup material in case something doesn't work. Often, something will not work! Make your presentation as interesting and as interactive as possible. DO NOT look at the slides and present your back to your audience. DO NOT have 57 slides each crowded with bulleted items. Do limit slides to three to five bullets and no more than five words for each. The presentation needs to be clean, clear, and focused. It is a summary of something interesting and important. It is NOT a detailed research presentation. A common error is including too much content and then rushing toward the end.

Eye contact and interactivity with the audience are especially important. Your body language should be welcoming and positive -- even relaxed. Do use gestures. Walk around a bit.

If a question and answer session follows, provide relatively brief but focused responses to questions. Don't be afraid to say that you don't know or are uncertain. You can't know everything. However do consider that sort of questions that might be asked about your presentation.

The presentation will be evaluated as evidence of your knowledge and comfort level with technology, your ability to deal with the unexpected, and your speaking/teaching effectiveness. It is a major moment.

While presentations are not a major concern for many search committees, they are especially important for public service positions. Most search committees understand that a presentation in a strange place with strange equipment that does not always go well.