Students and professionals often ask me for advice when they are interviewing for a job in public relations. One thing I tell them is that THEY should ask some questions too. Employers often talk about wanting a new employee to be a good “fit,” which often means someone who fits the culture in terms of work ethic, philosophy etc.
Employees about to dedicate the next phase of their career to an organization need to be concerned about fit too. They don’t want to feel limited in what they can do, or worse, feel pressured to do things of questionable professional ethics.
I have witnessed bad fits recently at two levels. One, a very sharp student, left an internship after six weeks and returned to a previous one. She left one office because the employer thought PR was just media relations and not more. The student wanted a broader range of experience to launch her career.
The other example was a veteran PR professional who left a well-paid job as the CCO (Chief Communication Officer) or top PR role because the new CEO did not want to grasp that PR is a management function and not merely a channel for one-way messaging, primarily to customers.
So, in looking for a PR job, how do you interview the employer? There is often that awkward moment in the interview where you are asked if YOU have any questions. Have these, and expect good answers:
- How do you define public relations?
- Does your company have an ethics code, and which people in particular are charged with being the ethical conscience of your organization?
- Where is PR placed in the organizational structure? Does the top PR team member report directly to the CEO or is it to another function?
- Who are your stakeholders and how do you currently communicate with them?
- What is the difference between PR and marketing in terms of roles in your organization?
I could go on. But the answers, generally speaking, should be that PR is a management function, situated in the C-Suite, with a focus on relationships between the organization and all internal and external stakeholders, which indirectly but significantly drives organizational performance long-term.
If they say anything like media relations, “getting the word out,” “putting us in a positive light” or other minimal or diminished view of the public relations profession, you can reply this way:
“Thanks for the interview. I’ll be in touch.”
Then run. And look for a better candidate for you to devote your skills and passion.
