Prepare for your Internal Communications Manager interview. Understand the required skills and qualifications, anticipate the questions you may be asked, and study well-prepared answers using our sample responses.
The interviewer may ask this question to see if you are familiar with the writing style guide used by their company. This guide is used to ensure all company communications are written in a consistent manner. If you are not familiar with the Public Relations Writing Style Guide, it’s important to let the interviewer know that you are willing to learn how to use it.
Answer Example: "I am familiar with the Public Relations Writing Style Guide, but I haven’t had much opportunity to use it in my previous roles. However, I am willing to learn how to apply the writing style guide to my work as an internal communications manager."
Internal communications is an important part of any company’s culture. The interviewer may ask this question to learn more about your communication skills and how you plan to use them in your new role. Use examples from previous experiences to show the interviewer that you can effectively communicate with employees about changes in the workplace.
Answer Example: "I find it’s best to be transparent with employees about changes in the company. I like to hold regular meetings where I can explain new policies or procedures and answer any questions they may have. This allows me to give them all the information they need in one place so they don’t have to go searching for it. It also gives me an opportunity to listen to their concerns and questions so I can address them as quickly as possible."
This question can help the interviewer understand how you define success and how you plan to achieve it. Your answer should include a few examples of how you’ve measured success in the past and what factors helped you determine whether an effort was successful.
Answer Example: "I would measure success by looking at three main factors. First, I would look at the number of employees who are actively engaged in the content I’m producing. Second, I would evaluate the number of times employees accessed the content I created and how often they shared it with others. Finally, I would look at the results of any surveys or polls I conducted to see if my efforts had any impact on employee morale or engagement."
This question can help the interviewer understand how you approach your work and determine what is most important. Your answer should include a step-by-step process for identifying and prioritizing internal communications needs, including any tools or resources you use to help you complete this task.
Answer Example: "I start by reviewing our company’s goals and objectives, as well as any changes or updates in our industry that may affect our company. Then I meet with managers across the organization to discuss any questions or concerns they may have about their teams or departments. This helps me identify any potential areas of confusion or misunderstanding among employees. Finally, I use my experience to determine which topics need to be addressed through internal communications."
This question is an opportunity to show your ability to use creative writing skills and communicate complex ideas in a way that is easy for others to understand. When answering this question, it can be helpful to provide an example of the specific writing technique you used and how it helped you communicate the concept more clearly.
Answer Example: "In my last role as an internal communications manager, I was tasked with creating a newsletter that explained our company’s new benefits program. The benefits program was quite complex, so I decided to write the entire newsletter as a poem. The poem explained each benefit in detail and made it easy for employees to understand what they were eligible for."
This question is a great way to see how the candidate prioritizes their work and what they think is most important. It also shows you what types of communication they find most interesting and enjoyable. When answering this question, it can be helpful to mention two or three types of communication that you enjoy doing in order to show that you are passionate about all types of internal communication.
Answer Example: "If I had to choose one type of internal communication to focus on, it would be employee newsletters. I find that newsletters are a great way to keep employees up to date on company news and events. They’re also a great way to share information about new products or services and highlight employee accomplishments. Employee newsletters help build morale within a company by making employees feel valued and appreciated."
This question can help the interviewer understand how you would handle a challenging situation. Your answer should show that you are willing to communicate with employees about negative news and help them understand the change and move forward.
Answer Example: "I would first make sure that the change was communicated to all employees as soon as possible. I would then hold a meeting with my team to discuss the change and answer any questions they have. I would also create an email campaign where I send out an email to all employees with information about the change and provide resources they can use to learn more about it."
Employers ask this question to see if you can adapt your writing style to meet the needs of their organization. They want to know that you can write in a way that’s engaging for all types of audiences, including millennials, Generation Xers and baby boomers. Use examples from your past experience to show how you’ve successfully adapted your writing style for different groups.
Answer Example: "I have extensive experience writing for a diverse audience. During my time as an intern at a marketing agency, I was responsible for writing content for several different websites. Each website targeted a different demographic, so I had to make sure my writing style appealed to each group. For example, one website focused on millennial parents, so I used millennial slang in my articles."
The interviewer may ask this question to assess your experience with using multimedia tools to communicate with employees. Use examples from your past work to show how you’ve used video, podcasts or other media to communicate important messages to employees.
Answer Example: "In my last role as an internal communications manager, I was responsible for creating monthly newsletters that included video interviews with employees about their work and accomplishments. This helped me connect with employees on a personal level and allowed them to get to know me as their manager. It also helped me build rapport with other managers who saw me as an ally in their efforts to communicate with their teams."
This question can help the interviewer understand how you might communicate with all levels of employees in the organization. Your answer should show that you are aware of the different needs of each group and can adapt your communication style accordingly.
Answer Example: "I believe it’s important to provide enough detail to lower-level employees so they feel informed but not overwhelmed. I try to write emails in a way that explains the purpose of an event or project without going into too much detail. If they have questions, they can always reach out to me for more information."
Employee retention is an important goal for many companies. The interviewer may ask this question to see how you would apply your skills to improve employee retention rates at their company. In your answer, explain what steps you would take to help employees feel valued and motivated at work.
Answer Example: "I would start by creating an employee engagement survey that helps me understand what motivates our employees and what we can do to improve their experience at work. Then, I would use the results of the survey to create an action plan for improving employee retention rates. This plan could include creating more opportunities for growth, offering more training programs or creating better communication channels between managers and employees."
Social media is a common tool for internal communications managers. Employers ask this question to make sure you have experience using social media and know how to use it effectively. In your answer, explain what kind of brand or message you were promoting through social media. Explain how you used the platform to get the message out to your audience.
Answer Example: "In my last role as an internal communications manager, I was responsible for promoting our company’s new product line. We launched several new products at once, so I created a Facebook page for each one. I used the Facebook pages to share information about each product and encourage followers to purchase them. The strategy worked, and we saw a significant increase in sales of the new products."
Employers ask this question to learn more about your qualifications and how you can contribute to their company. Before your interview, make a list of all the skills and experiences that qualify you for this role. Focus on what makes you unique from other candidates and highlight any transferable skills or knowledge you have.
Answer Example: "I am passionate about internal communications and have been working in the field for five years. During that time, I’ve learned how to create effective communication strategies that engage employees and help them feel valued. My experience also includes working with large teams to develop content for newsletters and blogs. I know how important it is to create content that’s relevant and interesting for readers."
This question is a great way for the interviewer to learn more about your experience with internal communications tools. It’s important to be able to explain how you used these tools in the past and what your experience was like with them.
Answer Example: "In my last role as an internal communications manager, I used a variety of tools to communicate with employees. One tool I found particularly useful was an intranet website where I could post news, updates and events for everyone to see. The intranet allowed me to share information with everyone in the company at once without having to send individual emails. It also allowed employees to access the information whenever they wanted."
This question can help the interviewer understand how you plan to communicate with other departments and teams in your new role. Your answer should show that you understand the importance of collaboration and communication in an organization, as well as some strategies for making sure everyone is on the same page.
Answer Example: "I think it’s important to remember that everyone has different priorities and perspectives, so I try to be open-minded when communicating with others. I also try to keep things concise and clear when writing emails or creating presentations, so that everyone understands the message I’m trying to send. Another thing I keep in mind is that not everyone has the same amount of time to read or watch videos, so I try to keep my messages short and to the point."
This question can help interviewers understand your knowledge of best practices for internal communications. Use examples from past experiences where you implemented effective communication strategies and how they helped improve a company’s culture or operations.
Answer Example: "I believe it’s important to update internal communications materials regularly, especially if there are changes within the company or new initiatives being launched. In my last role as an internal communications manager, I noticed that our employees were having difficulty finding information about our employee benefits program. I created a newsletter that highlighted the benefits and included links to the online portal where employees could find more details. This helped increase engagement with the program by making it easier for employees to find information."
This question is a great way to assess your problem-solving skills and ability to communicate effectively. When answering this question, it can be helpful to describe the steps you would take to investigate the issue and find a solution.
Answer Example: "I would first meet with upper management to discuss their perceptions of the workplace and any information they have about employee morale. I would then talk to employees individually to find out if there are any issues they are facing that may be contributing to low morale. If there are, I would work with upper management to find solutions for these problems."
