Here at InfoTrust, we do things differently than most companies. It’s just one reason that we’ve been recognized time and time again as one of the best places to work in the country.
But being different doesn’t just apply to working here. It starts with our interview process.
Yes, like most companies we have a multi-step process. And like most companies, your first few interviews with InfoTrust will include fielding questions from members of our team.
But the third step of our interview process is unlike anything you’ve ever experienced before. You’ll be asked to give a presentation on a topic of our choosing to a collection of our team members!
Since I recently went through the process myself, I thought I’d offer up a few tips to help prospective applicants put together an awesome presentation that could get them one step closer to joining the great team here at InfoTrust.
Tip #1: Don’t Freak Out!
Having run my own company after working in a corporate environment for 10+ years, I have given my fair share of presentations. But I’m used to giving presentations where I’m an expert on the topic that I’m presenting. And where I’m presenting to people who know less about the topic than I do.
This presentation is completely different. Instead, you’ll be asked to present about digital analytics to a team of industry leaders in digital analytics!
Sounds intimidating, right?
It can be, but the number one tip that I can give you is not to freak out.
Whatever topic you’re provided with for your presentation, you can rest assured that you’re not being judged on how flawless your information is. And we’re not going to deduct points because you aren’t able to teach us something that we don’t already know.
Instead, we’re looking for a combination of what you already know and what you can learn. You’ll be expected to research the topic that you’re given and “fill in the blanks” to demonstrate both your current level of knowledge and your ability to grasp new concepts quickly.
Tip #2: Put In the Time
You will always have at least a week to prepare your presentation. So, make sure you use it!
Now obviously, you have other things going on in your life that will prevent you from working on the presentation every minute for a week. But trust me on this one. You need to spend as much time as you possibly can on it to ensure that you have a standout presentation that will captivate our team.
Over the years, the InfoTrust team has seen its fair share of presentations. All that experience has given us an eye for spotting the presentations where someone only spent a few hours throwing it together. And on the flip side, we can also tell when someone has obviously put in dozens of hours of work.
Be THAT person.
Thoroughly research the topic that you’re given. Combine the information you discover with the information you already know.
And don’t forget to spend time on your presentation slides. Find awesome images to compliment your text content, and use slide transitions and animations. These may seem like small things, but they’ll help engage our team and ensure that your presentation has the “wow” factor that you’ll need to proceed.
Tip #3: Practice Makes Perfect
Think about the actors and actresses that perform in a Broadway musical. How many times do you think they practice their lines before they ever make their first appearance in front of a live audience? Hundreds? Thousands?
The truth is, almost nobody performs well in a high-pressure performance situation without at least a little bit of practice up front. So, take a cue from your favorite actor or actress – if you want to have an awesome presentation then you need to run through the whole thing a few times before you step in front of our team.
My suggestion is to get someone close to you (your significant other, best friend, a family member, etc.) to act like a member of our team as you give your presentation to them. Have them ask questions about the topic that you’re presenting and suggest improvements that you could make to your slides and your content. Implement any changes and then do another practice run. And another. And another.
All these practice runs will help you accomplish a couple of things that are vital to your success.
First, they’ll get you comfortable answering some of the questions that could come up during the real presentation. After all, questions aren’t quite as intimidating if you’ve already rehearsed the answers, are they?
But second, and most importantly, practice will ensure that you have a good “flow” to your presentation. When you get here for your interview, you’ll be able to deftly move through your information without hesitation and your presentation will look much more polished and professional as a result.
Interested in joining our team? Learn more about our open positions now!
