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The

Lukaszewski

Group

Management ConsultantsIn Communications

FINDING

YOUR

FIRST

JOB INPUBLIC

RELATIONS

Navigating the Interview

Contents:

Specific Interview Preparation Be Prepared to Answer These Kinds of Interview

Questions Having a Successful Interview

The ABCs of Interviewing Job-hunting Strategies for Working With Recruiters Northwestern Financial Review Article

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Finding Your First Job in Public Relations 33

Copyright2010, James E. Lukaszewski. All rights reserved.

Reproduction without written permission of the copyright owner is strictly prohibited.

SPECIFIC INTERVIEW PREPARATION

Exercise 1:Write your own obituary in about 200 words. Assume that its written by afriend who knows you well, and one who knows the real you.

It should be written from the perspective of looking backwards, putting your

current endeavors in perspective and talking about what you would like tobe remembered for.

Exercise 2: List five things you would like to accomplish within the next three years.Write a sentence or two about how these achievements will be measured or

observed and what two or three practical steps you must take to start

accomplishing them.

BE PREPARED TO ANSWER THESE KINDS OF

INTERVIEW QUESTIONS

1. Describe the most stressful situation youve encountered. How did you respond?

2. Whats the toughest school or work related decision youve had to make?

3. Whats the worst or hardest thing youve had to do in your life thus far?

4. Can you explain a situation where you had a co-worker with whom you got along leastwell?

5. Whats the most difficult conflict youve had with him/her? How was it resolved?

6. Whats the last major problem you had to solve in your life or on the job. What did you do?

7. Can you tell me about your G.P.A, the number of jobs youve had, your most interestingsubject in school, why you want this job, etc. . . .

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Finding Your First Job in Public Relations 34

Copyright2010, James E. Lukaszewski. All rights reserved.

Reproduction without written permission of the copyright owner is strictly prohibited.

HAVING A SUCCESSFUL INTERVIEW

Typically those who interview for public relations positions are looking for people withintelligence, initiative, creativity, and enthusiasm; people who are professional, personable, andtechnically proficient and who are good writers.

A successful interview occurs when a well-prepared interviewee has the skills, experience,and knowledge that will interest an interviewer.

That means you should:

Have a well-prepared presentation that builds on a carefully developed resum Be able to communicate to the interviewer that your abilities and potential make you

well qualified for the position you seek

Be prepared to:

Discuss your qualifications in an organized, logical, and convincing manner

Explain the type of position, work environment, and job location you desire as well as

your long-range career goals Know the general facts about the company you are interviewing with office size,

clientele, training, types of services, and career path options Ask well-thought-out questions that will provide you with all of the information you need

Answer questions directly and honestly, emphasizing your strengths and being positive

about yourself Have writing samples available

Relax and be yourself

The interviewer is looking for your:

Ability to communicate verbally and in writing Self-confidence and maturity Motivation, initiative, and enthusiasm Job interest and career goals Willingness to learn Ability to relate well to other people

Academic training and achievement Leadership and extracurricular activities Professional appearance

Prior work experience

And finally, always keep in mind that job interviews by telephone are no less formal thanface-to-face meetings. Sarah E. Needleman in her February 7, 2006 Career Journal column in

The Wall Street Journal advises that they are often the critical first hurdle in landing a job.

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Finding Your First Job in Public Relations 35

Copyright2010, James E. Lukaszewski. All rights reserved.

Reproduction without written permission of the copyright owner is strictly prohibited.

USEFUL READING ABOUT INTERVIEWING

What follows are three useful articles on interviewing successfully. Even though thesearticles are from some time ago, they contain very current and useful information.

ABCs of Interviewing by Robert McGarvey

The first article, The ABCs of Interviewing, is a classic in the field. Read it carefully and

learn from it.

The purpose of McGarveys article is to describe in general terms the circumstances of an

interview and how to be best prepared to accomplish it. It talks pragmatically about dress, how tobehave, questions to ask, and making the most of the circumstance for your benefit as well as the

interviewers. McGarvey also points out that the average ratio between offers and interviews is

1:12, meaning it takes at least 12 interviews to generate one job offer.

Job-hunting Strategies for Working With Recruiters by Gregory Shields

The second article is taken from a publication the Public Relations Journal. It will help

those looking for work learn how to build networks.

The time to get hooked up with recruiters is as early as possible in your career. There is a

fortunate group of individuals whose careers are guided and advanced by recruiters. It is oftentime well spent.

Mr. Shields points out some of the pitfalls, but also that even with a recruiter on your side,the bulk of the responsibility for keeping up the relationship belongs to the candidate (you).

Northwestern Financial Review Articleby Harold P. Brull

The third article, taken from theNorthwestern Financial Review, contains some great

insights into the thinking of those who do interviews. Pay particular attention to the questions hesuggests and the mental processes he describes that interviewers go through when talking to

jobseekers.

Mr. Brulls article is a fascinatinganalysis ofthe kinds of questions interviewers ask and

why they ask them. Pay very close attention and be ready for the kinds of questions Mr. Brull

discusses. They do get asked, and they often surprise.

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Finding Your First Job in Public Relations 36

Copyright1992, Robert McGarvey. Used with permission of the author.

Reproduction without written permission of the copyright owner is strictly prohibited.

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Finding Your First Job in Public Relations 37

Copyright1992, Robert McGarvey. Used with permission of the author.

Reproduction without written permission of the copyright owner is strictly prohibited.

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Finding Your First Job in Public Relations 38

Copyright1992, Robert McGarvey. Used with permission of the author.

Reproduction without written permission of the copyright owner is strictly prohibited.

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Finding Your First Job in Public Relations 39

Copyright1991, Public Relations Journal.

Used with permission of the Public Relations Society of America.

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Finding Your First Job in Public Relations 40

Copyright1991, Public Relations Journal.

Used with permission of the Public Relations Society of America.

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Finding Your First Job in Public Relations 41

Copyright1991, Public Relations Journal.

Used with permission of the Public Relations Society of America.

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Finding Your First Job in Public Relations 42

Copyright1990, Harold P. Brull, Personnel Decision Inc.

All rights reserved. Used with permission of the author.

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Finding Your First Job in Public Relations 43

Copyright1990, Harold P. Brull, Personnel Decision Inc.

All i h d U d i h i i f h h