Presentation Skills 101
Presentation skills are some of the most valuable skills one can bring to the job market. Most employers place a huge premium on such skills and are always on the look lot for candidates who posses the skills in abundance. While a few individuals are naturally blessed with magnificent presentations skills, most people are not so fortunate. The unfortunate lot has to spend countless hours practicing these skills as they play a very big role in career development and hence cannot be wished away.
Firms and organizations place a huge premium on these skills because a good presentation is more often than not the determining factor on whether the firm will gain business or lose business. A good presentation will convince and re-assure investors that there investment is safe and secure. It will convince lending institutions to avail monies for development and win the confidence of other business partners.
Recruiters and human resources departments are well aware of the power these skills wield. This results to preference been accorded to candidates who demonstrate acceptable levels of presentations skills. The matter however does not rest with the employment of the right candidate. Remarkably organizations around the world spend billions of dollars in training programs for their staff members.
While this exercise is driven by a noble cause, one can ensure that he / she remains ahead of the pack while cementing their position in the organization by mastering the art of delivering captivation presentations. Presentation is an art, and while most mid level manager and executives are bound to go for the state of the art projectors and laptops, presentation skills call for more than just lights and PowerPoint slides.
One has to be able to connect with the audience and keep them engrossed in whatever is been presented. Been able to hold an audience for a long time is no mean feat. A few skills need to be mastered in order to be employed effectively.
Some of these skills include:
Ability to speak in a clear loud voice
Ability to organize one’s thoughts and ideas so that the ideas flow smoothly
Using language that is easy to understand without losing the audience
Ability to engage the audience. A good way is to make the presentation interactive by posing questions to the audience
Use of examples and visual aids