Job interview presentation

[Emphasise]

I've been asked to deliver a 10-15 minute presentation.

I'm pretty pleased with what I've prepared but it only lasts 7 minutes. Does it matter? 15 minutes seems like a very long time to listen for!

I think I've included everything that needs to be covered and ticked all the boxes in the brief/job and person spec, so I'd just be padding. Should I fill the time regardless, or leave it as it is?

Personally I would fill the time. They are potentially seeing how well you listen to instructions so the time would be important.

It will likely take longer to present on the day than you think, so I wouldn't pad it by much, but I'd put two more slides in to be on the safe side.

I tend to work on the basis of 6 slides. This format could take 15 mins total

• Overview bullet list of what you will cover in the presentation (1 min) - important to set the scene
• Outline slide on "Who I Am" (1 min)
• 4 slides on your chosen topic 2.5 mins each slide
• Final summary slide to finish plus invitation to ask questions and seek clarifications (questions could take 2-3 mins total)

Oh, I wasn't going to do slides, just talk. Too many presentations are all about the powerpoint and nothing about the content IMO and they don't say anything about the technology available.

Oh how the grass is always greener! I recently did a presentation for interview with a brief of 2 slides and 5 minutes maximum. It was a complex topic and near killed me getting it all in!

Good luck!

Definitely make it last longer.

If you're nervous, you'll speed up, and it'll end up even shorter. They've obviously asked for 10-15 mins for a reason, can you add more detail?

When I did something similar I had 1m 30 seconds left and they told me!

I said 'I'll leave it thanks' as I didn't want to waffle and destroy my good work

Speak double slowly and clearly.
That will add a minute.

It's a standard interview question, what would your priorities be for the first 30 days. I've bled the web dry and put in every single suggestion!

I really think such a broad question should be able to be stretched to at least 10 minutes. For each point are you adequately describing:

1. What the priority is?
2. Why it's a priority?
3. How you will achieve it?

On the day you may speak to fast or forget things so it may end up even shorter. On that basis I would look to ensure it's 10 mins without questions.

I also think it's a mistake not to have PowerPoint. Agree nothing worse than too many slides but I think it'll be expected. It could look like you forgot or didn't knowhow to do it

My FWIW opinion, PowerPoint is a tool for the job. It entirely depends on how well you know your topic.

If there is substance behind what you are saying and you are fluent and articulate, then a few (low-text) slides for people to glance at, will help to structure your 15 mins well. It can be an enhancer.

If you rely on slides and don't have in-depth knowledge, then of course the interviewers will see right through you.

It can show you appreciate people's personal preferences for how they take information in, as some are more visual than others.

No suggesting you use PowerPoint btw just comments about slides in general for interviews. My mind has a tendency to go blank!

I agree about PowerPoint (or alternatives) - I would have maybe just two slides to display, i.e. title slide with your name on and then one side with your main points on.

One question is whether they have asked you to speak for 15 minutes, or whether you have a 15min slot in which to speak? If it is the latter, I would allow some time for questions, and mention up front that you have done so. In your case, I would then hedge my bets incase noone asks anything, by having a few questions prepared, examples include

• if there were no budget limits what would I add
• if the budget were severely limited, what would i do, maybe postpone or reduce
• if the team were bigger etc etc etc

Lets you add slightly outside the narrow brief things,, ideally to personalise it to the situation that you dont yet know the details of...

I would also have tried the speech out several times, so i i would know how fast I was supposed to speak. Having the confidence to pause, especially at first, make eye contact with each person in turn (or a few selected placed about their heads if there are many in the audience comes over well and avoids that terrible 'speaker puts head down, gabbles through speech and then looks up...

Absolutely agree to the structure a PP outlines about, say what you are going to say, say it then tell them what you have said.

Don't be reliant on your slides, but thinking through what they would be (not just a text version of what you are going to say) helps with the structure and helps me to remember the order in which ti say my points.

Oh, and breathe. All the very best

I agree, if an interviewee didn't use PP or similar on a Presentation task (even just three slides images), I'd be half minded to think they didn't do it to avoid effort and/or don't know how. A decent PP (ie not just words) will make you stand out. 7 minutes is fine if you think you'll end up taking 7. If it's 5 because you'll be nervous then add a fraction more. Definitely don't pad it out to fill 15 minutes though.

I'd do slides - even if the majority of the content is a word or two per slide,it'll keep you from missing chunks out whilst you're talking but give the audience a
Visual. Don't put loads if words in per slide - people don't read them, I'd stick to either bullet points or titles that you discuss during your presentation - time wise - get it closer to 15 minutes, unless they've said 'max 15 minutes' - one way to extend would Be to open with what you're talking about, do your talk, then spend a minute or three concluding and going over the main points again .... then ask any questions ?

I also agree that you must do slides and preferably give a paper copy to make notes on.

How are the interviewers expected to remember everything you say without visual cues?

I disagree about slides being essential. Most people use PowerPoint badly, looking at it rather than the audience, reading from slides etc

If your presentation is well prepared and you are engaging, speak well, full of good ideas and are confident speaking without 'leaning' on PowerPoint, it's better without, IMO.

On the other hand if you can only manage to fill 7 minutes on what your priorities would be for the first 30 days that's a concern. I would expect you to have something much longer and to be trimming it down to fit the time given rather than talking slower, spreading it out etc.

I'd probably use a flipchart

I would have suggested Prezi as an alternative, except there is a risk that, in the wrong hands, it can induce sea-sickness .

Probably wouldn't go down too well having to hand sickbags round in your interview!

Thanks all, I've had a think and am going to add a few things but it still won;t be 15 mins.

I'm genuinely really surprised you can't think of enough to say about that question to cover 15 minutes.

Oh well, can't have been that bad, I got the job!

Thank you for all your help

Congratulations.

Congratulations