Develop Career and

Life Decisions
3-Steps to Career Planning
Self-Assessment
● Evaluate your interests, personality and values,
skills and abilities.
Career Exploration
● Evaluate career trends.
● Complete an information search.
Put it Together
● Set a specific timetable for completing goals.
● Use your contacts.
Self-Assessment
Interests
● What sparks my interest?
● What activities give me the most pleasure?
● What’s really important to me?
● What volunteer activities do I find most
enjoyable?
● What school subjects do I find most
interesting?”
Self-Assessment
Skills and Abilities
● What are areas in which I excel?
● What are my special gifts and talents?
● What are some things I do for which I
receive compliments?
● In what subjects do I earn the highest
grades?”
Self-Assessment
Personality and Values
● What are my lifestyle preferences?
● Do I prefer to be indoors or outdoors?
● Would I rather be with lots of people or by
yourself?
● Do I consider myself a quite, calm person or
an active person?
● Would I prefer a 9-5 work schedule or a
flexible work schedule?
Career Exploration
Review Career Trends.
● Labor Market Trends
● Which employment fields will be dominant?
Occupational Trends
● What careers are predicted for fast growth?
● What changes are occurring in occupational trends?
● How has the work force changed in the last few
years?
● What significant work force changes will occur in the
next 5-10 years?
Career Exploration
Complete an Information Search.
- Use the following Internet sites to research specific
careers.
● Jobstreet
https://ph.jobstreet.com/
● PhilJobNet
https://philjobnet.gov.ph
- Talk to people in the field.
- Participate in an internship.
● Contact the placement office for more information on
internships.
10 challenges that affect career goals
Knowing some common career challenges can help you plan for those potential
obstacles so you can continue making progress toward your goals. Here are 10
challenges that can affect your career goals with ways to solve them effectively:
1. Lack of qualifications
2. Not enough experience
3. Self-doubt
4. Changes in industry
5. Questions after promotion
6. Time
7. Fear
8. Financial obligations
9. Uncertainty about goals
10. Burnout
1. Lack of qualifications

Lacking the required qualifications for a role, such as educational requirements or skills, is a common
challenge that many professionals may face in their careers. If you lack the necessary qualifications
for the job you want, there are ways you can work to meet the requirements. Research the criteria
for the position to understand the education and skills required for the role. Search for classes you
can take or certifications you can earn related to the position. Highlight this training on your resume
to show employers your commitment to expanding your skill set.

2. Not enough experience

Many jobs require candidates to have relevant experience for the position. If you have little or no
experience, it can be challenging to show employers you have the right qualifications for the job.
When applying for jobs with less experience than required, tailor your resume to feature your
transferable skills, such as communication. Show employers how the experience you've gained in
another job or industry relates to the new position. If you want to gain experience before applying,
complete some side projects on your own. For example, you may start a blog to demonstrate your
skills for a copywriting position.
3. Self-doubt

If you lack faith in your abilities, it can keep you from progressing in your career. For example, some
professionals may focus on the skills they lack to reach their goals, rather than the skills they already
have. If you experience self-doubt about your career, take some time to identify your strengths and
consider how you can use them to achieve your goals. Develop a positive affirmation you can repeat
to yourself when you're lacking confidence, such as, "I have many valuable skills." Focusing on your
unique skills can help you feel empowered to continue working toward your goals.

4. Changes in industry

When there are changes in your industry or position, it may affect your professional goals. For
example, if your industry becomes more reliant on technology, you may find it difficult to advance in
your career if you have limited technical skills. Throughout your career, it's helpful to remain flexible
and continue learning to adapt to changes that may occur. Read books and articles about your
industry to stay up to date on new trends. Volunteer for new challenges at work to develop or
improve your skills. Consider changes to be opportunities for you to continue growing professionally.
5. Questions after promotion
Getting a promotion can be rewarding, but some professionals may also feel unsure about how
to be successful in their new roles. After a promotion, you may have questions about how to
lead a team, or you may feel uncertain about the next step in your career path. If you have
questions after a promotion, it's helpful to find a mentor who can offer advice. Reach out to
someone who's held your new position before and ask them how they handled the transition.
They can also provide guidance about your career path to help you plan your next goal.
6. Time
Time may feel like a limiting factor when you're working toward your career goals, particularly if
you're hoping to transition to a new career. It can be difficult to make time for your goals when
you're working in another job. Commit to your goals by scheduling daily or weekly appointments
to work toward them. Write these appointments in a planner or digital calendar as a visual
reminder to yourself. During that time, stay focused on tasks you can complete to make progress
toward your goals. When you make your goals a priority, you're more likely to accomplish them.
7. Fear
Fear can often prevent professionals from working toward their career goals. For example, they
may be afraid to change careers or cautious about asking for a promotion. When you feel fearful
about your career goals, it's helpful to analyze your fears to determine why you have them. Once
you understand the reason for your fear, you can make a plan to manage this emotion. For
example, if you're nervous about asking for a promotion, make a list of significant projects you've
completed and examples of times you've asked for additional responsibilities to help you prepare
your pitch.
8. Financial obligations
There may be financial obligations, such as mortgage payments, rent or bills, that prevent
professionals from achieving their career goals. For example, they may refrain from pursuing a job
that aligns with their interests because it pays less than their current job. When money becomes
a career challenge, it's helpful to create a financial plan to help you balance your goals and your
financial obligations. Set financial goals for yourself, such as paying off your student loans before
you apply for a new job. A financial plan can help you feel prepared to achieve your career goals.
9. Uncertainty about goals
Some professionals may face challenges in their career because they're uncertain of the goals they
want to set for themselves. They may be unsure about the types of jobs that align with their
passions or the career options they may have based on their skills and experience. If you're
uncertain about your own career goals, do some research to help you learn about different jobs
and industries that appeal to you. For example, if you have bookkeeping skills and a desire to work
from home, you may research some companies that hire accountants to work remotely.
10. Burnout
Burnout occurs when professionals feel stress related to the work. It may cause them to feel
frustrated about their career path or unmotivated to reach their professional goals. If you
experience burnout, evaluate the factors that may be causing it. For example, if you're
experiencing burnout because you started a new shift at work, realize that it may take time for you
to develop a new routine. If you believe there are deeper factors contributing to your burnout,
such as dissatisfaction with your industry, begin to think about the relevant skills and experience
you can bring to another job.
10 Strategies to manage negative emotions at work

1. Compartmentalization (when negative emotions from home affect

your work)
2. Deep breathing & relaxation techniques
3. The 10-second rule
4. Clarify
5. Blast your anger through exercise
6. Never reply or make a decision when angry
7. Know your triggers
8. Be respectful
9. Apologize for any emotional outburst
10. Never bring your negative emotions home
What is a SWOT analysis?
A SWOT analysis is a strategic planning technique that helps identify their Strengths,
Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats. (That’s what SWOT analysis stands for!) By examining
these four elements, you gain valuable insights into your company's current position – and future
potential.
Strengths - What do you do better than anyone else? What unique resources or capabilities do
you have? This could be a strong brand, proprietary technology, or a talented team. It might be
experience you’ve built up over the years. (Conversely, for disruptive challengers, being
unencumbered with overheads, lacking a hard-to-change brand perception, and having ‘nothing
to lose’ can all be genuine strengths!)
Weaknesses - Where are your struggle? What areas need improvement? Be honest with
yourself. Maybe you have high employee turnover, or outdated systems holding you back. As
you’ll see later, these aren’t all necessary ‘fatal flaws’ – they might be a natural part of how you
do business.
Opportunities - What external factors could help you grow? Is there an untapped market
segment or emerging technology you could leverage? Here, you might want to keep an eye on
industry trends and consumer behavior.
Threats - What external factors could harm you? Is there new competition entering the market
or regulatory changes on the horizon? Don't stick your head in the sand – face these threats
head-on.
Counterproductive Work Behavior
● Abuse Against Others – often termed workplace bullying or harassment.
● Theft – involves the direct stealing of physical items and money or the
misappropriation of funds.
● Sabotage – ranges from minor disruptions to major acts of vandalism or destruction.
● Withdrawal – involves an employee disengaging from their work duties, either
physically or psychologically.
● Production Deviance – occurs when employees intentionally reduce their
productivity or the quality of their work below the established standards.
● Alcohol and Drug Use on the Job – this behavior can significantly impair judgment,
reaction times, motor skills, and the overall ability to perform tasks safely and
effectively.
● Cyber Loafing and Social Loafing – cyber loafing occurs when employees use
corporate internet for personal purposes. Social loafing happens when an
individual contributes less effort in a team setting than they would if working
alone.
● Sexual Harassment – this encompasses unwelcome sexual advances, requests
for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature.
● Knowledge Hiding and Hoarding – these behaviors involve deliberately
withholding or concealing important information and resources that are valuable
to the organization.
● Incivility – this includes seemingly minor actions such as rude or discourteous
behavior, a lack of politeness, or disrespecting others in the work environment.
 Contribute to
Workplace Innovation
Why is innovation important?
Why is innovation important?
Innovation is good for business. It helps organisations achieve commercial
success by providing new and better products and services. These are often
delivered at lower costs. Doing things differently can also help to create better,
more productive workplaces and make staff feel more involved and happier at
work. Clients also benefit from improved products and efficiencies and better
prices.
Innovative organisations outperform others. They can respond faster and
better to changing environments, grasp opportunities and develop necessary
partnerships to generate and act on ideas. Innovations can benefit organisations
in a number of ways.
Proactively identify opportunities for improvement in
your area of work

There are always opportunities for improvements. A person with

good ideas could spend all day being innovative. But we still need to
get our work done. It’s about having a balance.
If there is no innovation, our jobs and our organizations become
stale and boring. But too much time spent thinking about how to do
things differently means that nothing will be achieved on a daily basis.
It’s a good idea to see your role as having two parts: one where you
focus on innovation, one where you get the job done. Have your
working hat on when there’s a deadline to meet; have your thinking
hat on during quieter times.
Some people make notes about ideas. Others spend a few
minutes each day thinking how they could do their job better.
How opportunities are identified
Always be attentive to problem areas as well as to ways to improve
your role and workplace. There may be a need to do things more
quickly, to make fewer mistakes or to make the work environment
healthier and safer.
The process of larger changes can take some time. As we have
already seen, some organizations actively encourage people to be
innovative and provide ways for this to happen. Sometimes, though,
while you are working you will come up with your own good ideas, and it
is important to devote a part of your day or week to developing these.
On the next slide are a number of ways you can take note of potential
opportunities in your workplace.
Be observant
● Notice how you can improve the way you do things.
Be curious
● Ask questions of colleagues and read procedure
manuals and frequently asked questions
documents (FAQs).
Be a creative thinker
● Come up with a number of possible ways of making
changes.
Areas where improvements can take place
Processes and procedures
Improving processes and procedures involves developing more efficient and
beneficial ways to carry out tasks and duties. It may involve changing the order you
do things in, or reducing the number of steps it takes to achieve a particular result
anything that helps you make the best use of your time at work and ease workload
pressure.
For example, you may have been instructed to process email requests for
information about a service or product in the order you received them. You find that
some requests are handled quickly and easily, while others take a long time and
require a great deal of research. You come up with an idea to handle the easy ones
straight away and leave the more difficult ones until later on in the day. This way
you can respond to most inquiries quickly and efficiently, and in the afternoon you
can deal with the others in a more leisurely manner.
Work practices
Work practices are the way your organization does its
business; that is, its policies and general methods of operation.
This can include the way teams are made up and change over
time. Sometimes teams need to change because they are not
working as effectively as they could.
An example is a bank deciding that it wants to attract more
customers. There are two other banks in the same suburb. At a
staff meeting, a worker suggests changing the opening hours
so that customers can access their bank earlier than the other
banks.
Changes in the physical environment
The physical environment may need to be changed if
people are not able to work to their best ability; for example, if
the layout is inappropriate, something is unhealthy or unsafe, or
something is not pleasant for staff or clients.
For example, an increase in staff in an office means that
some workers are placed in an area not previously used by
people; this area is not well ventilated and becomes very hot in
the afternoons. New air-conditioning and vents could be
installed and blinds placed in front of the windows to make this
area safer and more comfortable for staff.
Storage or maintenance procedures
Organizations need to review and update their storage and
maintenance procedures regularly and build in ways to deal with
future growth. Staff need to know what needs to be stored and where,
and how to dispose of anything not required. Maintenance schedules
for a wide range of equipment need to be developed, costed and
adhered to.
An example involves a spa and pool company with several large
outlets. Each outlet has the current range of stock and some also
have old stock at discounted prices. At a planning day, staff agree to
move several of the outlets to smaller sites, have less stock on site
and set up an online shop to sell old stock and where customers can
select and design spas and pools based on their bathroom or garden
measurements.
Generate new ideas
There are many ways to get creativity flowing. Sometimes new ideas come quickly
and easily; at other times you need to put in some effort. The following methods can
help you to produce ideas about any issue, including ideas for improving things at
work.
● Brainstorming
● Mind mapping
Brainstorming
Brainstorming means coming up with a range of ideas in a short
time. You can brainstorm by yourself, but it is usually better to get
together with at least one other person, or your whole team. You may
suggest that your team has regular brainstorming sessions to discuss
a particular area of work.
For example, if you are having trouble keeping up with your
emails and getting your work done, it can be a good use of time to
brainstorm ideas and a range of possible solutions to better manage
tasks and time. It is important that during the brainstorming process
you do not make any decisions about what is a ‘good’ or ‘bad’ idea.
Write everything down, no matter how silly it may sound.
Mind mapping
Mind mapping was invented and patented by an American, Tony
Buzan, who discovered that we can tap into more areas of our brain
and come up with more ideas if we ‘map’ our thoughts on a page.
To draw a mind map, write a core word or phrase (such as a problem
you are having) in a box in the centre of a page. Then draw a number
of paths coming out of the centre box, and on each path write down
different aspects of the problem. Create paths leading from each
aspect suggesting ideas for solutions. You can then look at your mind
map and decide which ideas would be good to follow up.
Understand the situation
Understanding your own work role, those of others in your team and
the organization’s priorities are all important things to consider as you
gather information relevant to your ideas for change. The main reason
why you are employed is to help your organisation achieve its goals
and expected outcomes. Each staff member contributes to these
goals in a particular way. There is no point changing the way you do
something if it stops you achieving these goals.
Whenever you do something, it will have some kind of effect on the
way others work. For example, moving your in-tray under your desk
might make it easier for you to access, but it will make it more difficult
for others to use.
You need to make sure you understand:
• the organization’s expected outcomes and how well you can achieve
these outcomes under current conditions
• whether the current processes and situations are adequate for
needs in the foreseeable future
• the resources required for your ideas and whether these can be
supplied
• any barriers that may hinder your idea being taken up
• what impact your ideas might have on others: clients, staff or the
general public.
How practical innovative ideas are
Try to imagine the needs of your role in the future –
there may be no point implementing change that is only
going to be useful for a short time.
Think about how your ideas will be resourced if they are
adopted by the organization. Resources can be things
you can see or touch, such as computers, phones,
telephone directories or software packages. They may
also be less obvious, but equally important, things like
time and your skills and knowledge.
It is important to ensure your idea is realistic before
suggesting it to others. You need to consider things that
might stop you from progressing, such as limits to
finances, time or resources or the organization’s current
policies or priorities.
Time-saving considerations
In some instances, you may be able to take some preliminary actions that
could save time and money before any attempt is made to explore your
innovative idea. These include getting some feedback from others and/or
exploring the potential cost of your proposal.
Getting further feedback from others can help you decide whether your idea
would be useful and therefore likely to be accepted. You could do this by
asking selected staff members to respond via email as to whether they think
your idea might improve current practices. This way you also have a useful
written record.
Obtaining brochures and quotes for services, new equipment and software can
save a lot of time, especially if you are aware of any budgetary limitations.
Getting a few quotes can help you compare and contrast these, or if there is a
preferred supplier you can ask for the special customer rate.
Review information
After you have collected information about your idea, you need to
review it for:
● currency – whether it is up to date
● relevance to the idea – whether the information directly supports
the idea
● suitability in your situation – whether the information is likely to
be viewed as useful and practical
● likelihood of fixing the problem or achieving positive change
– whether it will be seen as worthwhile to invest time, money
and/or other resources to make use of this information.
After the review
After you have reviewed your information, you need to prepare it for
presentation in a useable format. One way to do this is to create a document
that outlines the stages you have worked through in a logical manner. Carefully
summarize what you have found out to help readers to be able to quickly
understand the information, its source and its value. Use headings to help you
set out your proposal, such as those below.
Suggested headings for a proposal document
● Reason/s for change – the problems or the improvements you want to
make
● Possible solutions – the ideas you came up with
● Supporting information – the results of your fact-finding exercises
● Recommendations – the idea or ideas that have the best chance of
success
Identify people who may provide input into ideas for
improvements
You will not be practising innovation all on your own. Sharing your ideas
with others and getting their input is essential if you are going to be an effective
innovator. It is important to include all viewpoints right from the start.
If you work in a team, another team member may have already thought of
an idea and be trying it out. Someone who has been in the organisation for a
long time may know why a particular process has been in operation and can
help you understand the situation better. Perhaps someone who has moved to
a different area, or someone whose work is dependent on yours, can also
provide input.
Other people can be of great assistance to you as allies, supporters,
information suppliers and promoters. They can help you think more creatively,
challenge your beliefs, provide valuable input and detail budgetary or resource
constraints.
Help to develop your ideas
Here are some types of
people who can help you
develop your ideas. You may
identify people who will take
on two or more of these roles.
Develop options and possible variations
During and after feedback, you will have the opportunity to develop a greater
understanding of the situation and possible variations to the original idea. Perhaps
you will come up with a new idea, or several new ideas. New possibilities can be
added to your concept using the suggestions below
Rethink the idea - Think through the idea again by revisiting the original problem or
situation that led to the need for change.
Incorporate all information - Incorporate all information obtained about the
resources that would be required for the change – include such things as budget or
time limits, competing priorities, other changes that are taking place and any costs
involved.
Incorporate other ideas - Incorporate other people’s ideas and feedback to decide
whether you have the best solution or if something else is needed.
Test and modify ideas - Test any modified or new ideas by presenting them to
others (preferably people who have already been involved in the process).
Develop options and possible variations
During and after feedback, you will have the opportunity to develop a greater
understanding of the situation and possible variations to the original idea. Perhaps
you will come up with a new idea, or several new ideas. New possibilities can be
added to your concept using the suggestions below
Rethink the idea - Think through the idea again by revisiting the original problem or
situation that led to the need for change.
Incorporate all information - Incorporate all information obtained about the
resources that would be required for the change – include such things as budget or
time limits, competing priorities, other changes that are taking place and any costs
involved.
Incorporate other ideas - Incorporate other people’s ideas and feedback to decide
whether you have the best solution or if something else is needed.
Test and modify ideas - Test any modified or new ideas by presenting them to
others (preferably people who have already been involved in the process).
Review and select ideas for follow-up

You have been following a systematic process for developing ideas. First,
you obtained supporting information for an original idea of yours about
something that needed to change. Then, you explored the usefulness of finding
people who can and should provide extra input, how to share your ideas and
also how to receive feedback from them. Now, you need to review the
feedback you have received and make any necessary changes.
Document feedback
Feedback usually needs to be documented in some way before it can
be used. There are many ways you might document your feedback;
however, three common methods to use are a key points summary, a
SWOT analysis and a pros and cons table.
When producing a key points summary, you may like to add the name
of the person who raised each point. When using a SWOT analysis
table, you will describe your ideas strengths, weaknesses,
opportunities and threats. Finally, when using a pros and cons table,
you create two columns listing arguments in favour of the idea in one,
and those against in the other.
Reasons for documenting feedback may include:
● keeping track of the historical development of an idea
● acknowledging and valuing others’ time and effort
● saving time by not going back over steps or having people re-
raise issues that have already been dealt with
● ensuring that you get the best possible outcome
● providing evidence that you have followed all necessary steps, in
case problems arise later.
Take action to implement routine changes

How does an innovative idea become a new

work practice? Innovation in the workplace is not
about taking things into your own hands and
making decisions without communicating with
others. Unless you are an owner or manager, the
final decision will usually be up to others to make.
However, if you can show how your idea will
benefit the organization, your ideas are more
likely to be accepted and lead to greater
satisfaction for yourself, your work colleagues
and the organization’s clients.
Whether the change is small or large scale,
innovation generally follows a process that goes
through several stages.
Stages of innovation
Ideas do not always lead to change straight away. Your organization
may decide not to implement any changes at that time. This does not
mean the idea should not have been raised. Someone may still thank
you for your foresight at a later date.
Below is a summary of each of the stages of innovation and some
further information about each. Note that stages 4–6 all involve
obtaining approval to implement change.
Major issues that affect changes
Approvals are required
You need to ensure that you have the appropriate authority to proceed. While your idea
may have been supported in a meeting, or your boss gave verbal agreement when you
made your presentation, this does not necessarily indicate that you have the authority to
proceed. It is always best to get approval in writing: an email, signed form or initials and a
date on your letter may suffice.
Relationship of the idea to organizational priorities
You need to ensure you have taken into account other things that may be going on in the
organization generally, as well as in your immediate work area. Consideration to deadlines
and peak periods also need to be taken into account.
For example, moving furniture may need to be done at the end of a work day or after work
so as not to disrupt workflow.
Cost of implementation and logistics
Costs need to be considered carefully before implementing change. For example, it may be
much cheaper to hire a truck on certain days of the week; people who install machines may
be able to work more quickly on days or times when there are fewer workers in the office.
You also need to take into account any down time while the change is happening.
If a number of things need to happen, it is important that these are done in the most
efficient way.
For example, a new software package can’t be installed until a computer system is
upgraded; new desks and equipment must be provided before new staff members can start
working. A flow chart or run sheet can help eliminate these problems.
Present Relevant
Information
Collecting Information
Whether you are conducting academic or professional research, working to
solve a problem, or trying to make an informed decision, information is crucial.
The ability to strategically collect information is a skill that will serve you well.
Here’s why:
● Knowledge. Information can help you understand the fuller picture of the
situation you are researching or the magnitude of the problem you are
trying to address. Data can help to fill in the details and ground your
understanding in reality.
● Credibility. Information can help ground your ideas, opinions, and research
with reliable facts and figures. Such data is especially important in
communicating with clients, possible donors, instructors, or colleagues.
● Awareness can lead to change. By sharing and contextualizing data for
your audience—whether they are your colleagues, your clients, your
classmates, or your friends and family—you can empower others with
knowledge. This knowledge, in turn, can lead to positive change.
Protecting Privacy and Maintaining Confidentiality
“Confidentiality” is a word that we might encounter in situations
surrounding our healthcare, our finances, or other topics where our personal
information might be concerned. Simply put, “confidentiality” means that
information is being kept secret or private.
By extension, confidentiality pertains to treatment of information that an
individual has disclosed in a relationship of trust, especially in a legal, medical,
or scientific context. There is an expectation that the information will be kept
private and will not be shared without permission in ways that are inconsistent
with the understanding of the original agreement.
Given that research is about sharing and collecting information, it is
natural that confidentiality is an important issue to keep in mind when collecting
identifiable data about a person, such as if you are collecting surveys or
interviews.
Here are some precautions to
take in order to protect
confidentiality, especially if
research involves what is
called Personal Identifiable
Information or PII. PII is any
information that can be used
to identify an individual (such
as an email address, phone
numbers, biometric data,
social security numbers, etc.).
PII is common in research in
the sciences.
Considerations in Maintaining Data Confidentiality
● Files containing data should be password protected and
encrypted.
● Contact lists of participants should be destroyed when no longer
needed for research.
● Data collection should be anonymous (that is, the person’s name
is not included) if possible.
● PII (Personal Identifying Information) should be replaced with
identification codes (ID codes). ID codes should *not* include
individual’s names or social security numbers.
● Participants should be informed how the information will be used,
how it will be stored and collected, and who will have access to it.
● Participants should be informed of the limitations on the protection
of data confidentiality, such as mandatory reporting laws.
Right to be Informed
Your right to be informed about confidentiality and how the information collected from
you will be stored, used, retrieved and discarded are exercised through consent
forms. These forms are given to anyone from whom the information will be collected,
encoded, and stored.
The consent form contains the information that will be collected as well as how the
data will be used, stored, retrieved and deleted. The respondents have the right to
agree or disagree to give their information through signing or not signing the consent
form.
It is important that you ask for this form or look for the privacy statement of the
organization, website, and other platforms before you give out any personal
information.
If you are the one collecting the information, you have the responsibility to inform
your respondents about the information that you will be collecting and how you will
use, store, retrieve and discard the data.
Ideas for Presenting Information
Presentation ideas are everywhere, but standing out requires more than just a
slideshow. In fact, a study reveals 79% of respondents saying most
presentations are boring.
Whether you’re pitching to investors, delivering a lesson, or sharing project
updates, a fresh, creative approach can make all the difference. Let’s explore
presentation ideas that grab attention, spark curiosity, and keep your audience
engaged from the first slide to the last.
Whether you are making a professional presentation, teaching a lesson, or sharing
researching with your classmates, here are some guidelines that will help to present
information effectively.
Make sure that your audience can actually see your data.
● Have you ever watched a presentation where you were unable to even read the
numbers on a chart? When data is too small, your audience will be left
scratching their heads—and distracted from the heart of your bigger message.
Less can be more.
● As the inventor Leonardo DaVinci once said, “Simplicity is the ultimate
sophistication.” On that note, refrain from crowded your pages or slides with too
much information. Doing so can overwhelm your audience or reader.
● If need be, move some of the data to another slide or page so your
presentation is not cluttered.
Enhance your information with visuals.
● Offer your information in more than one way. For example, if you are instructing
your audience in how to do something, provide both text and images.
● Make that you have copyright permission before you use any images. Website
such as Unsplash (www.unsplash.com), Pixabay (www.pixabay.com), and
Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org) offer freely usable
media files.
● Infographics—a collection of imagery or charts that provides a visual
representation of a subject—can help you communicate an idea quickly and
powerfully. You can do so for free with platforms such as Canva
(www.canva.com) or Piktochart (www.piktochart.com).
Enlist technology.
● If you can, try to incorporate audiovisual elements such as video clips and sound
recordings to engage an audience. Turn on closed captions on any video that is
shown to make learning more inclusive.
● Tablets, laptops, and e-readers can offer individualized learning support and allow
learners to go at their own pace.
Keep your audience in mind.
● Try to put yourself in the shoes of your audience, whether that is your colleagues,
your students, your clients, or your friends and family. Ask yourself: what knowledge
do they already have? What topics might be unfamiliar to them?
● Even if your data or findings are complex, try to communicate the information in a
clear and simple way. (Doing so is harder than it sounds!)
● It’s a good idea to share your presentation with someone else that you trust. Ask them
what questions, responses, or concerns they might have. Then try to address those
accordingly.
● Remember that people have different learning styles: some learn better visually,
audibly, by doing, etc., so keep that in mind.
Proofread.
● It may sound obvious, but be sure to check for spelling and grammar errors.
(You would be surprised by how many people forget to do this at their own
peril!)
● If you feel like you have looked at your presentation too many times, ask a
trusted colleague or friend to check for typos. Details matter!
Everything You Need to Know to Make a Basic Presentation
PowerPoint is a software made by Microsoft that allows you to create
presentations, which are commonly used in professional or academic settings.
Within a PowerPoint presentation, you can add text, images, art, and even
music. You can either create a presentation from scratch or start with one of
the software’s templates.
In terms of technical training, there are excellent online tutorials and resources
that can orient you to the basics of PowerPoint.
Here is the link to Microsoft’s webpage on PowerPoint help and learning:
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/powerpoint
You can explore the “get started” feature to learn the basics, and then explore
topics such as “design,” “present,” and “animations” for more advanced
instruction.
Here are some tips when designing your PowerPoint presentation:
Choose a legible font style.
● Style: Font styles such as Arial or Calibri are simple and can be easily read
from a distance. No one wants to squint during your presentation!
● Size: Try to avoid font sizes smaller than 18.
● Contrast: Use a high contrast between your background color and your font
color.
That means choosing a light text on a dark background or a dark text on a light
background. (Stay away from the pairing of certain colors: for example, red and
blue combinations cause eye strain, as do red and green combinations.)
Keep it simple.
● Use bullet points and short sentences.
● Try to avoid text wrapping (that is, having a single sentence run over one line).
● Remember, you want to supplement and enhance the slides with your spoken
narration. Don’t make the slides do all of the work—that is your job!
● Chose a simple background that will not distract from your message.

Keep it consistent.
● Use the same design style (colors, font, etc.) throughout. Doing so will create a
polished, uniform look.
Use graphics, but sparingly.
● Art or graphics can help to enhance and tell your story. But, if you use images,
find high quality ones (that are free to use), and use them wisely.
● Avoid visual clutter. Less is more.
● Credit your images. (You can do so by adding small text at the bottom of the
slide.)

Check spelling and grammar.

● Details matter. You can use the built in spell check feature or explore free online
tools such as Grammarly (www.grammarly.com).