Panel interview and presentation
Discussion
I have a 3rd round interview at a major player in the IT business next Tuesday...
It will involve a presentation (on a set subject) and a panel interview.
Any pointers gratefully received, as I'm bricking it already! Plus I want a bit more money
Tasty car allowance involved though, and it's a deskbound job!!
It will involve a presentation (on a set subject) and a panel interview.
Any pointers gratefully received, as I'm bricking it already! Plus I want a bit more money
Tasty car allowance involved though, and it's a deskbound job!!
As per the previous post and assuming you will have a power point presentation to use(yaghhh).
Find out how long you have and what level of knowledge your ausience is at on the subject. I can't stress the importance of this enough - you have to know at what level you are pitching the spiel.
Then, plan the session carefully. You need a clear idea in you mind about the points you want to get accross (and the web of opportunites that might arise along the way).
Write these down on a piece of paper, next, go get bladdered in the pub and write down all the key issues you think you can talk about - no matter how stupid. I'm deadly serious about this btw - it's amazing what you will come up with and likely you'll have some comedy ones in there too.
When you're sober work with this list. Consult your coleages/friends about the list.
You need to take your audience on a journey. When they get off at the end you want them enlightened and longing to come back for more. Ever sat in a lecture that you didn't want to end, so interesting, so well presented, intereactive and fun? No, well try and imagine one - that's what you need to do.
Next, pratice, practice and practice the presentation - run it threough your head time and time again - it won't be anything like what you imagine but the preparation is important. If you are using slides make sure you know them inside out, back to front, and upside down.
There is nothing worse than watching a presenter reading a new slide silently in his/her head, then turning to the audience to read it all again out aloud - you need to know them verbatim.
Now, if it's not on a topic you are 100% knowledgeable/comfortable with, pratice it some more and do a bit of reading around the subject.
During the presentation, take it easy RELAX and enjoy it - smile - even if you are bricking it try to look like you are having fun.
DON'T READ THE SLIDES OUT ALOUD - talk about the topics/points on the slide - there is nothing wrong with you having a 'private' list of stuff to say but this in my mind is a distraction, it's much better if you knowwhat you are talking about and what you want to say.
As a personal target I try to avoid using 95% of the words on any slide show. You should not need to look at the slide for more than 1/2 a second just to make sure its the right one.
Then you can...
Keep a close eye on the audience and make sure none of them are nodding off, rolling their eyes (picking & rolling bogeys), or casting pained sideways glances at their colleagues. You must watch them very closely.
Try to make it at least a little bit entertaining and enjoyable for everyone present - better still teach them something they didn't already know.
If possible get a white board to work with too - it really impresses your knowledge if you can elaborate or explain points in real time. When you prepare the presentation have an idea in your head about where you might need to elaborate and move onto a white board to clarify points. This way you won't get caught out.
I guess it's all a bit like a fox having bolt holes - you need places to run to if the presentation isn't going your way - alot of this just comes from the experience in knowing when your audience aren't following you, but it also requires the knowledge and confidence to be able to follow different avenues to the ones you expected.
On a white board always go with diagrams - make them big and clear, readable from the back of any room, even if you only have a front row audience.
Diagrams allow you to put ideas into peoples heads really easily - a list of bullet points on a PP presentation just sends people to sleep.
After elaborating any point ask and confirm everyone is clear and understands what you've just done.
Don't rush but don't go too slow, like composing a symphony a good presentation has a rhythm, and better still this rhythm can and should involve the audience. If it's a serious presentation give people time to write notes.
People (may) need time to think and take in what you are presenting - watch them carefuly - did I just say that? Here it is again WATCH THEM CAREFULY.
If it looks like they're all nodding off then you need to give it a bit of a boost - move around a bit, wave your arms, point at things, crack a joke, trip over something (worked for me once!), if they are all gazing out of the window you've lost them.
The skill is conducting it all at just the right pace and having the knowledge to be able to either fill gaps or accelerate away into the distance with everyone on board.
Personally I love public speaking/training but only when I'm qualified to comment on the subject.
I hate using power point presentations and would much rather work with a white board.
One of the last training sessions I ran was with a bunch of the operations staff in a satellite ground station in Perth - I gave everyone a goody bag containing a bag of sugary sweets, some pens and crayons for colouring in the power point printouts, and a mix of toys aimed at 3yr olds for them to play with. Fortunatley I managed to duck the onslaught of mini powerballs.
By the end of the session I realised the power point was still on slide 3 but everyone had been religioulsy copying down all the notes and diagrams I had been writing on the board.
Incidently, we all had great fun climbing to the top of the 34M satellite antenna to launch the little plastic men with parachutes! And you would not believe how high a minipowerball will bounc fro mthat height. Just like being back at school!
Seriously though - anything can happen if you use a little imagination - MAKE IT FUN AND INTERESTING and the job is yours.
Good luck and let us know what the topic is so I can ramble a little more!
best
Ex
P.S. feel free to mail me via my profile if you want any more help.
Find out how long you have and what level of knowledge your ausience is at on the subject. I can't stress the importance of this enough - you have to know at what level you are pitching the spiel.
Then, plan the session carefully. You need a clear idea in you mind about the points you want to get accross (and the web of opportunites that might arise along the way).
Write these down on a piece of paper, next, go get bladdered in the pub and write down all the key issues you think you can talk about - no matter how stupid. I'm deadly serious about this btw - it's amazing what you will come up with and likely you'll have some comedy ones in there too.
When you're sober work with this list. Consult your coleages/friends about the list.
You need to take your audience on a journey. When they get off at the end you want them enlightened and longing to come back for more. Ever sat in a lecture that you didn't want to end, so interesting, so well presented, intereactive and fun? No, well try and imagine one - that's what you need to do.
Next, pratice, practice and practice the presentation - run it threough your head time and time again - it won't be anything like what you imagine but the preparation is important. If you are using slides make sure you know them inside out, back to front, and upside down.
There is nothing worse than watching a presenter reading a new slide silently in his/her head, then turning to the audience to read it all again out aloud - you need to know them verbatim.
Now, if it's not on a topic you are 100% knowledgeable/comfortable with, pratice it some more and do a bit of reading around the subject.
During the presentation, take it easy RELAX and enjoy it - smile - even if you are bricking it try to look like you are having fun.
DON'T READ THE SLIDES OUT ALOUD - talk about the topics/points on the slide - there is nothing wrong with you having a 'private' list of stuff to say but this in my mind is a distraction, it's much better if you knowwhat you are talking about and what you want to say.
As a personal target I try to avoid using 95% of the words on any slide show. You should not need to look at the slide for more than 1/2 a second just to make sure its the right one.
Then you can...
Keep a close eye on the audience and make sure none of them are nodding off, rolling their eyes (picking & rolling bogeys), or casting pained sideways glances at their colleagues. You must watch them very closely.
Try to make it at least a little bit entertaining and enjoyable for everyone present - better still teach them something they didn't already know.
If possible get a white board to work with too - it really impresses your knowledge if you can elaborate or explain points in real time. When you prepare the presentation have an idea in your head about where you might need to elaborate and move onto a white board to clarify points. This way you won't get caught out.
I guess it's all a bit like a fox having bolt holes - you need places to run to if the presentation isn't going your way - alot of this just comes from the experience in knowing when your audience aren't following you, but it also requires the knowledge and confidence to be able to follow different avenues to the ones you expected.
On a white board always go with diagrams - make them big and clear, readable from the back of any room, even if you only have a front row audience.
Diagrams allow you to put ideas into peoples heads really easily - a list of bullet points on a PP presentation just sends people to sleep.
After elaborating any point ask and confirm everyone is clear and understands what you've just done.
Don't rush but don't go too slow, like composing a symphony a good presentation has a rhythm, and better still this rhythm can and should involve the audience. If it's a serious presentation give people time to write notes.
People (may) need time to think and take in what you are presenting - watch them carefuly - did I just say that? Here it is again WATCH THEM CAREFULY.
If it looks like they're all nodding off then you need to give it a bit of a boost - move around a bit, wave your arms, point at things, crack a joke, trip over something (worked for me once!), if they are all gazing out of the window you've lost them.
The skill is conducting it all at just the right pace and having the knowledge to be able to either fill gaps or accelerate away into the distance with everyone on board.
Personally I love public speaking/training but only when I'm qualified to comment on the subject.
I hate using power point presentations and would much rather work with a white board.
One of the last training sessions I ran was with a bunch of the operations staff in a satellite ground station in Perth - I gave everyone a goody bag containing a bag of sugary sweets, some pens and crayons for colouring in the power point printouts, and a mix of toys aimed at 3yr olds for them to play with. Fortunatley I managed to duck the onslaught of mini powerballs.
By the end of the session I realised the power point was still on slide 3 but everyone had been religioulsy copying down all the notes and diagrams I had been writing on the board.
Incidently, we all had great fun climbing to the top of the 34M satellite antenna to launch the little plastic men with parachutes! And you would not believe how high a minipowerball will bounc fro mthat height. Just like being back at school!
Seriously though - anything can happen if you use a little imagination - MAKE IT FUN AND INTERESTING and the job is yours.
Good luck and let us know what the topic is so I can ramble a little more!
best
Ex
P.S. feel free to mail me via my profile if you want any more help.
TheExcession said:
Ummmm, I'm not quite sure what to say
I'm quite dumbfounded and very grateful! The topic is likely to be Information Lifecycle Management - basically how IT companies store all your crap at least cost and quickest retrieval times, but remembering how some data dies over time.
It's a topic I know little about, but the panel will be fluent in
I'm actually still awaiting confirmation of this, but I know how the process has worked in the past. Luckily I've worked for one of this company's biggest competitors (in another field) - so I'm on a good track already. Thanks again TheExcession!
I'm feeling confident already.puggit said:
Ummmm, I'm not quite sure what to say
No prob, glad to help, reading back, I guess I did get a bit carried away with it all! But, hey it's all good stuff.
puggit said:
The topic is likely to be Information Lifecycle Management - basically how IT companies store all your crap at least cost and quickest retrieval times, but remembering how some data dies over time.
It's a topic I know little about, but the panel will be fluent in
yup, I don't know much about this field either - big disk drives maybe? Still, go with the current state of play in the industry and then try to allure to a few new ideas that you may have or have robbed from other places.
Quite often a good approach is to explain where other people are going wrong and then stop the presentation just at the point where you are going to give them all the solutions.
I've had a couiple of interviews where I've said 'Well you'll need to employ me to say any more' - almost always goes down well but you need to be on the ball to pull it off!
puggit said:
Thanks again TheExcession!
You're welcome and good!
best
Ex
if they're not that technical go for analagies ( if thats how u spell it! ) - eg with storage different types of food in different containers / fridges etc or something like that ( sure u can get more original after a beer or 2! ).
had to explain firewalls to some people a week ago and the ol bouncer at a club analagy immediatley made it more real to them - plus its more interesting than talking about exactely the same techhy crap as everyone else
good luck
had to explain firewalls to some people a week ago and the ol bouncer at a club analagy immediatley made it more real to them - plus its more interesting than talking about exactely the same techhy crap as everyone else
good luck
billb said:
if they're not that technical go for analagies ( if thats how u spell it! ) - eg with storage different types of food in different containers / fridges etc or something like that ( sure u can get more original after a beer or 2! ).
We always use cars, makes things easier for us
So for your storage you could say that stuff that you need fast, regular access to is in a caterham on the drive, engine warmed up ready to hop in for a spin.
Medium data is in the back of a volvo estate to which the keys are locked up (cos it needs to be secure) and the car is in the garage.
Very long term stuff is somewhere in the back of the artic over there, your uncle Ron has the key and you'll have to cross his palm with silver...
On a more serious note, make sure you test it out in front of people...
Good luck
D
puggit said:
I have a 3rd round interview at a major player in the IT business next Tuesday...
It will involve a presentation (on a set subject) and a panel interview.
Any pointers gratefully received, as I'm bricking it already! Plus I want a bit more money
Tasty car allowance involved though, and it's a deskbound job!!
So how'd it go?
Sorry - didn't post that they didn't want the presentation afterall (today that is).
I have to go through round 4 now!!!!
Round 4 will be the presentation and psychometric tests - so I better go and swat up! I have been told (by the senior mgr to be) that if successful with these, I will get the job... apparently
So round 3 was successful
I have to go through round 4 now!!!!
Round 4 will be the presentation and psychometric tests - so I better go and swat up! I have been told (by the senior mgr to be) that if successful with these, I will get the job... apparently
So round 3 was successful
Arrrggghhhh - it's gone from a 5min presentation on Information Lifecycle Management to:
HR Bird said:
20 min power point presentation on ILM, XXX's position in the Market against our competitors and why Chris is the right candidate for XXX. Followed by Q & A.
You will also be required to do a verbal and numercal (sic) test which will take 1 hour
JonRB said:
Is permie recruitment always this hard these days? 4 rounds of interviews?
I think I'll add that to my list of reasons I contract.
If you want a permanent job at a good company, then I'd expect to go through a lot of interview rounds. The IT market is saturated with mediocre people, however some of the mediocre people can come across well in interview. It's difficult to get rid of a permie if they aren't up to scratch, so not letting them in the first place is a better call.
HR Bird said:
You will also be required to do a verbal and numercal (sic) test which will take 1 hour
You would have thought that would be the first thing they'd do. Surely you wouldn't want to go through the cost & hassle of 3 or 4 rounds of interviews then discard a potential recruit cos' they couldn't spell or add up!
if you are being asked to sit any sort of personality profile or psychometric test it is now good practice to let the applicants have sample papers BEFORE the actual day or as a minimum a few samples before the clock starts running, it might be an idea to try and find out from HR what company they buy their testing products from because some of them have samples online that you can practice on, remember to ask for feedback on the testing papers whatever the outcome of the recruitment exercise, for the personality profile they should be able to give you a full analysis of how you responded to the questions and this has been interpreted.
if you decide to go down the road of a powerpoint presentation think carefully about the about of paperwork you give to the panel before or during the actual presentation, I have chaired more panels then I care to remember and speak from from experience that if the panel has anyone on it who may not be upto speed with interviewing they can sometimes pay tooooo much attention to your handouts and not enough time actually listening to the content of your wise words (its not unknown for panel members to be dragged in to cover at the mast minute)
pictures/graphs are easier for the brain to process and usually say far more the loads of words,
from a panel members perspective its nice to have a presentation that has a start-middle-end
start- lay the foundations of what you intend to share with them and why you have approached the topic in a certain way(overview of topic)
middle - explain the core principles of topic
end - summerise and explain how you might expect things to affect the business longterm
invite panel members to save any questions to the end of your alloted presentation time, this way you should not overrun (I would normally stop people in mid flow if they fail to stick to thier time allocated, the panel may view an overrun as poor time management)
if at all possible try to find out exactly who is sitting on the panel and thier position within the company (once again it is now good practice to share this info in advance with candidates)
hope this helps
just remember be confident without being cocky and always look at the panel members when talking to them,
good luck
if you decide to go down the road of a powerpoint presentation think carefully about the about of paperwork you give to the panel before or during the actual presentation, I have chaired more panels then I care to remember and speak from from experience that if the panel has anyone on it who may not be upto speed with interviewing they can sometimes pay tooooo much attention to your handouts and not enough time actually listening to the content of your wise words (its not unknown for panel members to be dragged in to cover at the mast minute)
pictures/graphs are easier for the brain to process and usually say far more the loads of words,
from a panel members perspective its nice to have a presentation that has a start-middle-end
start- lay the foundations of what you intend to share with them and why you have approached the topic in a certain way(overview of topic)
middle - explain the core principles of topic
end - summerise and explain how you might expect things to affect the business longterm
invite panel members to save any questions to the end of your alloted presentation time, this way you should not overrun (I would normally stop people in mid flow if they fail to stick to thier time allocated, the panel may view an overrun as poor time management)
if at all possible try to find out exactly who is sitting on the panel and thier position within the company (once again it is now good practice to share this info in advance with candidates)
hope this helps
just remember be confident without being cocky and always look at the panel members when talking to them,
good luck
Ali said
You would have thought that would be the first thing they'd do. Surely you wouldn't want to go through the cost & hassle of 3 or 4 rounds of interviews then discard a potential recruit cos' they couldn't spell or add up!
You would be surprised how test results can make a difference, if the interview is borderline and the tests are middle of the road the company make take the view that is not worth the gamble of employing someone who they feel is questionable. Tests on the whole should never be used as a sole source of data for either selection or deselection of suitable applicants. It is not unusual for a company to not appoint and decide to wait a few months and go out to advert again to see who else has come on to the job market, its much cheaper to do this then have a claim for unfair dismissal, and the adverse impact of employing the wrong person has a cost implication of about (from memory) 3 times thier salary.
You would have thought that would be the first thing they'd do. Surely you wouldn't want to go through the cost & hassle of 3 or 4 rounds of interviews then discard a potential recruit cos' they couldn't spell or add up!
You would be surprised how test results can make a difference, if the interview is borderline and the tests are middle of the road the company make take the view that is not worth the gamble of employing someone who they feel is questionable. Tests on the whole should never be used as a sole source of data for either selection or deselection of suitable applicants. It is not unusual for a company to not appoint and decide to wait a few months and go out to advert again to see who else has come on to the job market, its much cheaper to do this then have a claim for unfair dismissal, and the adverse impact of employing the wrong person has a cost implication of about (from memory) 3 times thier salary.
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