How To Give An Industry Interview Presentation

Join Isaiah as he explains how to prepare and industry presentation, the questions you should ask, and the mistakes you should avoid

Here’s a quick rundown of this week’s episode…

• First, Isaiah presents the common briefs for industry presentations across positions
• Next, Isaiah discusses the questions you should ask when assigned an industry presentation
• Finally, Isaiah introduces the main mistakes that PhDs make when preparing an industry presentation

From This Week’s Show… 

What Are The Common Briefs For An Industry Presentation

When it comes to creating effective industry presentations, you must consider what your audience wants to see. In this case, your audience is the company.

Most often, the hiring manager you’re in contact with will give you a short “brief” to help you prepare for the presentation.

The most common brief is simply: “Talk about yourself, your interests, and your work in ten minutes.”

Other common industry interview briefs include: “Discuss your work on XYZ and how it relates to our business model” or “Review a paper/clinical trial report and summarize the findings the way you would for one of our clients/partners.”

Occasionally, depending on the role, you may be specifically asked to give an hour-long presentation about your graduate or postdoc work, but this should not be assumed.

How To Prepare For An Industry Presentation

If you are asked to give an interview presentation, make sure you ask: How much time will I have for my presentation?Who will be sitting in on my presentation?Is there anything specific that my presentation should cover?

These questions will not only help you prepare for the presentation, they will also show initiative, which is a very positive transferable skill employers look for at the end of the interview process.

Why PhDs Fail When Doing Their Presentations

Effectively communicating during an interview presentation or otherwise, comes down to only two root considerations: your purpose and your audience.

When it comes to communicating your purpose, ask yourself, What goal do I want my presentation to accomplish? What is the main message I want to convey?

Your purpose should direct every decision you make about your presentation. It should guide what information you include in your slides, in what order you present your slides, and even how you speak.

Despite its importance, many PhDs fail to set a purpose for presentations, and the consequences of this are painfully obvious. The result is typically a presentation that explores topics and ideas without offering anything concrete to act on.

This is a cardinal sin for any industry role or company. The mantra of industry is “innovate or die.” Ideas, conclusions, and the like must be actionable.

Remember, if you don’t know what message you’re trying to get across as a presenter, your audience won’t either, and your presentation will fail.

Likewise, even the most well prepared presentation will lack impact if it doesn’t resonate with the audience.

Unfortunately, many PhDs focus only on what works for them when planning their presentation rather than what is best for their audience.

You should account for your audience in every decision you make about your presentation plan, from what time you present to what order you present your slides in.

If you’re ready to start your transition into industry, you can apply to book a free Transition Call with our founder Isaiah Hankel, PhD or one of our Transition Specialists. Apply to book a Transition Call here.