How I did it: I presented at a breakout session of the MORHA (Michigan Organization of Residence Hall Associations) 2009 Conference, which included leaders of residence hall associations from across the Great Lakes State. The conference was mainly a way to meet other leaders from different schools, as well as to attend programs put on by people from different schools and think about how these programs could similarly be put on at one's own school.

I presented a session called "Getting Your Foot in the Door," which dealt with getting a job. The session highlighted skills employers look for; developing resumes; interviews; and what people in college can do to prepare themselves to land that job. I think that by doing this, I provided people with some valuable info for them to apply to their job search.

Lessons & tips: Ask yourself these questions:

1. What is the purpose of the conference? Is it networking, devising strategy for a group...
2. What do conference attendees need?
3. What can people gain from your presentation?
4. What resources do I have to help me? (PowerPoint, music, people to help, etc.)

From there, put together your presentation. Three more things I would like to stress:

1. Have a catchy title for the presentation (especially if it's one of several 'breakout' sessions from which people can choose to attend).
2. Interact with your audience.
3. Except for some serious topics, laughter is a must if you want to keep your audience interested.

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May 19, 09:50PM PDT | 0 comments | 1 cheer