Job Success

Giving your presentation: Last-minute tips

• Visualize yourself giving the presentation.
• Realize that the audience wants you to succeed.
• Turn your nervousness into positive energy.
• Talk rather than read. Avoid rote memorization.
• Speak at a volume appropriate to the room and size of the audience. Your voice should be heard in the back of the room.
• Vary the pitch of your voice.
• Stand up rather than sit.
• Make eye contact.
• Make sure any aid you use can be clearly heard and seen by the entire audience.
• Focus on main arguments.
• Don't remain behind the podium. Move around occasionally, but don't pace.
• Smile and gesture when appropriate.
• Maintain energy and enthusiasm throughout the presentation.
• Finish your talk within the time limit.
• Summarize your talk both at the beginning and at the end.
• Respond to audience needs, such as adjusting temperature or providing extra handouts.
• Be flexible, but stay focused.
• Respond to questions.
• Give the audience an opportunity to critique your presentation by supplying them with a short, anonymous evaluation form.

Technical tips:

• Back up all files.
• Don't give an important presentation without on-site technical support.
• Assume that your technical equipment will fail, and have a backup plan.
• Beware of connecting to the Internet during your presentation. You never know when your connection may fail.