Query on the Presentation Round for Director-level position in a consulting firm

Question

Hello!

I have concluded my initial case and behavioural rounds for a Director-level opening in a consulting firm.

I have now been invited to the Presentation round for which a brief has been pre-sent. I am expected to write 8-10 slides on this topic and conduct a 45-minute presentation.

I am going to be presenting the deck to my immediate supervisor and three skip-level managers (from corresponding functions).

On this, I have two questions:

1. Should I send my final presentation (or a summarised version) as a pre-read to my HR point of contact before the interview day? I ask this because of two reasons: a) They have not asked for this but it is a senior position interview and I wished to be aware of the best-practices of such interactions, and b) If I were to assume this is a miniature version of a real-world case, I would have definitely sent a pre-read to the client.
2. The template that this firm uses (logo, colour, slides, font, etc.) are all readily available online. For my presentation, should I use them or use a standard version without any company trademarks? I ask this because I do not want to appear too desperate through my work.

Thank you!

P.S.: If you are wondering why I haven't asked this to AI, its because I needed a "real-world" take on it.

Answer 1

Hey :)

I would say if they haven’t asked for a pre-read, don’t send it. In an interview context they want to see how you present live, not evaluate a deck beforehand. It’s different from a client setting. If you share it early, it can confuse the process or even disadvantage you. Bring a clean, well-structured deck on the day and guide them through it.
For design, best is to use a neutral but polished template (consulting-style, simple, clean). Avoid using their actual branding, it can come across as overreaching. A professional but non-branded slide design shows judgment and keeps focus on your content.

My recommendation: no pre-read unless explicitly asked, and go with a sharp neutral template. That will strike the right balance of professionalism and confidence.

best,
Alessa :)

Answer 2

Hi there,

You are very thoughtful. Both are good practices to do. It won't look too desperate; don't worry.

For the template, you use their format (color, slides, font, etc.), but maybe can leave out the logo.

Best,

Emily

Answer 3

Honestly, these are questions for HR:

Do you want me to send a pre-read?
Should I use / can I use your company template and logos?