How to Prep for a PR Associate Interview: 10 Tips from Leaders
In the competitive world of public relations, standing out in a job interview can be a game-changer. CEOs and marketing leaders share their top strategies to help you ace your next PR Associate interview. From preparing a mini case study to showing eagerness to learn, these experts provide ten invaluable insights. Discover the key to impressing your potential employer with our comprehensive guide.
- Prepare A Mini Case Study
- Highlight Storytelling And Communication Skills
- Think Like A Journalist
- Build Relevant Case Studies
- Bring A Portfolio Of Media Clippings
- Show How You Keep Up With Industry News
- Analyze The Company’s Media Coverage
- Pitch An Agency’s Client Or In-House Plan
- Research Employer And Their Niche
- Show Eagerness To Learn
Prepare A Mini Case Study
One crucial tip for a PR associate interview is to prepare a mini case study about a recent PR campaign you admire or one you’d have approached differently. Research the campaign’s goals, strategies, and results, and be ready to discuss what worked, what didn’t, and how you’d add value in a similar situation.
For example, highlight a creative social media rollout or a clever crisis management response and tie it back to skills you bring, like strong writing or digital media savvy. This shows you understand the industry and can think critically about real-world applications. Pair this with strong examples from your experience, even internships or volunteer roles, to demonstrate you’re ready to hit the ground running.
Runbo Li, Co-founder & CEO, Magic Hour
Highlight Storytelling And Communication Skills
One important tip for a job seeker getting ready for an interview for an entry-level or mid-level PR associate position is to provide concrete examples that highlight your storytelling, writing, and communication abilities. Employers want to see how you have previously connected with audiences and crafted captivating narratives, as these skills are critical in the PR industry.
Give a few instances when you have effectively managed social media, published press releases, or developed a good rapport with clients or media contacts—even if it was through school projects or internships. Prepare to talk about how you determined your target audience, created messages, or addressed criticism to increase your influence.
Bring ideas for the company’s current public relations approach as well. Bring up current campaigns or press releases they’ve released, and offer suggestions for enhancements or new ideas. This will demonstrate your initiative, involvement, and readiness to contribute—qualities that recruiting managers highly value.
Patrick Regan, Senior Recruitment Consultant, Enlighten Supply Pool
Think Like A Journalist
Show that you can think like a journalist. This may be a side step, but in PR, it’s very useful to know what the media will say from the journalist’s perspective. Before you do your interview, prepare a mock press release or media strategy around an issue or product that is relevant to the company. It demonstrates your expertise and also your drive and knowledge of media relations.
If you bring this up in the interview, you are saying that you aren’t just going to be able to do the work, you are already doing it. This is the way you differentiate yourself by showing that you’re proactive, creative and understand that PR key: crafting news-worthy messages. And it also shows that you understand the timing, relevance, and angle of communication that is important for media edification.
Jason Stelle, Digital Marketer, Filterbuy
Build Relevant Case Studies
Build a few case studies relevant to the industry you’re targeting.
If you’re early in your career, consider offering pro-bono services to small businesses or nonprofits. This approach helps you gain hands-on experience, build your portfolio, and demonstrate real results in your interview.
Alternatively, you could collaborate with an experienced professional on a project to gain insights and add credibility to your work. Having concrete examples to discuss will set you apart and show your initiative and commitment to growing in PR.
Nirmal Gyanwali, Founder & CMO, WP Creative
Bring A Portfolio Of Media Clippings
In the early stages of my career, I worked in public relations as I did a post-graduate in Public Relations. The one thing that helped me the most in job interviews was bringing a portfolio of media clippings to my interview that allowed me to talk more about what type of work I had done for other companies, during my internship, and so on. Having a portfolio of media clippings gave me an opportunity to share my experiences further at the end of the interview. On one occasion, I was offered the job on the spot after sharing my portfolio with the team.
Nicole Martins Ferreira, Product Marketing Manager, Huntr
Show How You Keep Up With Industry News
One tip I’d share for anyone going into an entry-level or mid-level PR interview is to bring specific examples of how you keep up with industry news.
PR is all about staying on top of trends, so mentioning the publications, blogs, or influencers you follow shows you’re proactive and truly interested in the field.
You could also talk about a recent PR campaign you admired and explain why it stood out to you-this highlights your understanding of effective strategies.
Being ready to discuss this not only shows your interest in the job but also that you’re genuinely invested in PR.
Dionne Jayne Ricafort, Marketing Manager, CSO Yemen
Analyze The Company’s Media Coverage
You must research and show up with an in-depth analysis of the company’s media coverage right now, and the trajectory of reputation over time. Check the recent press mentions, social media posts, or campaigns and look for any trends in the way the company is being seen on the public stage. Identify any gaps or missed potential – such as a missed shot or narrative arc that could help build their brand.
This way it is obvious you already consider yourself a PR or reputation management professional. You demonstrate initiative and planning by demonstrating that you’ve reviewed the company’s media channels and can share insights or opportunities. It’s an opportunity to prove to them that you care about their brand, are willing to help identify potential growth opportunities, and can change their media strategy completely from the outset.
Patrick Beltran, Marketing Director, Ardoz Digital
Pitch An Agency’s Client Or In-House Plan
If you’re interviewing for an agency role, pick one of the agency’s clients and walk through how you would pitch them—considering angles, target outlets, and key messages. This shows you understand the client’s needs and the PR landscape. If it’s an in-house position, study the company’s press history and come prepared with a plan on how you would use PR to enhance their visibility and reputation. Demonstrating that you’ve done your homework and have a strategic approach will set you apart from other candidates.
Vivian Chen, Founder & CEO, Rise
Research Employer And Their Niche
Do your background research. To make a compelling case for yourself as a PR candidate, you’ll need to demonstrate a detailed understanding of the employer and their niche.
If you’re applying for an in-house role, find out about the organization’s core products, services, or campaign goals. Additionally, identify its main challenges and competitors. If you’re applying for an agency position, research noteworthy clients, campaigns, and the agency’s niche and key achievements.
Check your target company’s newsroom and press releases for mention of key partners, or do an advanced Google search for mentions of the company’s name in PR Week, PR Daily and other established industry media.
Be sure to set up a spreadsheet to keep track of key information on each organization you’re applying to. Even if you only have a couple of applications in the pipeline, being able to quickly reference specific employer information will help you build rapport and showcase your PR expertise.
Sebastian Morgan, Senior Content Specialist, CV Genius
Show Eagerness To Learn
Without a doubt, show off your eagerness to learn.
In an entry or mid-level position, it isn’t expected that you’re yet an expert in your craft. A good hiring manager understands that they’ll be investing into this individual to help them grow into a more skilled/senior employee.
Being able to effectively communicate, showing active interest in the industry as well as being hungry to learn is a sure way to get a “yes, hire” vote from me!
Nick LeRoy, Founder, SEOJobs.com
