Presentations: How to get from terrified to confident! Careers & Employability Service 1
Think of your own experience…… The best……
and
The worst……
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Structure of today’s session • The 3 Ps – Preparation & Planning – Practice • Plus a D thrown in! – Delivery
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When might you be asked for a presentation? • Interview and/or Assessment centre: – Preparation time can vary
• Work presentation • Viva (academic presentation) • Course presentation
The 3 ‘Ps’
• Preparation & Planning • Practice • 90 seconds on what makes a great speech
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Preparation & Planning • • • • • •
Audience Time Length Subject PowerPoint Delivery 6
Preparation & Planning - Audience • • • •
Who is the audience? What are their expectations? Never underestimate the audience’s intelligence Involve the audience – ask questions of them
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Preparation & Planning - Time • • •
Time determines length 5 minutes = 4 slides max Do not go over your time allocation
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Preparation - Subject • Research your subject as thoroughly as possible • Don’t overload with information • Don’t bluff • Don’t sit on the fence • Try and anticipate likely questions
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Preparation & Planning – PowerPoint
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.
Prepare your ideas on paper first Font size & consistency Include visuals and/or sound Neat & accurate Good idea to number your slides Take a hard copy of your presentation in case of computer failure 7. Handouts? 10
Preparation & Planning - slides You should really only ever use 25 to 35 words on a slide as this is the amount of text the audience needs and although having a page full of interesting text might make you feel a lot better as it shows just how much you know about the subject and so it indicates just how clever you really are, its actually what you say which is important and the slides are just to reference the points for you to hang your script on… and if you have read this far why are you not listening to me?????!!! 11
Preparation Plan the structure of your talk: • A strong beginning • A solid & interesting middle • A clear conclusion
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Beginning • Title – make it catchy • If appropriate – event, date, your name and position • Catch the attention - relevant anecdote, question, current news story or contradictory statement? KEEP IT SHORT AND SNAPPY
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The middle bit • Outline your key themes/argument • Focus on getting 2/3 main points across
• Be logical & accurate – no typos! • Be creative – think interest and variety 14
Be creative • You could use quotes: "Tell'em what you're gonna tell'em, tell'em, tell'em what you told'em.”
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You could use diagrams, charts and graphs Body Language
Presentation topic
Confidence Values & Beliefs
good IT, keep to time
Building rapport
Articulation
Smart 16
Be creative • You could use video or sound clips: Ewan McGregor on public speaking
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Be creative – You could also use images, music, props, case histories – Above all use narrative - people respond to
stories so paint a picture in their mind
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Wrapping up • Briefly summarise key points - tell them what you have just told them • Ask if anyone has questions • Important to have a clear ending SAY ‘and now to conclude’ DO NOT SAY ‘and that’s it’ and then shuffle off! 19
Exercise: On-the-spot Presentation • You are in a group interview with several others • Each person has to introduce themselves in no more than a minute • What are you going to say? • (Aldi) 20
More presentation examples • 10 min presentation: two topics to choose from: "Why would you be a good choice for our grad scheme?" and "Describe an interesting hobby". An hour to prepare for it and after the presentation there were questions and an interview (Cable and Wireless) • Had to prepare a 15 minute presentation in advance on "How to create business value through IT" (AXA)
• 20 minutes to prepare a 5 minute presentation on a group project you have worked on at some point, preferably where you had a choice of topic. (ATOS Origin) 21
The 3 Ps • Preparation & planning
• Practice
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Practise by yourself • In front of mirror/on video • Time yourself • Practise as many times as possible - to gain confidence - to get used to the sound of your own voice • Check audio visuals 23
Practise with an audience • Ask for feedback Q. Were you talking too fast or too slowly? Q. Were your visual aids clear? Q. Did you move logically from one point to another? Q. Were you interesting or deathly? • Take criticism well and make changes 24
Nerves • Script first few sentences • Check any words you are unsure of and memorise • Breathe deeply
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Delivery technique • • • • •
As always – first impressions count Don’t start with an apology Never embarrass your audience! Avoid jargon & colloquialisms Humour – be careful!
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Having presence • Voice • Body language - smile - make eye contact - mannerisms • Space • Rapport 27
What is wrong with this delivery? • How many mistakes can you spot?
