Job interview- partner says my presentation is shit

[Greenginghamdress]

I need mumsnet wisdom.
I have a job interview on Friday. I would like the job but not desperately as I like my current job but it would be a payrise and I like the look of the company.
I had to create a presentation of my skills prior to the interview. I spent a good deal of time on it. I have not done this for an interview before. I rehersed it in front of my partner tonight. He said it was shit and awful! That theres no theme or anything that stands out about it! Having looked again, he's probably right. PowerPoint isn't my strong point. Theres plenty of information and supporting data but it may not look the part.
The problem is, I've already emailed it to the recruiter as we were instructed to do in advance.
I'm gutted and thinking of pulling out of the interview as I wont be able to stop thinking my presentation 'Is shit'.
Should I pull out or go ahead?
YABU - Go to interview
YANBU- Do not go

Please be honest but not brutally so as I'm in tears at the moment.

Go to the interview! Better to attempt to sell yourself in person. I assume PowerPoint isn’t a key skill required for the job?

either way better to attempt it rather than Jack it in. Also tell your partner he’s a twat. Im all for honesty but would never tell my husband he was shit!

Bloody hell, with your boyfriend giving you "feedback" like that you don't need any enemies.

Of course go. Don't worry about the presentation. If your boyfriend can't be specific about what to improve then he's not being helpful. Is he bothered that he's upset and unnerved you and put you off even going??

This is a non issue. If you're presentation is any good, they'll be looking at you, not the deck

By "theme" do you mean the presentations appearance?

Either way I'd do some quick editing and email the recruiter again saying something along the lines of "oops, just realised I sent you my draft. Here's the final version, please use this instead"

It's not what you say, it's how you say it. So spend the remaining time thinking uo your presentation style/script and let the PowerPoint just be a backdrop to you doing the talking!

What have you got to lose?

Depends on the role, but I probably wouldn't mind if the Powerpoint wasn't great - this can be improved with practice, or just access to good templates - as long as the ideas were good and it was presented clearly and with enthusiasm.
Go for it.

Go to the job interview. You have nothing to lose and I'm sure it'll go better than you think in person.

Objectively, if you think you can improve the presentation and want to change it then do so and just email an updated copy to the recruiter. I doubt they'd mind.

Definitely still do it.

If you can review some pointers on how to create PowerPoints, do so tonight. Watch "death by PowerPoint" on YouTube.

My mantra is to always have more slides with less content on each, rather than fewer slides with more content. One point per slide is great. Make the font size bigger, use an image and a cohesive theme and colour scheme, and you're good.

I create PowerPoints for a living, basically, and it does take practice to get it right, like any other skill.

If you can improve the presentation, email the recruiter and say you got some last minute feedback and would like to submit a revised version.

And your partner is a dickhead for reducing you to tears over this. My first presentation was naff, and my partner talked me through some pointers and sent me links to help me get the hang of it. As I said, now I create presentations all the time.

You can do this! Nothing to lose, everything to gain.

Go to the interview. Treat it as practice.

I have seen so many shockingly bad presentations given by professionals and it doesn't seem to interfere with their jobs.

Maybe ask for feedback from the recruiter and ask if you can make any changes.

Otherwise just go to the interview. Your experience and the way you come across is what counts

I'd drop a line to the recruiter saying a new version would be sent tomorrow, then I'd work in it tonight and send it tomorrow.

For ppt, keep it simple - less text, so just stick to bullet points. Think of the 'buzzwords' from the job spec and try to include some of those by relating to your experience. And a theme of your skills etc perhaps running throughout would be good.

Your boyfriend sounds unkind and unsupportive.

did he give you any helpful or constructive suggestions or is he just trying to destroy your confidence and keep you in your box?

as an employer I wouldn’t mind about the slides, I’d want you to sell yourself and communicate clearly and enthusiastically

We're those his actual words?! Is he an expert in the job you're applying for? Ignore him. If it doesn't work out use it as practice for the next one.

I've interviewed loads of people who've had to do PPT presentations. They are not judged on that but their understanding about what they are trying to say.

I'd say it's more how you present it than the actual slides.

Go to the interview. Just do not read the powerpoint for them but present your own ideas with enthusiasm and clarity, and this can gloss over the slides.

Good luck!

Didn't it ever cross your bfs mind to help you fix it rather than just saying it's shit he sounds like a delight

Your boyfriend sounds like an a 😡. How dare he knock your confidence like that at the last minute. Of course you should go to the interview. I bet the ppt is way better than you realise and even if it’s not, it doesn’t matter at all. It’s all good practice for next time xx

Unless it's for a design or creative job it's probably fine.
More about having a visual reference of your skills.
Canva is your friend for making things look nice in future.
You are not desperate for the job so treat it as interview practice for the one you really want (then you'll probably get it!)

Hello it is my experience that the interviewers just hire the right face. For example they will see someone and like them more than someone else and that’s that. It doesn’t matter how good someone interviews or how they come across they are always going to find the person they want rather than the best fit.

Your presentation might not be the best but what you say I'd what really matters. Don't pull out, go for it. They shortlisted you for an interview so they like you obvs. Good luck.

Is your partner an experienced recruiter?

If not, his ideas are no better than yours about what they want. If I asked for a presentation on skills, and got a presentation on skills, that's fine. If the job itself involves creating PowerPoint presentations, then yes, one thing I'd look at is the quality of this. If not, I'm looking more at your speaking skills. Quite possibly they asked for a presentation for no actual reason other than it being an interview 'thing' and their interest goes no further than 'what are the skills this candidate lists'.

If he is an experienced recruiter he is a shit bag for demolishing your confidence instead of offering a little constructive feedback.

Why does he want to damage your confidence. It's an attempt to sabotage you? Is he jealous of your job/potential new job? Does he feel threatened by your success?

Go tomorrow and knock their socks off.

OP didn’t say she was interviewing for M&S

In my line of work interview counts for so much more. Also nobody would turn a hair if you sent an updated PP or arrived on the day and said you’d made some alterations.

good luck!

Don't worry.

There is no need to create a new presentation.

The slides should just be aides to what you say.

There is nothing, nothing more boring than people reading off slides.

For every thing tou want to get across say

The main idea I want to impart is

The key takeaway from this is

My most important learning here is...

If tou are enthusiastic and sincere, and stress what you want to get across, you will do well.

Your partner may not be good at expressing what isn't good st present, but if an issue is that the main theme isn't clear, you have time to fix that by just using your slides as background.

You'll be fine!