Presentation Tools and How to see your Online Results

Google Slides

Many of our careers and education require for employers and/or students to create a presentation at some point. In the article, 5 Reasons to Replace PowerPoint with Google Slides, it explains what Google Slides is and how it can be a more useful presentation tool than Microsoft PowerPoint. One of the reasons it mentions is that Google Slides offers more simplistic presentation templates than PowerPoint. This encourages you to create a simple and aesthetically pleasing presentation, which often looks more professional. Another reason is you are able to view and edit your presentation while offline and when you gain internet access back it will automatically save. This allows you to be productive and work on your presentation and also have to ability to present it with or without internet access. Google Slides is a free app and website that you can access anytime by creating a Google account. Personally, Google Slides have been to my go to resource when it comes to creating PowerPoints and I have used them all throughout my academic career.

Visme

Another helpful app/website that can be used to to create presentations is Visme. The article, Don't be a PowerPoint sheepie: Create standout presentations with Visme, goes into depth on how to use Visme to your advantage. Some of the things Visme offers are templates for just about every data and information you have to do a presentation on. This alleviates the stress of coming up with a nice flowing powerpoint by giving you access to one that will ensure success for the flow of your presentation. Visme also provides a surplus amount of text fonts, graphics, and styles, giving you plenty of options of designing your presentation to your liking. Although Visme is easy to use, if you get confused there are many tutorials given from the company that can help you navigate easier. A limited version of Visme is offered for free online and in the App Store. If what is provided doesn't meet your needs you can pay either $8 or $16 depending on what will meet your needs. I personally have never used Visme, but I will consider using it in the future for all of the templates that they provide. 

Microsoft Sway

Microsoft Sway is a free presentation feature that you can access through a Microsoft account.  The article, 8 Best Ways to Use Microsoft Sway, depicts what Microsoft Sway is and how you can use it to your benefit. Sways offers a bunch of templates that can accommodate many research based presentations. Sway also allows you to add both visual and audio content to your presentations. This includes pictures, videos, and voice overs which allows for a variety of ways to present your information, which in return will keep your audience engaged. Sways is also is easy to share amongst people, whether it be via email, Facebook, or Twitter by offering an embedded code or visual link. Sway also allows for easy access to collaboration with colleges with a click of a button. I have never used Microsoft sway for any of my presentations, but with the easy access to many tools that I mention I will take it into consideration as I move forward in my academic career. 

Chapter 3

In the book Light, Bright, and Polite for Professionals, John Ochs gives advice as to how to portray yourself on social media and how it can influence your reputation and in return your chances of getting a job. In chapter three, Ochs talks about ways to see your online results as someone who searched your name would see them and how you can improve your search results. In the book Chris Mygatt, president of the Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage Colorado, explains what the company looks for when searching potential employers online. Mygatt goes onto explain that they look at things like their social media, Google results, and LinkedIn profiles. Ochs offers some ways to make sure you leave a good digital footprint that will help you create and maintain positive search results. One tip he gives is check your digital footprint on a regular basis. This will ensure that nothing to your surprise will come up and you will always know what is being put out there about you. Another piece of advice he gives is have a friend go through and look at your profiles and offer honest feedback. This will allow for another set of eyes look at your profile and fro you to get another opinion that you can use to improve your profiles. Ochs also created a tool called Footprint Friday which help enhances and reminds you to search yourself and stay onto of your digital footprint. In the future as I apply to jobs I will take this tool and all of this advice into consideration as I want to ensure I am maintaining a positive footprint that will help me get a job in the education field.

Final Thoughts

Overall, all of these presentation tool are either free or offer a free version that can be used to your benefit when making a presentation. As I go through my academic career I will consider using them when I go to complete powerpoint based projects. I will also take Ochs advice into consideration and continue to check my search results to maintain a positive digital footprint.