Being extraordinary is only half of getting hired. Showcasing your talent is the important other half. If you want to get the job of your dreams, you’ll need to know how to “sell” yourself. Think about how you can differentiate yourself from the other candidates. Why should they hire you?
A few of the answers to that question can be conveyed through your creative presentation. The design you pick speaks volumes about yourself. For example, if you choose to go with brighter, joyous colors, chances are you’re a creative, open-minded person.
Think about your target workplace. Is it formal? What do the employers value? The answers to similar questions should be in your presentation. It should match both your attitude and personality, and also be representative of the company you’re applying to for the job.
The sole purpose of a PowerPoint presentation is to exhibit pieces of information in a structured way, with the help of design elements. Because of this, you should be careful about what data you want to include in it. But it can be made easier with free PowerPoint templates. Let’s explore a few.
How an Amazing Presentation will get you that Offer:
One Slide Resume Template
Having a one-slide resume presentation is a wonderful choice if you want to talk about yourself. Here you can add the most important pieces of personal information that you can, later on, develop in your speech.
What to Include in This Template?
- A brief description of yourself
This is a great place to sum up everything and perhaps even explain some points of your presentation.
- Your contact information
You can include here your personal website if you have one, or your social media links if they have anything to do with the prospective job.
- Your work experience
Relevant past work experience and a concise explanation of what your responsibilities entailed. You could even explain what transferable skills you obtained and how they can be useful and apply to this new job opportunity.
- Your education
This is the place to add the levels of education you’ve completed. If you have any relevant diplomas or achievements, they’ll be good points of discussion.
- Your Skills
Talk about your relevant skills. How would you use them in this new workplace? Why do you think they’re important?
When adding information to your presentation, make sure to be precise. Ambiguity will make the employer overlook that piece of data. For example, if you had a job, also add the period of time in which you were employed.
What to Keep in Mind
- Your choice of colors
Make sure they match both your personality and the workplace. Your attitude should come through, but it should comply with the rules and formalities of the office.
- Visual Engagement
You could leverage AI picture generators and use some animations here, but they should be very subtle and always appropriate. The only purpose of animation is to support your speech and underline a point.
- Quantity of Information
While it would be tempting to put in everything, try to keep it relevant. Stuffing your presentation with unrelated achievements will confuse your message.
Download the template here: One Slide Resume Template for PowerPoint
Curriculum Vitae Template
This template is similar to the resume template, except that it’s far more detailed. You have a different slide for each important category of data—like education, work experience or personal information.
What to Include in this Template?
- Personal information
The first slide should have your data—full name, email address and the like. You can consider it your business card.
- Your work experience
If you have relevant work experience, don’t forget to mention it. However, be careful not to list everything that you’ve ever done. Having too much information on your resume can do more harm than good.
- Your education
Here you can list your completed education. If you have relevant additional courses, diplomas or awards, this is a great place to list them.
- Personal skills
What transferable skills do you have that are relevant to the job you’re applying to? Highlight how they would help you accomplish your tasks and benefit the team.
- Interests
You are more than your work. Show your employer what kind of personality you have and what you are passionate about.
This template is great if you want to follow the structure of a resume, but want to go into more detail. You have the opportunity to showcase your skills, hobbies and important information. Additionally, you can highlight how those details make you the right person for the job you’re applying to.
What to Keep in Mind
- The level of detail
While it’s recommended to explain your ideas thoroughly, try not to overwhelm your audience with small details. Include just enough information to make sure that your employer gets a clear idea about what you want to convey.
- Your tone of voice
While it’s true that you are the focal point of the presentation, you should be careful how you express yourself. You can come off as bragging if you use a lot of technicalities or specific jargon. Try to keep a balance, so that you don’t sound unapproachable.
- Questions
You can try to anticipate what questions you might get at the end of your presentation. Try to prepare a list of answers. Of course, you can’t think of everything, but it will be helpful to have a general idea.
Download the template here: Resume PowerPoint Template (CV template)
Managerial Skills Template
This kind of template is appropriate if you want to focus on what abilities you have that make you stand out. Why are you different from other candidates? If you have expertise in a domain, this is the perfect place to showcase this.
What to Include in this Template?
- Abilities and skills
Talk about what you can do. Put your cards on the table and show the employer what you can bring to the company.
- Awards and achievements
If you have some achievements that you’re proud of, this is a good place to convey your areas of expertise.
- Examples of your work
Put your money where your mouth is! Show your audience that you’re good at what you do. It’s not enough just to say that you can do it. Your employer will want some proof.
When you’re looking for a job, ask yourself one question: is it right for you? Comparing your previous work and acquired skills to the current job requirements is a good way to evaluate if it would be a good fit.
What to Keep in Mind
- The relevance of your skills
If you’re looking for a job in IT and you say that you have great painting skills, the employer might not be as interested as you’d think. Sure, it’s a nice ability to have, but is it relevant to the job?
- The number of details
You should give enough details to convince your employer that you’re knowledgeable in your field, but don’t overdo it. You could come off as bragging or overcompensating, so make sure you give the right amount of information.
Download the template here: Free Managerial Skills PowerPoint Template
Takeaway
If all else fails, you can always try to create your own template. What is important to remember is that your presentation should tell your employer who you are. This applies to your choice of colors, your focus, and the way you convey your information.
Stay true to yourself and don’t try to be something you aren’t. Honesty is usually valued more than a stuffed resume. And if your presentation isn’t appreciated, perhaps this is not the right workplace for you. Keep searching until you find your dream job!
