What makes a standout PR candidate?
Time to read: 1 minute
Sam Howard survives another year of crash-course interviews and passes on her observations for what makes a standout PR candidate.
In addition to tending the Comms Crowd, I have an enjoyable side hustle working as an associate lecturer, leading the Professional Employability module for Westminster Uni.
Recently, we conducted externally invigilated panel interviews with every student for a hypothetical intern or junior role, depending on their experience in PR, advertising, marketing events, etc. There were two panels, each interviewing 30 students daily. So you get a very succinct view of qualities that work in an interview
Here are the ones that worked best for me:
IMMERSED
Those who could demonstrate a calling for the industry enjoyed discussing campaigns and liked watching how stories played out in the media. These candidates demonstrated a proactive choice of careers, almost a vocation. We loved talking to these guys; they were one of us already.
ENGAGED
Those who engaged with us were open and seemed to enjoy the process. This stands you in good stead when so many candidates seem reluctant to even be in the room. Moreover, the interviewer feels more like a dentist trying desperately to extract information than a would-be employer.
TUNED IN
Finally, those who demonstrated a (quiet) resolve, an innate understanding that they had this one moment to convince us that they had the attitude, the attributes, the experience and skills to fit in a team easily and capably.
Those who were successful substantiated passion with knowledge, balanced confidence with credibility, openness with professionalism, and demonstrated a positive rationale. They did not get distracted by their nerves, let the occasion overwhelm them, nor lose their way in an effort to become our NBFs. Instead, they resolved to take the opportunity to show us the best of themselves with every answer. In short, they had FOCUS.
But if these are not key qualities for you, the great comfort is that most PR firms don’t rely on interviews alone. Applicants are allowed to match the talk with the walk, demonstrating their skills and abilities in various tests from proofreading, pitching, aptitude tests, copywriting, etc – and then it becomes a very level playing field.
Hurrah!
