Interview Presentation....HELP!

[shredder]

Hello! Can anyone help me? I have an interview coming up for a graduate sales postion. I've got through two interviews for it so far, but now I have to do one with a three minute presentation, the title of which is "Why (company name) should choose me for a career in sales".

I don't know where to start, i've been advised not to reel off my c.v as they'll have it in front of them! I need an idea to make it stand out but have no idea where to start

[Hugh]

3 minutes isn't long for a presentation - do you have to use a flip chart or an ohp (over head projector) or Powerpoint?

One approach is to link it into the most important parts that they have described in the job spec. Look out for the weighted areas, that is, the things they think are important, and and show how your skills and experience match these, and then show what other strengths you can bring to the company, to help it and you succeed.

It is also about presentation skills - can you hold someone's attention for three minutes, without "uhmmms" and "ahhhs", fidgeting, keeping appropriate eye contact.

A good presentation is usually along the following lines
tell them what you are going to tell them (introduction)
tell them (presentation)
tell them what you told them (summary)

This link might help (but it is for longer presentations)
http://lorien.ncl.ac.uk/ming/Dept/Ti...sent/comms.htm

[shredder]

No, they've said no powerpoint or OHP's.....even worse! I haven't done a presentation since I left uni. Wouldn't be so bad if it wasn't about me for 3 minutes!

[AntiSilence]

My suggestion is run like hell.... I wouldn't be able to do it. It was bad enough that I had to have two interviews for my current job. Thankfully, I didn't have to do a presentation.

[Hugh]

Here are some more links (I would ignore the comment about using a joke in the 5 minute presentation - that works to a crowd, not to a small group of people you don't know very well; if it goes flat, you kill the presentation).
http://www.presentationhelper.co.uk/...ion_skills.htm
http://www.presentationhelper.co.uk/..._5_minutes.htm

Remember, you are proving to them that you can sell (yourself).

If they haven't said "no flipcharts" why not pre-write some flipchart pages and take them in (shows initiative).

Otherwise follow the tips in the links above, present it to someone else first, for constructive criticism and to make sure it only takes 3 minutes.

1. Make one main point in the presentation and elaborate on it.
2. Try to break this point down into a list of three main concepts and present them. See the section on the rule of three for more details.
3. End on a high point. The psychological technique of recency suggests that this will be what people remember most.

Rule of 3
1. The audience will likely remember only three things from your presentation - plan in advance what will these be.
Believe it or not, the chances are, people will only remember three things from your presentation. So before you start writing your presentation plan what your three key messages will be. Once you have these messages. Structure the main part of your presentation around these three key themes and look at how they could be better illustrated.
2. There are three parts to your presentation
The beginning, the middle and the end. Start to plan out what you will do in these three parts. The beginning is ideal for an attention grabber or for an ice breaker. The end is great to wrap things up or to end with a grand finale.
3. Use lists of three where ever you can in your presentation
Lists of three have been used from early times up to the present day. They are particularly used by politicians and advertisers who know the value of using the rule of three to sell their ideas.

Look at the job spec - pick the 3 things that will benefit the company most - explain how you will achieve these 3 things (briefly).

In a recent interview, I had to do a 15 minute presentation on "what I would do in the first 100 days in my new role" - you probably need to spend about 10-12 hours on this to give it justice - remember what I said above - you are proving you can sell, by selling yourself to the interviewers.

[TheNorm]

Originally Posted by shredder

No, they've said no powerpoint or OHP's.....even worse! I haven't done a presentation since I left uni. Wouldn't be so bad if it wasn't about me for 3 minutes!

So don't talk about "me", rather "my qualities".

What makes a good salesman? Product knowledge, desire to ensure the customer gets a fair deal, ability to get on with all sorts of people, etc. What qualities do you have that would be of value for these points? Try to give solid real-life examples.

For example, you might say something like "My friend recently asked me for advice on the purchase of a wireless router. I asked him a few questions about price and some technical details, and then spent half an hour reading up on information on some websites that I've found to be useful. I meant him that evening for a drink and we narrowed it down to a choice of three routers. The next day he went to PC World and saw one of the choices on special offer. He went home, installed it, and was very happy with the result. This showed me how product knowledge can help in sales."

Or, "My sister asked me to sell her old Cindy doll collection on ebay. To be honest, this was the last thing I wanted to do, and I told her as much. So, I made a deal with her - we would split the proceeds 50:50, and all expenses would come from her half. She wasn't too happy with this, and said that she'd give me £5 if the selling price was over £10. We eventually agreed that I take one-third. In the end the collection sold for £30 - we were both happy!"

You might even want to include an example where you got something wrong, and learned from the mistake. However, be sure to use real-life examples in case they start asking you detailed questions.

Try to visualise how well the whole event will go. You are going to rehearse, so you know what to say. You are going to speak slowly (but not too slowly) and clearly, because you want them to hear every word. You are going to speak for 2 minutes 55 seconds, and finish with a smile and "thanks for listening" (or whatever). They are going to ask you questions, but of course you've rehearsed in front of friends and family so you are also prepared for these.

And what is the worst that can happen? After all this preparation, they might choose another candidate. Their loss! You will have other chances. And, you now have a ready-made speech for the next interview!

[TheDaddy]

You might find this useful

IDENTIFYING AREAS OF CONTROL

These are some of the ‘problem’ areas that need to be considered when preparing for a presentation;

MANAGING THE AUDIENCE

Boredom
Too many people
Too few people
They might ask questions
They might have a different agenda!
They might be very knowledgeable on the subject

MANAGING THE RESOURCES

Is there somewhere for your notes?
Electric points
Lighting
Daylight control
Temperature
Presentation location – dais? lectern?
Presentation location – meeting room? hall?
Interruptions
External noise

MANAGING YOURSELF

Nerves
Voice – Tone, Pitch, Accent, Volume
Body language

ESTABLISHING YOUR AIMS

The aims of most presentations will fall under one of these broad categories;

1. To inform
2. To educate
3. To persuade To change opinions or attitudes

ESTABLISHING YOUR AIMS

Establishing the aims of a presentation helps with the planning process by;

§ Defining what you want to achieve through your presentation
§ Making decisions on what should and should not go into the presentation
§ Keep your presentation on track

Establishing the aims of a presentation will also have a bearing on;

§ The content, i.e. the information the presentation will contain
§ The structure, the way in which the ideas are developed and the order in which the information is presented
§ The angle, the viewpoint or perspective you want to emphasise
§ The style, formal, informal?
§ The level, what knowledge will the audience have of the subject

PLANNING THE CONTENTS

Why preparation is important

The consequences of bad planning are;

§ Presenter unsure of material
§ Presentation does not fit into allotted time
§ There is no logic or order to the presentation
§ The material is confusing and difficult to understand
§ Relevant material is left out, irrelevant material included
§ The presenter looks and sound unconvincing

The benefits of planning are;
§ Presenter looks and acts calm and in control
§ The presentation runs to the allotted time
§ The material flows logically and is easy to follow
§ The points covered are complete and relevant to the audience
§ The presenter is seen as a credible subject expert

MAKING A GOOD START

What the opening should achieve

The first two minutes of a presentation hold the key to it’s success or failure. Within that time the audience will have decided;

§ If they are interested

§ If they need to listen

§ If they are going to believe what the presenter is going to say

§ If they believe that the presenter is the right person to be presenting that information

This means that the presenter must use those two minutes to make a favourable impression on the audience. If they don’t, the success of the presentation will at best be impaired, at worst, grind to a halt.

Before you can plan the opening of a presentation, three things must be clear;

§ What the aims of the presentation are
§ What KEY areas it is going to cover
§ How long it is going to take

Once these three things are in place it is important to plan the opening to convince the audience that both the presentation and the presenter are going to be exactly what they want to hear and see. Achieving this is a major step in ensuring an attentive and receptive audience, two more ingredients for a successful presentation.

MAKING A GOOD START

What should the opening contain

All successful presentations contain five elements within the opening

I Interest
N Need
T Title
R Related information

MAKING A GOOD START

What should the opening contain

INTEREST
A presenter must gain the interest of the audience. People will not listen to something if they think it is of no interest to them. Consider what will interest your PARTICULAR audience, it could be profit, low cost, ease of use, new knowledge or information etc. which will be of benefit to them personally (appeal to them) or the opening may simply be an entertaining delivery style. However it is delivered, the audience must, within the first two minutes, be convinced that “this is going to be interesting.� Not �this is going to be a waste of time.�

NEED

A presenter must show the audience that they NEED TO LISTEN. The key to this element is In identifying your audiences NEEDS before you begin (preparation).
You must ask yourself why are they there? Will this presentation help them;

§ Make an informed judgement?
TITLE

All presentations need an identity. This is usually contained in the title. This should be included in the opening information, whether this is a slide, presentation material or documentation etc. The title should be simple and clearly stated and be obvious to the audience.

RELATED INFORMATION

This needs to be carefully built into the opening. It could include who you are, how long the presentation will last, when you will take questions, what material will be available (and when) etc. Anyone who is thinking of any of these issues or this type of information, is NOT LISTENING to you. By giving answers to these types of issues as part of the opening you are removing possible sources of distraction and making it easier for your audience to give you their full attention during the presentation.

OVERVIEW

A brief overview of what is to come helps to put your audience in a more receptive mood by giving them a clear idea of what will be covered in later stages of the presentation. It also reduces distraction in the audience who may be wondering if
Their particular concerns are being covered. Such concerns affect the audiences concentration, they are not listening to you and it makes them less confident in you and your presentation.

AND IN CONCLUSION

The role of the summary

Just as the opening of any presentation is a key element in it’s success, so is the conclusion of the presentation. It is important that a presentation has a formal ending. It doesn’t just stop. It must come to a recognisable conclusion.

The final section of any presentation structure is the summary. This is the last thing the audience hears. It is an opportunity to reinforce the message and create a lasting impression.

The purpose of the summary is therefore;

§ To bring the presentation to a recognisable conclusion

§ To reiterate and reinforce the main points

§ Create a positive and lasting impression

MAKING AND USING NOTES

Why notes are necessary.

§ A good performance in any presentation is supported by a good set of notes.

§ Notes help you keep track of progress and to stay in control.

§ You can use notes to give yourself instructions, such as timings and cues for visual aids.

Reading directly from a script is not recommended…

It will lack conviction.

It will come across as dull, flat and boring.

It is easy to lose your place.

You will not be maintaining interaction with the audience.

Any interruptions could throw you completely.



SOME OTHER POINTS

Body language.

The messages we send our audience at any presentation are affected quite dramatically by the body language we use. Our stance, expression, gestures, posture and eye contact all send out messages much more powerful than the words we speak and thus can alter the audiences perception of what we are saying.

In addition, people only remember 30% of what they hear but 70% of what they see.

Thus it is important to remember that as a presenter it is not just what you say that matters but how you say it and, what you are doing while you are saying it.


Overcome stress and its effects by…

§ Being prepared. Know your material. Rehearse.
§ Know your opening. Be able to deliver your opening two minutes without reference to notes etc. Stress is at it’s highest during the first two minutes of a presentation. After this confidence builds up subconsciously.

Being heard
Some basic principles for ensuring the audience will hear you…

Volume
Speak loudly for people farthest away to hear you without making it uncomfortable for those nearest. If you need to shout, you need a microphone with speakers correctly positioned.

Pitch
Try to speak at your normal pitch. Don’t change your speaking style just because it is a presentation.

Speed.
The tendency at the start is to speak too fast (adrenaline). Make a conscious effort to speak more slowly. Practice pausing at the end of each sentence. At the end of each sentence take a breath and silently count ‘one’ before starting to speak again. At the end of each paragraph/section, take a breath and silently count ‘two’ before starting again.

Clarity.
See pronunciation.
Don’t miss letters off words, slur words or drop endings.

Address everyone you are presenting to
Speak to the entire audience. Treat them as one person.
Project your voice to the back of the room and everyone in between will hear you.

Be yourself
The worst thing you can do is change your natural speech, especially your accent. If you don’t talk posh, don’t attempt to. It sounds ridiculous. If you do talk posh, don’t make it sound patronising.

Blimey I had forgotten quite how long this is, good luck