Valley PR Blog

New Grad PR Secrets Series – Part 4: Interviewing

By Dan Wool on April 18th, 2008 In Professional Development

This is the final post in a four part Valley PR Blog series for new grads or young professionals seeking a career in PR — and the experienced professionals who wish to help them.

Part 4 – Interviewing: Making Strong Impressions

You can network your tail off for a meeting or interview, have a stellar resume and a compelling cover letter but once you get there still fall short in your quest for a PR job.  

All the clichés and song lyrics are true: you never get a second chance to make a first impression.  

To paraphrase Damone from Fast Times at Ridgmont High – you can tell in the first 30 seconds whether or not they’re interested in you. Yes, it’s a shallow, highly visual society in which we live. Everyone has their prejudices and preconceived notions.  And you need to get comfortable with your inner “Rat”.

That makes it incumbent of you to make a great first impression, sustain the dialogue about the position and then close the deal. Again, if you can do it for an interview, you can do it for a client — and that’s the key quality PR employers are looking for.  

Here are several tips to help make that happen:

Dress for success. You’re not in school anymore. You must look professional to be a professional. And despite any liberal political leanings or general feelings about how cool you think you dress, trust me: the way you dress for an interview should err on the side of conservatism.

This means a suit — for men and women. If it is 115 degrees in summer, wear the suit. No exceptions. If you do not own a suit, invest in one. Now. It’s a wardrobe staple that will serve you well for years to come. 

For the interview, for those first meetings, dressing up says you care. The interesting thing about suits is that you’ll look great and feel confident. Navy blue or gray - darker colors are best. (Dark suits are also slimming and hide sweat).

And, sorry, conservative dress means covering up tattoos and removing visible piercings. Society in general has become more accepting, but in the professional world, it’s still a distraction that could keep you from getting the job.

Overall, understand that this is not “The Man” trying to cramp your style or tell you how to dress, this is the reality of professional life. You can acceptably adapt your style to the company and express your style once you get the job.

It’s all about your attitude. It’s showtime and you have to be “on.” Be yourself and show interest, passion, excitement. Usually, it’s this spark of enthusiasm that separates candidates.

Similarly: If you’re tight, they’re tight. If you’re loose, they’re loose. Part of being a PR pro is setting the right tone — with the media and with your clients.  You need to walk the middle path – you must be calm, even keel and at ease — especially, in stressful situations.

Understandably, most people are nervous for a job interview. The trouble is, most candidates don’t warm up until they get into a few questions. Unfortunately, you don’t have that kind of time. You have to “hit the ground running”. You need to be warm and engaging right away. The goal is to be professional and confident but conversational and at-ease and not arrogant or demure. You don’t want to look like you’re not taking it seriously, but you don’t want to come off stiff either. 

Smile. Have a sense of humor. Make ‘em laugh if you can. Brainstorm a few ice breakers if it’ll help.

You have nothing to lose. Again, relax. If you don’t get this particular job, it’s not the end of the world. (You should be networking for multiple jobs/companies). All it means is that you’re in the same boat as when you started. You will have several jobs throughout your career. Go in with that mindframe.

Do your homework. Come to every interview prepared. Research the company and if possible the hiring manager(s). Get anecdotal information from the people in your network.  Self-media train: Ask yourself or have a friend or mentor ask the hardest possible questions you might get asked in an interview so you know how to respond — and so everything else looks easy.  Rehearse a few anticipated answers. 

The interview starts the second you walk in the door. Everyone you meet is interviewing you. Believe me, the receptionist will get asked about you. Were you nice to him? Did you make a lighthearted, funny or endearing comment? Were you acting nervous or unprofessional while you were waiting? Were you talking on your cell phone? (They’re listening!) Were you texting and appearing disinterested?

Use this time instead to engage and ask the staff questions and try to gain insight into the company or some of the programs you’ll be working on. “Hey…how do you like working here?” “Do you look at the press releases that go out from here?” “What’s [hiring manager] like? What would you ask her if you were me?”

Be on message.  In the resume and cover letter sections we talked about hitting on three key points about yourself. Do the same in your interview.  What will the interviewer’s takeaway about you?  What do you offer them that’s different from other candidates. That needs to match what they’re looking for, get repeated and be consistent with what you’ve already presented. 

Don’t ever lie or exaggerate. Just like a media interview.

It’s more about “fit” than skill. One goal in the interview is to assess whether the job is right for you. Give me three candidates with the exact same experience and I’d take the one I like to be around every time. If you get to the interview stage and discover it’s not a good fit, don’t worry about it. That’s part of the point. If it’s you who’s unsure of the fit, it’s better you know than muddle through a job you hate and fake it. If it’s the employer who doesn’t think it’s a fit, they’re in the best position to know what’s right for them; don’t take it personally.

Write a thank you note. Don’t type it. Don’t email it. Handwrite it. It’s a more personal, powerful and appreciated touch. Mail the note immediately after your interview. Make it short. Thank the person, include a personal detail they shared that helped you, express your interest, conclude, sign.

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