How To Give A Presentation

Over the course of my internship at Publicis Healthcare Communications Group, I have learned a lot about presentation skills. While participating in my fulfilling internship experience, I had to work on an intern pitch at the advertising agency I was with over the summer. While working on the presentation, I have come up with 4 great tips for presentation skills I have learned through personal experience:

1. Speak slowly and speak up

It is extremely important in a presentation for a presenter to be clear and loud. You could have the best presentation but it will mean nothing if the judges/professor can’t hear what you are saying. It is always better to be too loud than quiet in a presentation.

2. Team chemistry is vital

It is easily visible during a presentation when a team does not work well together. It’s really important from day one to establish roles and goals and make sure everyone is on the same page. Similarly, the groups with the best presentations are always the groups that enjoy working with each other and avoid conflict during debrief sessions. Always remember to smile and laugh during a pitch/presentation, it makes everything much more enjoyable for yourself and the judge.

3. Make eye contact

Although you might be nervous, having confidence is essential to the success of the presentation. Even if you may not know what you’re talking about, act like it! Go in confident and well prepared and your presentation will be a hit! Always remember to have good posture and make eye contact with the audience.

4. Come prepared

It is extremely important that you are prepared with all of the necessary elements one needs in order to present such as index cards, laptop, print outs, etc.

Remember, if you ever have a pitch/group presentation, these six skills will be essential to gaining that blue ribbon!

This blog post was written by PRowl Staff Member Jessica Mancuso. 

How To: Make The Most of Your Summer Internship

Whether it is your first, second, or third internship, it’s important to know how to make the most out of a summer job. I have had many internships and jobs in the past where some were quite busy while others...not so much. Here are some helpful tips to cater to both busy and slow internships. 

If your internship is slow, always remember that you have the power to control the pace. Sure, maybe there is no work provided by your boss, but that does not mean that you stop trying to find tasks. 

• Ask other departments for work: Currently, I work in the media planning industry for advertising. I know that if my team has no work for me to do, I can shoot out a quick email to different teams such as the creative or marketing teams. This can apply to any internship. 

If working in a fast pace environment, plan ahead and focus on one thing at a time. Let your team members know in advance the amount of work you are already carrying in order to prevent overload. The team would rather have quality work then a ton of projects completed in a haphazard manner. 

• Ask questions: Although it is scary to ask when in doubt, asking questions is the best way for you to learn and your team to take back quality work. If you don’t know how to do something and you don’t ask a question, you are hurting the team as a whole! Don’t be afraid; it shows you are trying your best!
• Make friends with coworkers/other interns: This part is often overlooked and is not taken seriously by interns. When working in an industry like communications, communication is key. The other interns are in the same boat as you and sometimes helping each other out makes the experience easier. Making friends with coworkers also is a good networking tool. You never know, a past co-worker, may already work for a job you apply for in the future! 

Do you find yourself struggling in any of these areas? Utilize these tips in order to make the most out of your summer interning experience. 

This guest blog post was written by PRowl Staff Member Jessica Mancuso.