Presentation Skills Aims of this session At the end of the session - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Assessment Centres: Presentation Skills

Aims of this session

At the end of the session you will be able to

• State some key features of a good presentation
• Understand how to structure an effective presentation
• Be aware of what assessors are looking for
• Apply tips about dos and don’ts
• Know how to deal with stress/anxiety
• Practise a presentation

Outline

• What makes a good presentation?
• What will the presentation involve – and what do assessors want?
• Preparation/getting started
• Rule of 3
• Structuring your presentation
• Using visual aids
• DOs and DON’Ts
• Facing your worst fears/coping with nerves
• Over to you
• Resources

Summary: what makes a good presentation?

• Clear introduction of speaker and topic
• Outline / aims stated and explained (incentive)
• Understanding your aim and your audience
• Clear and audible voice
• Language adapted to audience (jargon or not?)
• Good body language – open postures, good eye contact, not

reading from script or screen

• Information is easy to follow, well structured
• Visual aids clear and helpful - not distracting/too wordy

Possible scenarios and topics

• A longer presentation (10 mins +), often with questions
• afterwards. Topic given in advance e.g. “Present an analysis of

strengths and weaknesses of a company of your choice and identify potential opportunities for growth.”

• A shorter presentation( 2 – 5 mins) with a topic given on the day,

e.g. “How will your skills, knowledge and experience contribute to Company X?”

• A group or individual presentation as part of a case study or

similar exercise.

Presentations at assessment centres

Your aim: To market yourself to the assessors and to show that your skills, knowledge and experience mesh with the competencies they are seeking.

What the assessors are looking for

• Content that shows clarity and insight
• Delivery that is professional and well prepared
• Information but not overload
• STRUCTURE

Preparation

• Jot ideas down first, organise

later

• List key points
• Collect and research materials:

don’t overwhelm the audience – you may not be able to use everything

• Decide how you want to keep

your notes – slide outlines, flash cards, on your phone?

• Practise out loud - for both

confidence and timing.

• Limit your information - 3 key

facts are easier to remember than 30!

• Withhold some information – if

you are later asked questions, you will know the answers!

• Sort materials:

core (essential); disposable (can be dropped, if time’s short); supplementary (if you have extra time)

Rule of 3

• The average audience is likely to remember 3 key points at the

end of a presentation

• There are 3 parts to your presentation – beginning, middle and

end

• The core of the presentation - the middle - could be divided or

subdivided into sections of 3

• People recall lists of 3 very easily: famous examples include:
• on your marks, get set, go!
• stop, look and listen
• ready, aim, fire

Structuring your presentation (1): the beginning

• Smile!
• Make and maintain eye contact
• Give a professional greeting or salutation
• State theme/topic and purpose/aim.
• Provide an outline of what you are going to say

(your overall structure)

Structuring your presentation (2): the middle

This will form about 80% of the presentation

• Provide clear headings or opening statements for each

point you make

• Before moving from one topic to another, summarise what

you have said, encourage questions (if appropriate), then link to the next slide or stage

• Ask questions to capture interest
• Give examples and analogies for clarity
• Possibly use diagrams, handouts, “reveals” or other visuals

Structuring your presentation (3): the end

• Summarise what you have said
• If time is tight, briefly outline anything you have no time to

talk through in depth

• Thank audience for listening
• Invite questions (if allowed)
• If possible, give them a handout to remember you by

What professional speakers suggest…..

• Tell people what you’re going to tell them
• Tell them
• Tell them what you’ve told them

Using visual aids

PowerPoint:

• avoid using too many slides/too much text/ too many

visuals or animations

• have a back-up plan(s) in case technology lets you down

Flip chart / whiteboard :

• use large handwriting
• make brief bullet points

What could possibly go wrong?

• You dry up / lose your place / forget what you were going to

say

• You are asked a question to which you don’t know the

answer

• You hear another candidate’s presentation and it’s better

than yours

• And …….?

Practical tips: summary

Do

• Stick to your time limit
• Practise a few times
• Reduce notes to key bullet

points

• Make eye contact
• Speak clearly/slowly
• Use your hands/gesture

Avoid

• Using too many slides or

writing out everything

• Fidgeting, swaying, hands in

pockets

• Talking to the screen/ flip

chart

• Reading off your script
• Speaking too fast

Coping with nerves

• Why do we get nervous?
• Can create helpful tension to make us perform at peak level

/ adrenalin

• Internal feeling – unlikely to be noticed much on the outside
• Prepare well, be organised
• Breathing techniques, confidence boosting techniques e.g.

Amy Cuddy’s TED talk https://www.ted.com/talks/amy_cuddy_your_body_languag e_shapes_who_you_are?language=en

Over to you

Task: You have 10 minutes to prepare a short presentation about a topic of your choice

Suggested topics:

• My favourite hobby
• Why I want to become a ... (insert job title)
• Key skills I have developed during my time at Imperial
• My greatest achievement
• Studying ... (insert degree subject) at Imperial
• What I would do, if I won the lottery

Resources

• Perfect Presentations, Peter Levin & Graham Topping,

Open University (in Careers Information section)

• Presentation Skills for Quivering Wrecks, Bob Etherington,

Cyan Books / Cavendish

• https://www.assessmentcentrehq.com/assessment-centre-

exercises/giving-a-presentation/

• www.presentationhelper.co.uk
• www.businessballs.com/presentations
• https://wwww.kent.ac.uk/careers/presentationskills.htm
• www.garrreynolds.com.preso-tips/prepare