Really hard interview presentation ..... help!

[daisydotandgertie]

I have an interview this week for a job I'm really keen on but haven't a clue where to start with one section of it.

I have no problem with the presentation topic, it's stuff I already know about but the bit that's really hard is this;

'You can choose your style of presentation and can refer to notes however we request that you do not aim to use visual aids such as video, power point or flip charts. Following the presentation you may submit supporting notes that you have used.'

It's a 10 minute presentation with an allocation of 20 minutes for questions. There's also a team exercise to complete.

Help me! I can't get my brain going.

[escape]

So you are literally giving a speech???

Google some 'speech planning' tips!!
Bonus that you know the topic well, though..

[deanychip]

I think that this is the new way of interviewing because it shows you as a person without props and allows you to shine on a well known subject.

Kinda gonna have to adopt a teaching role here arent you, treat it as a formal structured "chat"

[deanychip]

whats the subject?

[daisydotandgertie]

This is the applicant brief

'Guide Dogs, as part of its strategy going forward, wants to grow and build on its successful base of Guide Dog Owners within the UK.

A large part of the role of Information Officer will be to engage with key external partners who can and do provide referrals of people with sight impairment who are potentially interested in Guide Dog Ownership.

To support this growth key partnerships need to be built on, and in some cases, established with ?

? Sensory teams within Local Authorities
? Staff and/or volunteers within Hospital Eye Clinics
? Local Blind Charities
? Health Centres & Selected GP Surgeries

[daisydotandgertie]

So the detail of it is very specific - and one which they will know more about than me. I do have a lot of experience of engaging key external partners in a disability field, although not specifically related to their operation.

Another aspect of this is that a visual presentation is no help on earth for anyone with a visual impairment. The need to present in a clear, illustrative and interesting way has even more significance, iyswim.

[notsoclever]

Hi there daisydot,

It can be very difficult for a blind person to listen to an unstructured presentation so it to have a clear structure: the classic "tell them what you are going to say, say it, then tell them what you said". Keep you key message to 3 or 4 points (and remind people where you are in your mental list e.g. "the second point I'd like to cover is.....).

Speak slowly and clearly, relax, smile when you're speaking (inject your personality into what you are saying) - you'd be surprised how much people with a visual impairment can hear in your voice. Do something with your hands to keep them still. Blind people know that we're inadvertently using our hands to illustrate a point and it can be very frustrating for them.

Practice your presentation in front of someone who has their eyes closed - they can tell you whether your talk makes sense, and you can get accustomed to the lack of eye contact and positive feedback.

If you are a confident speaker, try engaging your audience on an emotional level, for example, "imagine a situation where....".

HTH

[daisydotandgertie]

God, you lot are good. My brain has just about begun to flicker into life even though I could have sworn the lights had gone out permanently!

Thank you.