How can your presentation skills portfolio reflect current trends and best practices in public speaking?

1 Identify your goals and audience

Before you start building your presentation skills portfolio, you need to have a clear idea of what you want to achieve and who you want to impress with it. Your goals and audience will determine the content, style, and format of your portfolio. For example, if your goal is to land a job as a trainer, you might want to include examples of presentations that showcase your instructional design, facilitation, and feedback skills. If your audience is a potential client, you might want to highlight your expertise, credibility, and value proposition in your presentations.

2 Choose relevant and diverse examples

Your presentation skills portfolio should include a variety of examples that demonstrate your range and versatility as a public speaker. You should select examples that match your goals and audience, as well as the current trends and best practices in public speaking. For instance, you might want to include examples of presentations that use different modes (such as live, recorded, or hybrid), formats (such as slides, video, or audio), and platforms (such as Zoom, YouTube, or podcast). You should also include examples of presentations that address different topics, purposes, and audiences.

3 Showcase your process and results

Your presentation skills portfolio should not only show the final product of your presentations, but also the process and results behind them. You should provide evidence of how you plan, prepare, and practice your presentations, as well as how you measure and improve your performance. For example, you might want to include outlines, scripts, notes, or feedback forms that show your planning and preparation process. You might also want to include testimonials, ratings, reviews, or analytics that show your impact and outcomes.

4 Use a professional and accessible format

Your presentation skills portfolio should be presented in a professional and accessible format that makes it easy for your audience to view and navigate. You should use a consistent and appealing design, layout, and branding that reflects your personality and style. You should also use clear and concise language, headings, and labels that highlight your main points and achievements. You should make sure that your portfolio is compatible with different devices, browsers, and screen sizes, and that it follows the web accessibility guidelines for people with disabilities.

5 Update and refine your portfolio regularly

Your presentation skills portfolio should be a dynamic and evolving document that reflects your growth and development as a public speaker. You should update and refine your portfolio regularly to keep it current and relevant. You should add new examples of presentations that showcase your latest skills, knowledge, and achievements. You should also remove or replace outdated or irrelevant examples that no longer reflect your goals or audience. You should review and edit your portfolio periodically to ensure that it is accurate, complete, and error-free.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?