Ten Great PR Interview Questions to Ask

Whether you are adding to a team at a public relations (PR) agency or looking for someone to manage public relations for your corporate or startup brand, ask thoughtful PR interview questions to find the best fit for your team.  Don’t trip up candidates by trying to ask ‘smart questions.’ Instead take The Atlantic’s advice and skip most of the “business-ese.” 

The public relations interview questions below will not only help you get to know your candidates, but will also give great insight into what kind of public relations professional they are. 

1. What piece of coverage are you most proud of securing, and why?

Rather than expecting a candidate to show off a portfolio of media hits and relationships, an interviewer can use this PR job interview question to understand the strategic thinking behind the wins the candidate is sharing.

2. What is your favorite media or podcast research tool, and why?

A thoughtful answer to this question demonstrates that this person knows the industry, and won’t waste your time advocating for budget on a new widget without proper vetting.

3. What movie is under-rated, and why?

A unique answer to this question shows that this person knows how to tell a compelling story. You can get an example of their ability to mount an argument for content that may not be immediately obvious, popular or known to be compelling. Although not a common question, a thoughtful answer may also indicate the level of communication skills the person who applied for the job has.

4. Which metric do you think should be retired from PR reporting, and why?

A well-reasoned answer to this question demonstrates that this person understands the Barcelona Principles and understands how to counsel clients or the executives that your PR strategy supports.

5. Which metric is not used enough in PR reporting, and why?

Rather than expecting a candidate to show off a portfolio of media hits and relationships, an interviewer can use this PR job interview question to understand the strategic thinking behind the wins the candidate is sharing.

6. What under-reported trend will be big this year?

An unexpected answer to these questions for a public relations interview demonstrates that this person has their finger on the pulse of what audiences and consumers are thinking about. Even for B2B public relations programs, business buyers are consumers themselves, and always looking to stay ahead of emerging trends.

7. What trend are we ready to retire this year, and why?

This interview question to ask a public relations professional is great because a thoughtful answer shows original thinking and understanding of trends on the part of the candidate. Ideally, the candidate’s answer is not simply a re-hash of someone else’s point of view. Or, if the candidate responds with a story pulled from headlines, see if they can mount a compelling counter-argument as part of their response to this question.

8. What’s one business book that everyone should read, and why?

As with any new team member, these types of questions to ask in a PR interview show that the team member is engaged in personal growth and discovery, and that pursuit of new skills and experiences will bring value to your marketing and PR team.  Bonus: this topic is an evergreen article theme written by business publications. A good PR pro with a clear POV on this topic can easily ghost-write some quotable thoughts for your executive/client (not that Firebrand has ever done this).

9. Who inspires you?

A thoughtful answer to this question shows that this candidate is following newsmakers and has a solid understanding of how to track key media moments.

10. What’s one podcast or media outlet that we might not have heard of?

This typical PR interview question gives you as the interviewer a chance to ask the candidate specific questions about the public relations / digital campaign or brand you expect them to manage. These types of interview questions and answers help you assess this candidate’s awareness of the industry.