Interview/Presentation woes - please help!

[TooTiredToArgue]

Hi everyone
I’m currently looking for a new job, and have previously posted about my on-going lack of success, and how demoralising it’s been.
Suddenly, and seemingly out of nowhere, I have 2 interviews on the horizon.
Unfortunately, one requires me to give a 20 minute presentation detailing something I’ve never really done (I’ve done elements of it in my current job), but the rest is, quite frankly, terrifying!
Do I a) spend all weekend researching and try and put something together in the knowledge I could be barking up the wrong tree or
b) see it as a sign that the job’s at too high a level and bow out now?

Any advice gratefully received. Am at a bit of a loss.

Thanks, in advance.

Definitely A - you don’t need to be an expert, just make sure you know what you’re talking about - if you don’t know the answer to something then that’s fine!

Definitely A

Give it a go - what's the worst that can happen? You don't get the job and you've had interview and presentation practice.

If you don’t have direct experience you could approach it as you would do x y and z to solve this problem

Definitely A
Talk about what you have done, what the effect of that was and how you would fill in any gaps to ensure you could do it in the future.

I am worried it will reveal my lack of experience in this area of the job. 😩

20 mins is a long time!

A. It's a test, are you ready to step up to the new role, and an indication of what you may be expected to do in the new role. 20 minutes is 8-12 slides which should be plenty for most topics. It might seem long now, but the time will fly by in the presentation.

Can you share the topic?

I would go for it, if nothing else it's excellent interview practice. But you probably know more than you think.

My advice is to look hard at the topic, and if you can, be very clear about what the question is. Eg is it 'give an overview of widget making' or is it 'discuss how this specific scenario affects widget making' etc. If you're not sure there's nothing wrong with dropping the interviewers an email to say, 'hi, I'm really excited about presenting to you. In order to give you the best possible presentation it would be great if you could tell me this and this.' (Are the attendees complete novices or do they have some expertise, this is a broad area, do you want an overview or a focus on a specific area, etc etc). In a business situation, if a client asked for a presentation it would be entirely realistic to get some parameters from them to allow you to pitch the presentation at the right level. So I don't see a problem with doing that in an interview.

Thanks you MumsNetters. I knew you’d come up trumps.
To divulge the task/topic would out me for sure.
Ironically, just had confirmation of another interview. Hopefully I don’t fluff them all. 🤞
can I just ask if anyone has done a presentation (well) out of their comfort zone, and got the job???

Thanks!

can I just ask if anyone has done a presentation (well) out of their comfort zone, and got the job???
Frequently.
(I'm a consultant, I only have to be a chapter ahead of the client!)

Yup did a technical analysis role, didn’t know that much about it beforehand and still don’t, but really it was about understanding the basic processes and the barriers. The rest I learned when needed. Moved up since then into an area where I had expertise but no paid experience. Senior role and used my knowledge of the industry as a tool that others interviewing didn’t have.
Find your unique selling point, that’s so important!

I've interviewed lots of people and sometimes we ask for a presentation because presenting is a big part of the job - it is to assess their skills in that field and is less about the content. Could that be it?

Also - anyone who has actually prepared, puts together coherent slides with correctly spelled words on, knows what order they are in (and isn't taken by surprise by what's on the next one), and can speak confidently to them is well ahead! I've seen some shocking interview presentations!

So - focus on the content, yes, but also put together a presentation you are confident in and practice presenting it til you are super smooth. And anticipate what questions they might ask, preparing answers to those!

Good luck. Go for it!

Thanks. That’s all really useful.
As far as I know presentations aren’t part of the job description & I think the level of the one they’ve given me is a step up from the role I’m applying for.
On paper it looks like a huge task, but maybe part of it is breaking it down and just using some of the extra info they’ve given me.... (ponders)

When I interviewed for my first teaching job, after years in a different industry, I winged it. I thought about all the awful things I’ve had to sit through in school, and planned and taught a lesson that I would like to have sat through. The sum total of my teaching experience at that time was one day in a quite different kind of school and a couple of specialist master classes.

Some time after I got the job and was a couple of years in, the director of studies told me it was the best sample lesson he had ever observed. I had brought a new perspective to teaching my subject which was quite different to the same old same old that experienced teachers deliver.

You have an advantage if you haven’t been doing the job for years. You can bring a fresh view point to the task and develop it in an unconventional way. That ought to make up for your lack of experience. Go for it!

Thanks @BadGranny
That puts a positive slant on things & gives me hope!

So, I have decided to risk the presentation and go to the interview after being turned down for 2 jobs last week. The last interview was just awful, with one of the panel looking thoroughly bored after about 5 mins. 🙁
It left me feeling pretty miserable, I can tell you....
So, I’m now coming to you for your top presentation tips, beating in mind I’m pretty average on PowerPoint.
is it a good thing (or cringe) to start with a slide introducing myself, as an ice-breaker?
I think one issue I have is that I use humour to hide my nerves - possibly too much!
And one last question. I have a piece of work (on YouTube) that I’m really proud of that I think strengthens my application. Would it be appropriate to email a link to it when I have to email my presentation (on the morning of the interview)?

is it a good thing (or cringe) to start with a slide introducing myself, as an ice-breaker?
Is that part of the topic you've been asked to present? - if not, leave it out.

And one last question. I have a piece of work (on YouTube) that I’m really proud of that I think strengthens my application.
Is it directly relevant to the role? Is it on your LinkedIn profile?

Thanks @DogInATent
It is on my LinkedIn profile - which also needs some work.

So, quick update for anyone interested!

Out of the 3 interviews I was offered, I got through to the first, but not 2nd stage of the 1st, despite spending ages on a test we were asked to prepare at home. Had disasterous interview for the 2nd one where I peaked too soon and stupidly used up all examples (to demonstrate competencies) early on. One of the panel looked distinctly bored throughout the whole thing, which was great 🙁.
For the 3rd, I spent hours on the presentation, researching the topic etc, and had the interview on Tuesday. With hindsight I think I missed some key points in the presentation, but hope I did quite well in the questions afterwards. I liked the person who would be the line manager and came away thinking I’d genuinely given it my best shot.
Have heard nothing on the 2nd & 3rd interviews which I think is probably bad news.
Such a rollercoaster - I feel mentally drained, but thank you all for your advice and encouragement. I do wonder when my luck is going to change....

Interviewing is draining. I once did 4 interviews for a big multinational company, over a couple of weeks, and was basically waiting for an offer, when they ghosted me. I put a shed load of effort into each of those interviews, tonnes of prep, etc. I was not impressed. They emailed me 6 months later inviting me to apply for a different role. I turned them down and politely told them why. It's really bloody tiring, so well done for getting through it all, and fingers crossed for some positive news.

Also I'm my own worst critic when it comes to interviews. The ones I think I did the worst on tend to be the ones I get offers on, just because I'm pretty hard on myself. So don't put yourself down, you probably did better than you think!

thanks @katmarie
it just feels like a lot of effort for nothing, and despite lots of preparation, I always seem to get stumped by at least one question.
One of the panel (from the last interview) did chat to me at the end a bit, and pathetically I took it as good sign. 🙁