Powerpoint presentation help needed, please!!!!!!!

[sharingeverythingtwice]

Hi I have an assessment centre for a job I really want at the beginning of June. Part of the assessment centre is to give a 15 minute presentation. I would really like some advice on what the slides should look like. I tend to produce basic slides, white background, black text, I could use a standard template with coloured border etc but I am no power point whizz. The job doesn't involve giving presentations in anyway, but I want to show I am a competent candidate as much as possible. I haven't had an interview in nearly 10 years and haven't worked for 8 years so feel way out of my depth with this. I have no idea what current expectations are

Everyone uses bloody powerpoint. Except me. I deliberately don't.

If you are going to use it, keep it simple, words or bullets not paragraphs and you do your presentation based around those words not read off the slide. Keep the words or bullet points neat and relevant and end with a point that you are making.

Thank you alternative, do my slides need to look "fancy"? I've seen presentations that look like websites if you get me, no way could I do that

The slides will look good if you keep it simple, go for another colour palette, maybe cream background with navy letters, so it's less harsh to view. Write what you want to include on paper first then transfer them into slides. Avoid flashing slide transfers etc as it looks cheap / old fashioned.

Wow thank you McFox, not sure I could produce anything that professional but it gives me a really good starting point. I'm pretty certain some of the last presentations I did involved clip art

Definitely wasn't going to go for fading in/out, I'd forget to do it and be talking with a blank slide up!

You're welcome - I've had many years of practice!

Personally I prefer ppts that use more images than text. You don't have to make it fancy, but you don't want your audience just reading off the screen. Find a picture or diagram that emphasises your point and stick that on instead and talk around it. If you have to use text, keep it short and punchy- just key words/stats etc
Your audience should be listening more to what you are saying than what's on the screen. Good luck!

Wow, way too much info on McFox's slides. I mean it depends on venue, but most don't let you see more than about 8 lines of large font text, at a push. Too much info on a slide & people just read it rather than listen to you.

I think important thing is YOU, how you speak, what message you make clear. The slides are just reminders and anchors and 'pictures that say more than a thousand words'

prezi.com/

some of my students used this for presentations, and I thought it looked great

It has to be powerpoint milkjetmum or is prezi compatible with it? See, I have lots to learn.

I think that if you're not confident with PowerPoint, prezi will just add another layer of complexity. It took me a while to get the hang of it so I'd say to just stick with what's simple.

Ah if invitation specifies PowerPoint then stick to that, but prezi website might give you some ideas for colour schemes you like.

My top tips are:

1. Get content sorted first, then make it as pretty as time allows
2. Use animation pane to make stuff appear as you talk eg circles or boxes around bits of text or figures you want to highlight. Avoid whizzy effects, just simple 'appear' does the job without being distracting
3. If your font is getting below 18pt you have too much text on the slide
4. Borrow a laser pointer if you think you'll want to point to things, always better than trying to jiggle the mouse to get the arrow up. If pointing draw tightish circles around area you are pointing at, this will hide any shaky hands
5. Videos or unusual fonts are a liability, as is the 'practice timings' function! Avoid!
6. When presenting stand so you can see the laptop screen as you present (ask to move laptop if necessary) this will help you keep looking at audience rather than turning to look at main screen

Prezi is not to everyone's taste. Some people complain that it makes them feel sick.

When you go into Powerpoint, the tabs along the top are (from left) File, Home, Insert and Design.
Click into Design and you'll find tons of options. Some are more stylish than others. Your font will automatically adapt depending on the style you choose.
I think that a white background is ideal.
Don't write sentences.
Use images.
Maybe use a joke.