Presentations

An increasing number of interviews now call for the applicant to make a formal presentation as part of the process. This may be delivered to any number of assessors, from just one person to a large audience, which may also include the other candidates. One common approach is to deliver the presentation to a small panel of assessors, and then continue on with a formal interview.

In the majority of cases, the applicant will advised if they need to make a presentation when invited to interview, along with a specific subject area. This may be a 'technical' topic related to the job, for example, "The Opportunities and Challenges Facing the Fashion Industry Today", or a general 'non-technical' subject, such as "My Greatest Achievement".

Take some time to find out who you will make your presentation to (your audience) and make sure you are aware of any requirements, such as presentation length or format. Check what equipment will be available to you on the day, for example:

• laptop (and software)
• overhead projector
• slide projector
• flipchart
• laser pointer

You may want to consider making summary notes or a copy of your presentation to hand out to the audience.

Occasionally, you may be informed in advance that you will need to make a presentation, but will only be given the subject title on arrival. Whilst it is likely that this presentation will be related to the job in question, it may also simply be a general topic, aimed to test your ability to prepare and organise unfamiliar material and your communication skills. Before the interview, practise making outline presentations on various topics, and adapt these to the specific requirements of the topic on the day.

A presentation is an ideal way for you to convince your audience that:

• You are knowledgeable about your subject
• You can communicate clearly to a range of different audiences
• You are professional
• You can plan and organise material sucessfully
• You can establish a good relationship and rapport with your audience
• You are enthusiastic

Our section on Assessments contains more information on presentations, along with details on how to plan, prepare and deliver your presentation successfully.