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Summer internship season is here, and it’s time to get your game face on. Whether you’re in school, just recently graduated, or have been out of the game for years, this job market can be a scary place. Your powerpoint presentation needs to beat the best to help you stand out from the crowd on your internship endeavors.
Not only does an effective PowerPoint presentation allow you to put your professionalism on display, but it also allows you to showcase your ability to organize and synthesize information. What’s more, it allows you to show off your creativity and personality, which is invaluable as an intern.
Of Course, a well-done presentation will leave your boss with a great first impression of you, and that impression may stick with them throughout your internship period. But how can you make your presentations superb? Keep reading to learn more.
Here are some tips on how to make the most out of your PowerPoint Presentation.
Define Your Goal
What do you want to accomplish? Are you trying to persuade people to take your side on a controversial issue? Do you want to sell something, or are you using the slides to support the information you’ll be presenting?
Additionally, define what success looks like for the presentation. For example, if you’re trying to convince people of your point of view, how many people need to agree with you for the presentation to be considered a success?
Do Your Research
You probably know a lot about the company, but you need to dig deep far more than their slogans and mission. For instance, research their competitors and try your best to outrank them.
If they’re publicly traded, check SEC filings and financial news sites to see how they’ve been doing lately. Look for any press releases or other recent news stories about them, as well. You will ultimately have an indisputable idea to present before your CEOs.
Create an Outline
Before diving into the creation process, brainstorm your ideas and create an outline to guide you. Additionally, organize them logically that makes sense to the reader since the slides should tell a story and flow simultaneously.
Once you have an outline, decide which graphics or images will support each idea best. If possible, try to use pictures instead of blocks of text since they are easier to read and understand.
Create Your Deck
Determine what type of media you will use for your presentation. Will you use slides? If so, how many? Or perhaps you would prefer to present a video or infographics. Whatever format you choose, make sure it aligns with your industry and target audience.
For instance, an infographic might be more appropriate in a design-heavy field, while a video might work better in an artistic or creative career.
Make It Simple
Simplicity is the key to creating an effective presentation. You want your audience to focus on what you’re saying and not get distracted by the images or text on your slides. In essence, if you have too much content on each slide, it may not be easy to read from an afar point of view.
So it’s recommendable to restrict each slide to three short bullet points or less. And that way, people won’t miss anything crucial while they peruse through your slides.
Use Templates
To create an effective PowerPoint presentation for your internship, consider using a template that has a professional design. There are plenty of free templates that you can download from Microsoft.
So even if you choose to go with a different software program, you can find many free templates on the web that you can rely on to get started. There are also tutorials like how to make a powerpoint template specifically for creating a short presentation about yourself, eliminating the guesswork when drafting slides.
Use Animations Sparingly
Animations add interest, but if you have too many, they will detract from your message instead of emphasizing. You should only use them when you are sure that they will add value to your presentation.
For instance, when describing a process or highlighting a key point in your presentation.
Regardless of whether you’re producing a presentation for an internship or a class, it’s important to ensure that this project has its unique voice and is not a carbon copy of the work you’ve done before.
To do this, it’s worth familiarizing yourself with the type of corporate culture that your supervisors are part of and then implementing design choices accordingly. Ultimately, this will show your capabilities and give them a reference when hiring you upon graduation.
