Interview Questions

This one is more for those who are doing the interviewing out there in the PR world...the shot callers. When meeting with potential team additions, keep in mind that candidates are screening you, just as you are screening them. So, make the interview questions relevant, conversational, and, if possible, inspiring enough to evoke meaningful responses so that you can begin the process of truly determining if the person sitting across from you could someday be on your side of the table with a client or in a new biz pitch.

I did an informal survey among some PR folks I know here in LA and asked them what the best interview question they were ever asked was. Here are just some examples for you to consider. Maybe try one out in your next interview:

"Describe a difficult client or request and how you dealt with it?"

"If you could do anything besides PR, what would it be?"

"How do you respond to stress?"

"In the context of PR, what is your dream account and why?"

"Describe a failure you were involved in and how you handled it."

"What is your greatest accomplishment professionally?"

"Why do you think, in a down economy marketing budgets are the first cut in a company's conservation efforts and what would you argue towards saving it should the cut directly affect you?"


So, as you can see, PR folks like to be challenged in an interview and enjoy being given the opportunity to answer a thoughtful question in a thoughtful way. Don't be afraid to make your interviewee think on his/her feet. It will give you a good crystal ball view of how they might perform for you on the job.

Conversely, here are some examples of the worst interview questions ever asked (of course I asked my survey population for these as well):

"What type of car do you drive and how many miles do you have on it?"

"Do you like to party?"

"Do you golf?"

"What would you say your three best and three worst skills are and why?"

And, generally, candidates do not like it when the interviewer does ALL the talking and just explains the position and the company. They like to be lead to tell you what their strengths, capabilities, and ambitions are.