How to Prepare a PowerPoint Presentation for a Job Interview

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When you're up against tough competition, finding a way to stand out from other candidates is crucial. One creative way to stand out at your job interview is to prepare a Microsoft PowerPoint presentation. You can ask to display the presentation during your meeting or simply give it to the interviewer in disk form so that he can review it later.

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Step 1

Choose a professional yet very simple template for your job interview presentation. Find a template that has a light background and dark text for the best contrast on each slide. Select "File" (or the colorful Office button), "New" on the PowerPoint main menu, and then "Installed Templates" or "Installed Themes" to peruse template choices and choose one for your presentation.

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Step 2

Select the "New Slide" button on the main menu to create one title slide and four additional content slides for the presentation after you open your newly chosen template.

Step 3

Type in a title for the cover slide. You can just enter your name and contact information, as if it were the top of your resume. Enter a summary or catch phrase that describes your skills, attributes and experience in one or two quick lines. Type in a line that captures what you want the interviewer's first impression to be when he views this presentation.

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Step 4

Identify your overall career objectives in the first slide -- title it " Career Objectives" or similar. For instance, "to gain experience in the advertising field," or "to expand on my knowledge of advertising strategies." List up to three or four objectives.

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Step 5

List details about your background in the next slide -- title it "Career Background" or similar. Enter the name of your school and the degree you achieved on one line as well as the most high profile jobs you've held on subsequent lines.

Step 6

Enter specific skills and special highlights from your career on the third slide -- title it "Skills and Achievements" or similar. For instance, if you led your department to record sales numbers for three quarters in a row mention that here. If you have advanced computer programming knowledge, mention it in your skills slide.

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Step 7

Discuss exactly how you plan to assist the company in achieving its goals in the final slide, titled "What I Can Bring to the XYZ Company" or similar. Personalize this slide with goals and plans specific to the company where you're interviewing. Provide examples of how you've helped similar companies in the past if possible.

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