Hi, everyone!

I have just received an invitation to do a PhD interview next week and I have instantly entered in panic mode. I am asked to do a presentation (max. 10 minutes) about how my background is relevant for the PhD project that I have applied to and the programme in general.
Here's the issue... I am bad at presentations, or at least I think I am: I don't like being the centre of attention and get really nervous when talking in public. I welcome any pointers that you can give me regarding this!

Anyway, with the PhD project that I am applying to, I am shifting a bit from my background (I come from biology/bioinformatics and the project is mainly based on statistics, although applied to health) so I am unsure on how to address the presentation topic and, even more, how to be talking more than 5 minutes! I have thought on focusing on transferable skills, but I cannot think of anything else to say...
Do you guys think that transferable skills will be enough to present? What about time? I really think I don't have much to say, so I am worried about being too short.

Any help is welcome, thanks in advance for reading and your suggestions!

You should aim for 10 mins and make sure it's at least 8 minutes. Talk about previous research if you have any ie undergraduate projects. Practice the talk out loud with friends and family - ask for their feedback. Talk about relevant undergraduate units and transferable skills too - what you learnt and how it can be applied to the PhD. Look up their papers and see what is relevant.

PS - you have to get used to doing talks if you're doing a PhD. It's never easy but it does get easier with practice.

You could use Powerpoint to draw some of the attention away from you and onto visuals. Once you get started brainstorming ideas, you might be surprised at how much you have to say. Often times I've wondered how I will fill a period of time talking, and then have ended up having to cut parts out! I doubt it would matter if it is a minute of two shorter. You may even get points for being concise (so many people struggle with conciseness).

Maybe as a strategy to deal with the feeling of panic, try to see it as a practice of developing your presentation skills.

Good luck!

Oh yeah defo use powerpoint - that will be expected.

Thanks a lot for your suggestions! I have taken the powerpoint suggestion and put some slides to both help me and distract them (hadn't thought about that one!). It's finally finished so it's all practise, practise and practise tomorrow.

I've been doing it today and took me ~ 8 minutes, so I may try to add something else and pace myself.

@TreeofLife Sadly I know there is no way of going powerpoint-free in a PhD haha. I have done a few presentations during my masters but still, I struggle a lot with nerves...

Thanks again!