How to design a presentation that will impress in an interview

Giving a presentation at interview can be a slightly daunting experience! Though it’s a great way for employers to get a better understanding of your experience and knowledge and a fantastic way for you to show off your skills, personality and how well you’ll fit into the role.

The difference between a successful presentation and an unsuccessful one often comes down to your design and how well you can convey important information. An excessive number of slides, unreadable fonts and crowded information can switch interviewers off no matter how strong your research or ideas. But creating a visually strong presentation can back up your knowledge, help you present confidently and is a skill you should take time to learn.

 5 tips for creating an interview presentation design

 Good interview presentation design doesn’t mean flashy graphics or incorporating over-the-top elements, as this can end up being distracting. It’s about presenting your research in a clear and methodical way, drawing attention to specific points that are key and allowing the interviewer space and time to read or ultimately, scan, what’s there, whilst they listen intently to you.

Everybody, no matter how creative, can produce professional presentations. Here are our top five interview presentation design tips to help you impress:

1. Use a consistent theme
When deciding on the theme for your presentation design you should consider the brand identity of the company you are presenting too. Look at their website for ideas on the company colours, fonts, and the type of imagery they prefer to use.
For example, a real estate company might choose a minimal, geometric design that showcases information well or they may choose to use photography to show the types of buildings and real estate they offer.

2. Keep bullet points short and to the point
Ultimately the focus of your presentation should be on you. Keep the information presented in brief bullet points that you can use to expand on. This keeps the interviewers listening to you rather than reading the slides.
Not every point you make needs to be visible on the slides. Remember not to give away too much – you don’t want your audience getting to the point before you do.

3. Include your research
Make sure to include your research and any evidence you are using to back up your points. You can use different media for this – from a simple hyperlink to screenshots and graphs. Visualising your evidence this way can be a powerful and effective way to get your point across.
PowerPoint’s Morph tool is a great way to quickly add dynamism to your slides using transitions and animations but be careful not to overdo it! Less is always more when it comes to effects.

4. Think about your layout
You should be aiming to use no more than 10 slides in your presentation. Any longer and you risk losing the interviewers attention. But this does depend on the length of the presentation and whether you’re given 5, 10 or 15 minutes, or longer! Ideally, you’ll want 2-3 minutes per slide, so consider this fact when working out how many slides to include. Think carefully about the purpose of the presentation and what you need to convey. Are you conducting market research, showing how you have approached and completed a task or presenting a business plan?

Here’s an example of a layout you might use:
Slide 1: Title
Slide 2: Objectives
Slide 3: Background
Slide 4-9 market overview, research, SWOT analysis
Slide 9: Summery
Slide 10: Questions

5. Always proofread
Small mistakes can undermine your credibility and make your presentation look rushed. Give yourself time to thoroughly read through your slides and check for spelling, grammar, and punctuation. If you are not confident you can ask a friend to look over for you. A fresh pair of eyes may spot mistakes you’ve missed, or you can use proofreading program such as Grammarly to check your language.

How to give a presentation for a job interview

Once you’ve designed a professional and eye-catching presentation, there are a few things you can do to prepare to help your presentation go smoothly. Our top interview presentation advice is:

• Prepare some notes
  No one wants to listen to you reading your slides. Have some brief notes that you can refer to instead and expand on the bullet points on the screen. Be prepared to adapt based on the interviewers’ responses.
• Practice
  Try giving your presentation a practice run in front of a mirror. Speak slowly and confidently with open body language. After that why not try practicing in front of friends or family to give you a feel of speaking in front of people? Don’t forget to time yourself so you don’t go over your allocated time. If you haven’t been given a time limit aim for around 10 minutes.
• Know your set up
  If you are presenting in person, arrive early to give yourself time to set up the presentation. Get familiar with the projectors and other tech before the interviewer arrives to avoid any mishaps. If you are presenting remotely try a practice run with the video conferencing software. Know how to share your screen and make sure your presentation is clearly visible.

Need more advice on preparing for your interview?

At Foundation Recruitment we’re committed to helping our candidates through every step of their job-seeking journey. That means as well as finding you the best roles that match your skills, personality, personal preferences, and personal goals, we also offer:

• CV advice
• Interview coaching and preparation
• Feedback on your interviews
• Negotiating with potential employers on your behalf

So, if you’ve been looking for guidance for landing your dream job, register with us and begin your journey today.

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