While talking with professionals seeking employment at Communiqué PR, we meet a variety of candidates with different levels of experience. And sometimes we find ourselves impressed with candidates who present themselves well during the interview process.
If you’re curious about the traits of successful job candidates, we’ve compiled a few tips for PR professionals seeking to grow their career:
Before the interview:
1) Research the company. Reading about the agency, including the client roster and leadership team, as well as any media coverage or awards won, will help you during the interview process. Not only will you be able to speak intelligently about the firm, but you’ll also have background context should accounts or team members be mentioned during the discussions. If you can find a way to insert one or two mentions of something you read during your research, you’ll show you spent time preparing for the interview.
2) Prepare your messaging. As mentioned in a previous personal branding post, you should develop messaging to deliver your elevator pitch, provide background on your career and highlight your skills. Many job interviews open with a general request allowing a candidate to tell the interviewer(s) about themselves. Having messaging prepared will help you answer that open-ended question with poise, focus and confidence. Your key messages should fit into your overarching narrative about your career and how the opportunity fits into that story arc.
3) Practice, practice, practice. We regularly tell our clients to prep for media interviews by practicing. This is solid advice during the job hunt, too. Often, the written word will read well; however, once you begin speaking the answers, you might find something sounds confusing or inauthentic. But be warned: There’s a fine line between rehearsing and sounding rehearsed. Don’t use a script; rather, write down key points you want to make and alter your language based on the setting.
During the interview:
4) Take notes. You should bring a notepad and pen or pencil to take notes during your interview. Some people are nervous during an interview and there is often a lot of information to remember. Feel free to jot down what people are saying – the job responsibilities, culture descriptions and next steps are just a few of the things you can learn during an interview. Think about showing up for a client meeting without paper and a pen – it could be construed as unpreparedness or unprofessionalism.
5) Ask questions. An interview isn’t a one-way street. While you are interviewing for the job, you’re also interviewing the company to determine whether it’s the right fit for you. Ask about roles, culture, growth opportunities and any other qualities that indicate whether the company and team are a match for you and your aspirations. What’s not appropriate to ask during the interview? Some examples include: salary, benefits or publicly available background information on the company. For the latter, you should have done your homework ahead of time. For the two former examples, it’s likely too soon in the process and will either be covered in subsequent discussions or was discussed previously during a phone screening.
6) Be positive. Your old job was boring, your boss was crazy or you were overworked. These are insights you don’t need to share during an interview. It’s obvious you want a new job, otherwise you wouldn’t be interviewing. When asked questions about why you want to leave or what you would change about your current situation, remain positive. The PR world is quite small, so while you’re bashing your manager, you could unknowingly be bashing the interviewer’s best friend. Not only that, it’s rude and unnecessary. Focus on the positive aspects of your current or past roles and don’t blame anyone but yourself for your failures or shortcomings.
After the interview:
7) Follow up to say thank you. While you’re interviewing for a job, your interviewer(s) could have deadlines, calls to make or materials to draft. Don’t forget they are taking time out of their day to speak with you and answer your questions. Everyone has a different philosophy regarding following up with a thank you (email, snail mail, etc.), but make sure you send some type of follow-up, personalized communication. Not only does it allow you to express gratitude, but timed correctly, it could remind the decision makers about you and perhaps increase the likelihood of a call-back.
As you seek a new opportunity, following these guidelines could help you be more successful. What have you found to be effective tips for interviewing?