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10 Reasons Why Employers Ask Candidates To Do A Job Interview Presentation
As candidates become more and more skilled at handling traditional job interviews, more employers are looking for additional ways of supplementing interviews. One of the ways they do this is by asking candidates to do a 10-15 minute presentation.
For many professional people this can be a challenge. Yet in truth there are some really good reasons why employers ask candidates to job interview presentations.
Reason 1: Test Knowledge
- Sometimes employers will just want to know what level of knowledge you have on a specific area of the job and the presentation allows them to assess this.
Reason 2: Cover One Of The Big Areas Of The Job
- Perhaps there is an element of the job into which employers want to go in much more detail.
Reason 3: To Get A Candidate’s Perspective On An Issue
- There may be something out to consultation from say government which will impact on the organisation if they become law. Asking the candidate to present will elicit their thoughts.
Reason 4: To See How They Respond To A Brief
- Think about it; you will be getting briefed on things and asked to respond all of the time if you get the job.
Reason 5: To See If You Can Clearly Communicate Your Thoughts
- Professional people are often trying to make the complex simple. Getting someone to explain something technically complex to a lay person is a great way of seeing if they can communicate.
Reason 6: To See How Thoroughly They Prepare
- Employers can determine pretty quickly how thorough someone has been from what they present.
Reason 7: To See How They Perform Under Pressure
- The chances are, giving the interview presentation will be a walk in the park compared to doing the job but it still gives a sense of how people will perform under pressure.
Reason 8: To See How They Deal With Being Put On The Spot
- You might be asked to turn up 30 minutes ahead of the interview and be asked to do a short presentation or analysis on something you have just been given to see how you handle being put on the spot.
Reason 9: To See How Persuasive You Are
- In a job that requires you to get the support of others, your ability to persuade others will matter a lot.
Reason 10: To See How You Interact
- In other words, how you connect with others.
The Bottom Line: Interview presentations are becoming more and more common. Key to your success is not just focusing on the presentation but also understanding why you are being asked to do it.
Duncan Brodie helps professional people to fulfil their career potential so that they get the rewards and recognition they desire. Sign up for his free audio masterclass at www.goalsandachievements.co.uk.
About the Author Duncan Brodie
Since 2006 I’ve worked with in excess of 8,000 accountants and professionals in workshops, seminars and one to one helping them land their next jobs and become better leaders, presenters and business partners. Before that I spent 25 years in accountancy climbing the career ladder from Payments Clerk to FD. I’m a CIMA Fellow, Certified Professional Coach and Team Coach Facilitator.