How to ace your PR job interview

At a recent PRSA Silicon Valley workshop, two PR pros with very different perspectives shared their insights on how to ace a job interview.

David Vossbrink has nearly a half century of experience in communications and interviewing people. Jasmine Garcia is a recent grad who successfully landed a great job this year as Events Project Manager at LinkedIn after 30 interviews with 13 different companies over eight months. Their interviewing advice applies to seasoned professionals as well as new PR pros.

Research: Do your homework

“Before the interview, do your homework. Learn as much as you can about the company, the position, and yourself,” says Vossbrink.

With research, you’ll gain a better understanding of what interviewers look for, how to prepare for the position, and how to present your experience and strengths that are relevant to the company.

Garcia agrees. “I set up spreadsheets for each organization I was interviewing with, including info about people and products, challenges and competition, and mission and history. That really helped me keep everything organized so I wouldn’t lose track of facts and key points for all my interviews.”