The following openers and closes came from class presentations on information interviews.
Does each opener make you interested in hearing the rest of the presentation?
Does each opener provide a transition to the overview?
Does the close end the presentation in a satisfying way?
a. Opener: I interviewed Mark Perry at AT&T. Close: Well, that’s my report.
b. Opener: How many of you know what you want to do when you graduate?
Close: So, if you like numbers and want to travel, think about being a CPA. Ernst & Young can take you all over the world.
c. Opener: You don’t have to know anything about computer programming to get a job as a technical writer at CompuServe.
Close: After talking to Raj, I decided technical writing isn’t for me. But it is a good career if you work well under pressure and like learning new things all the time.
d. Opener: My report is about what it’s like to work in an advertising agency.
Middle: They keep really tight security; I had to wear a badge and be escorted to Susan’s desk.
Close: Susan gave me samples of the agency’s ads and even a sample of a new soft drink she’s developing a campaign for. But she didn’t let me keep the badge.