Episode 27 of the HigherEdJobs Podcast highlights how to prepare, how to think on the fly, and how to ace a presentation during your interview.

Guest Steve Snyder, from the School of Theatre at Penn State University, shares his advice on preparation and determining what you need to provide for your audience.

First Step

When preparing, Snyder says, "...the very first question I have to figure out is, who am I talking to?" For your upcoming presentation, who will be in the audience (virtual or in-person)? Will students, tenured faculty, deans, or directors be present? Determining who will be in the audience will dictate what you should include in your presentation for those specific audiences.

Second Step

Next, Snyder says we need to identify the purpose of the presentation. Is the purpose of the presentation to demonstrate your expertise in your field, personality, cultural fit, or all the above? Some questions Snyder asks himself, "Why am I talking to them? What is it that I need from them? Or how am I trying to change them? Or what do I need to get them to do?"

Third Step

Finally, Snyder advises that we think through our methodology in our presentation. We can ask ourselves, "How am I going to do this? What's my methodology? What's the step-by-step? What's the hook, the thing that's going to get their attention? [...] How am I going to lead folks through this thing that I have to teach them, or elucidate, or guide them to a new understanding? [...] What's the whole journey of this presentation? What's the story? How am I getting us to arrive somewhere different than where we began?"

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Listen to the entire episode for more advice and how to anticipate any curveballs during your presentation.

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