Latest posts

Below are the most recent articles or resources I’ve published. If you are looking for help on a specific topics, it would best to look at the topics in my Articles archive as I have grouped my recent and best articles by topic there.

  • Slide makeovers for non-financial metrics

    If you work for a government affiliated agency you do not report profit-focused metrics because profit is not your objective. You report on metrics that are important to your organization but are often not financial in nature. You have goals or targets to meet and you measure progress against them. In this article I want… Continue reading Slide makeovers for non-financial metrics Continue reading

  • Excel Chart Hack: Put data series labels in the bars of a bar chart instead of the legend

    In a previous video (https://youtu.be/jqA5BUbgAFM) I showed how to replace the legend in a column chart with labels added using a scatter chart. Someone asked if this could also be done for a bar chart. This video shows you how. It is a slightly different approach because the scatter plot has to be placed on… Continue reading

  • Create a graph in PowerPoint using data and formulas from Excel for increased functionality

    Using the default copy and paste for an Excel graph into PowerPoint results in a link back to the Excel file. If that file is on a drive you can’t access, you can’t edit the graph. If you use the Embed workbook option when pasting the graph into PowerPoint you make the PowerPoint file large,… Continue reading

  • Cool effect for presenting Excel column charts/graphs in PowerPoint | Morph alternative hack

    Morph, the great PowerPoint feature that you can use with images, shapes, and text to create effects that look like a professional video is not available for charts. Charts are much more complex and Morph isn’t able to figure out where all the different elements should move. This video will show you a cool effect… Continue reading

  • Resources to nail your job interview presentation

    So many professionals have been let go recently due to financial uncertainty. Companies are laying off good people who have produced good results. This may be you or someone you know. I’ve started publishing short articles to help these folks nail the presentation portion of their job interview (presentations are becoming common as part of… Continue reading

  • Go beyond the basic Excel charts to impress recruiters in a job interview presentation

    If you’ve recently been laid off and want to impress a recruiter or hiring manager with an effective data visual, you will want to consider going beyond the basic Excel charts that they will see from everyone else. What you show in a job interview presentation will demonstrate how effective you can communicate analysis to… Continue reading

  • Here’s how to start creating graphs in Excel to visualize data for a job interview presentation

    It doesn’t matter whether you and your team delivered good results, sometimes a cutback in staff can result in you being let go. If that’s happened to you recently you want to be prepared to show potential employers the positive impact you made at your last job. Data on key metrics is one of the… Continue reading

  • How many PowerPoint slides should you have for a job interview presentation?

    You’ve recently been laid off from your corporate job. Your job search has already landed you an interview for a new position that includes a short presentation to demonstrate your communication ability. How many slides should you prepare? You may have heard about a certain number of slides per minute. I suggest you ignore those… Continue reading

  • Use graphs instead of tables of numbers in a job interview presentation

    You and your team have delivered good results over the last few years. But due to financial uncertainty, you have been let go. Your upcoming job interview includes a short presentation where they want you to show how you can improve the results at their company. You have the numbers to prove what you and… Continue reading

  • Four tips for impressing recruiters during a Teams presentation

    You’ve recently been laid off from your corporate job in HR, operations, finance, customer service, or another area. You’ve hit the ground running and you’ve got an interview scheduled via Teams for a new position. They’ve told you they want you to prepare a ten-minute presentation to test your communication ability. Here are four ways… Continue reading