Asked to prepare and present a PowerPoint presentation for interview

[PBicecream]

I’ve been happily employed for many years but decided to see what else was out there and applied for a few roles. I applied for an admin role at a government agency and have been invited to interview…great! However I have been asked to prepare a PowerPoint presentation on why I think I would be suitable for the role, which must be sent ahead of the interview to the panel. I will then need to present this to the panel at interview. Is this now standard practice? It seems a bit much for a very junior role that, according to the job description, doesn't require any presentation work. It’s put me off taking the process any further as I am terrified of public speaking.

Ive not interviewed in a very long time and just wondered if this was normal?

Yes very normal now. I also don't like public speaking but actually found the presentation element has made interviews easier and less stressful for me because a good amount of the time is me talking to the presentation, which is just a chance to present my skills and experience, rather than stressing about unknown questions

Thank you, I hadn’t thought about it that way. That’s given me something to think about.

I only ask applicants for more senior roles (middle Managers and more senior) to do a presentation. I'm a senior manager in a public sector org.

Try to see it as an opportunity to sell yourself, you can say exactly what you want, you can practice it as much as you need so you don't miss anything.

Look at the role profile and link your skills and experience to that. Good luck

Very normal, and in an admin role you may be needed to create ppt slides for others to present so it’s showing those skills.

I always prefer a task like this that you can prep - much easier than having random questions fired at you 😊 good luck!

Thank you, that’s really helpful to know.

We ask for this. Those Few minutes tells us lots about your suitability for the role.

Thank you - reading these replies has made me think about the process differently. Really appreciate it.

Make sure you stick to the brief really carefully (content, timings). We would discount a candidate who didn't follow the instructions!

just a chance to present my skills and experience

Ohh, have you tried playing them at their own game, getting ChatGPT to coach you through the process of writing that presentation?

I'd include simple elements of good presentations, including the idea that you

• start by telling them what you are going to say
• say it
• finish with reminding them what you said

For the meat of your points, look again at the list of things they asked for in the advert. For each 'thing' they asked for, explain using their words how you match that and then think up and example of how you demonstrated that

Eg

They want someone who is careful and meticulous in recording data

You add your skill of careful and meticulous recording data to the body of your points and have at least one example to demonstrate that

Your into includes mention of your careful and meticulous data recoding style

Your conclusion reminds them of your careful and meticulous data recording and , for the key attributes, remind them of the example

Hope that helps at least a bit. Let me know if you want to DM me for more 😁

I'm good at doing this sort of thing, so I always expect I'll be quite the disappointment actually doing the job.

Oh, lots of good advice on this thread

Good luck

I'm so glad I've never had to do this because I would be too tempted to try and find a way to reference the classic - Elle Woods' Harvard admission essay:

Best of luck!

Ach, last time I had to present in an interview, I got cut off and that threw me off, I didn't recover well in the interview after that. Which is bad when you're only 6 minutes in (!). They were very strict about the time limit. I loathe making presentations anyway, and I hate any sort of selling myself, so right away having to present focuses on my greatest weakness, and even worse if I had to try to publicly perform & entertain them by selling myself. I feel for you, OP.

In the actual job i have to do a short presentations 1-2x a year & there isn't usually a strict time limit and the presentation is only about projects not selling me. The more public speaking I do the more I loathe it, though. It's only getting worse. I'm suppose I'm doomed.

I am really very bad at public speaking, it’s not my skill set. I am going to have to work on this! Thank you

We sound very similar. I would find it very hard to recover too. Thank for your response, at least I’m not alone.

😂amazing! This made me laugh, thank you.

I am going to give this a try! Thank you, I appreciate the advice.

For an admin position, definitely focus on making sure your spelling and punctuation is correct. Use some images/smart shapes not just blocks of text.

And sell yourself! They won't know how great you are unless you tell them! Good luck!

My employer, public sector, only asks for a presentation at interview if the job in question requires presentation skills. This is in response to many candidates withdrawing when they realised a presentation was required.

I've found the presentation aspect one of the most nerve-wracking elements but done quite a few now. My tips would be- mainly what has helped my mindset, which is pretty social-anxiety heavy so interviews - and specifically presentations - are 100% the worst thing for me:
I try and think of it as 'helping me keep on track' and using a visual tool - the slides keep me focussed on the important points so I won't miss any out
I write the script in full then work backwards to the presentation - others might do it the other way round
I write a tonne more than I should for the time because I know despite every ounce of practice I will go through it too fast
If on zoom - I stick fancy buzz words I haven't put into the presentation itself round the monitor so I throw them in (stupid things like 'cultural capital' or 'change management' in my field are two that you can literally see them nodding away at and writing down as a note every time you use it, it's ridiculous)
Re presentation - honestly, straightforward is best - if you can pick up what their generic font is from their website or any comms (was the JD a word doc you download, for example), use that or something close to it. It makes you seem 'part of the team' or 'you'll 'get' their brand' or whatever.
Make your points that you are putting down on the slides short (3 bullet point phrases or short sentences per slide is my general rule) - they need to be able to read them easily on a potentially small screen while you gabble away over the top.

Oh my final top tip - do it to someone beforehand - partner, friend, colleague - anyone. I absolutely HATE doing this even more than the interview (I'd rather embarrass myself in front of strangers) - and so it makes doing it in front of the strangers downgraded to second worst thing ever :)

Best of luck with it!

I have had to do this for two jobs recently it's scary but nice to have something that's in your control if that makes sense, rather than random tasks or questions.

I second @Ellicent with practicing on someone close to you, I did on my husband and it's so awkward, doing it in front of strangers will be easy

It's normal in my industry.

It gives insight on how you organise your thoughts.

It gives you a chance to prepare and provides a much more interesting way of running through key points from your cv than an off the cuff answer.

It shouldn't need too many slides, about 1 each minute is s good estimate

It is particularly nice for the interviewer if you structure the answer to align with the essential asks from the role spec as they can tick them off.

We don't ask people to standup usually, just sit and walk through it, which is often more relaxed. You can have notes or the screen in front of you, you don't have to remember a script

I have a presentation interview coming up in the next few days it’s for a mid manager level role and it’s the second stage interview and with the assistant director

it has to be 15 mins.. I’m absolutely shitting myself I hate public speaking haven’t done a power point presentation in probably 15 or so years . The brief is simple and I know the answer it’s just presenting it that's my issue ! Not to mention it’s first thing in the morning which isn’t a great time

also will be my first face to face interview in years

good luck op and hope yours goes well

It's very standard op. But I do feel its overkill for a very junior role. I know people will disagree, but I think it's a bit much to ask for an admin role like you describe. So I'd advise to not let it put you off as you'll reduce your options massively.

I have never come across this. If I were asked to do a presentation for an admin interview, I would pull out of the process.

Try to practice and record yourself so you can hear if you have any annoying habits - I did this and realised I said ‘umm’ a lot and my bangle kept clonking on the desk which was really picked up by my mike on the headset. Also would put something memorable in eg a funny quote or picture so that you stand out. Good luck 🤞