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Original poster

Interview presentation without PowerPoint?

14 replies

Confuzzlediddled · 05/01/2019 12:21

I have an interview on Tuesday where I need to do a 10 minute presentation.

However the invite says there is no PowerPoint available on the day! How do I make it more interesting than me just standing there waffling?

If anyone has any experience in this I'd appreciate any hints and tips you can give...

OP posts:
Lwmommy · 05/01/2019 12:30

What's the topic?

Could you use props or handouts?

Will you have a whiteboard available that you could use to add content to as you present?

Jenala · 05/01/2019 12:32

Most presentations are better without PowerPoint. Nothing worse than a bad powerpoint.

10 minutes isn't long. Just talk surely.

WhatNow40 · 05/01/2019 12:33

What's the job for? Is PowerPoint deliberately excluded because they want to see more creativity? If training job, do they want to see your ability to engage the room etc. Look at the key skills for the role and work from there as to what skills they want you to demonstrate as part of the interview.

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TodoDoingDone · 05/01/2019 12:35

Prepare it well and practice it lots, that way you won't waffle.

What's the job? I work for a charity and Flipchart are the new powerpoint. I can't draw or write on the bloody things so think this is a stupid idea. But you could prepare some in advance, if appropriate to sector.

How about watching some Ted talks for ideas? Lots of them have no PowerPoint. Plenty of advice is you Google how to write a Ted talk".

Good luck! With preparation you can make it a good talk, it doesn't have to be spectacular, just be clear and be yourself!

DiamondsInTheMud · 05/01/2019 12:35

I have an interview in a couple of weeks with a sinilar format, although im not sure if ill have access to a laptop for PowerPoint. Im planning on doing a presentation on PP, and having printouts of ny slides to give to the interviewers, whether i have a laptop to use or not. Gives them something to follow rather than just listening to me talk.

TodoDoingDone · 05/01/2019 12:41

Or do what my colleague did. The anti-PowerPoint brigade banned her from using it, so she printed out her presentation - at least it was A3-and stuck it on the wall. Grin it was graphs and figures and we couldn't see anything. She made her point! Grin

Skyrain · 05/01/2019 12:44

I did this earlier on the year. I was advised that I could provide handouts so I had a couple of pages with the main headings and points on which I then expanded on. Like you I was concerned that I couldn’t use PowerPoint but it actually turned out okay.

StealthPolarBear · 05/01/2019 12:45

I prepare a speech and rehearse it. I usually have a couple of handouts to illustrate kry points.
Good luck!

StealthPolarBear · 05/01/2019 12:45

Please don't just give the interviewers physical slides

BookMeOnTheSudExpress · 05/01/2019 12:47

Does it definitely have to be a digital presentation? If so, then Prezi is a million times better than PowerPoint (which I ban at school mwahaha- waste of everybody's time IMO)

If I were told I had to do a presentation, I'd presume non-digital unless told otherwise.

Original poster
Confuzzlediddled · 05/01/2019 12:49

Thanks for the responses.

Its for an operational team manager, and the subject is incorporating a customer focused ethos in the team whilst ensuring health and safety remains a priority.

No flipcharts or anything available (I'm assuming they would have said so if they were) just me in a room, when I can't stand due to my disability 😂 I think PPT isn't avaliable as its in a hotel, they possibly dont have the infrastructure available to provide it rather than an anti PowerPoint stance?

I'll have a look at Ted talks, great idea, nerves very much kicking in now!

OP posts:
WhatNow40 · 05/01/2019 13:39

As it's in a hotel, they are most likely refusing to pay the extortionate price for power point and flip chart rental. This is good, it means they are not opposed to these, just keeping costs down.

I'd personally prepare a few pages on a cardboard flip pad. I love these!!!

The pages can act as prompts, keep your running order in line and keep you to time. Key info/stats on the flip so you don't have to remember the detail. Concentrate on remembering what message you are conveying and how you come across.

Interview presentation without PowerPoint?
Athena51 · 05/01/2019 13:56

A few years back every interview wanted a PowerPoint presentation but I never see it now - it seems to have fallen out of fashion. They want to see how well you can put information across without relying on bells and whistles I expect.

When I've had to do this, I've had some notes with my main points which I've given to the panel after I've finished my presentation (don't do it before as people just read the notes or slides and don't listen) and then talked in as engaging and lively a manner as possible.

For my last interview I had to do a (previously unseen) case study and then present my findings to them and answer questions for the first 10 minutes of the interview without any aids. It was fine and I got the job Smile

Practising is good. My Dcat has heard all of my presentations, training sessions, webinars etc - he's a great audience....

Mouseylu · 05/01/2019 14:16

Why not do an executive summary handout

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