Prepare for your Public Relations Manager interview. Understand the required skills and qualifications, anticipate the questions you may be asked, and study well-prepared answers using our sample responses.
Public relations managers often work with journalists to get their company’s name out there. Employers ask this question to make sure you’re comfortable working with journalists and know how to communicate with them effectively. In your answer, explain that you are familiar with how journalists work and what they need from public relations managers.
Answer Example: "Absolutely. I have worked with journalists in the past and understand how important it is to provide them with accurate information quickly. I also know that they often need more detail than what they can include in their stories. As a result, I make sure to provide them with as much information as possible so they can write thorough and accurate articles."
This question is an opportunity to show the interviewer that you have the skills necessary to succeed in this role. You can answer this question by identifying a few skills and explaining how they’ve helped you in your career.
Answer Example: "As a public relations manager, I believe the most important skills to have are communication, organization and leadership. I’ve found that these skills help me manage projects and teams effectively, as well as create effective strategies for reaching target audiences. For example, when I was working on a campaign for a new product launch, I organized my team members so that each person was responsible for creating content for a different social media platform. This allowed us to reach more people than if we had just used one platform."
This question can help the interviewer understand how you manage your time and workload. It’s important to show that you can manage your client base effectively while also ensuring each client receives the attention they need.
Answer Example: "I use a client management system that allows me to organize my clients by project, department or any other criteria I choose. This helps me stay organized and ensures that I’m able to find the information I need quickly when I need to reach out to a client or update them on a project. In addition, I make sure to have regular meetings with my team members so they can share any updates they have about their clients. This helps me stay informed about all of our clients’ needs."
This question can help the interviewer understand your experience with a variety of PR campaigns and how you manage them. Use examples from previous work to highlight your skills in creating and managing PR campaigns, including budgeting, scheduling and collaborating with other team members.
Answer Example: "In my last role as public relations manager, I was responsible for creating and managing all of our company’s PR campaigns. One example of this is when we were launching our new product line and needed to get the word out to consumers. I created a campaign that included creating content for social media platforms, writing press releases and reaching out to influencers who had large followings to share our news. This helped us reach more people and increase sales."
Interviewers may ask this question to see how you handle conflict. They want to know that you can handle difficult situations and work with reporters who may be challenging. In your answer, try to show that you are confident in your communication skills and able to resolve conflicts.
Answer Example: "I once had a journalist who was very critical of our company’s products. He wrote several articles about our products being unsafe and untested. I tried to speak with him directly about his concerns, but he refused to meet with me. Instead, he continued to write these articles. Eventually, I decided to hire a public relations agency to help us with our image. They were able to convince the journalist to write a more positive article about our company."
This question can help the interviewer understand how you would handle a challenging situation. Use your answer to highlight your problem-solving skills, communication abilities and ability to work under pressure.
Answer Example: "I would first try to contact the blogger directly to see if they would be willing to remove the post or at least clarify their statements. If that didn’t work, I would contact the client to see if they had any information that could help me respond to the blogger’s claims. If the blogger still refused to remove the post, I would work with my team to create a response that addressed each of their claims."
Social media is an important part of public relations, and the interviewer may want to know how you would handle a situation involving a client’s social media account. In your answer, explain what steps you would take to resolve the issue.
Answer Example: "I would first try to contact the person who wrote the tweet. If they didn’t respond, I would contact the person who owns the Twitter account and ask them to remove the tweet. If they still didn’t respond, I would reach out to the client and explain what happened. Then, I would take steps to ensure it doesn’t happen again."
This question can help the interviewer determine your level of experience in the industry. Use examples from past jobs to show how much you know about public relations and how it works.
Answer Example: "I’ve been working in public relations for five years now, and I’m very familiar with all aspects of the industry. I started out as an intern at my local newspaper where I learned how to write press releases and pitch stories to local media outlets. After graduating college, I got my first professional job as an assistant public relations manager at a small marketing agency. There, I learned how to create effective campaigns and manage teams of professionals. Now, I’m ready to take on a larger role with more responsibilities."
Social media is an important part of public relations, and the interviewer may want to know if you have any experience using these platforms. Use examples from your past work experience to show how you use social media and what types of results you’ve gotten from using it.
Answer Example: "I’ve worked with social media in my previous positions as both a public relations manager and an assistant public relations manager. In my last position, I was responsible for creating content for our company’s blog and social media accounts. I also created strategies for reaching out to potential customers through social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter. These strategies helped increase our brand awareness and sales."
This question can help the interviewer determine how dedicated you are to your career. It’s important to show that you’re willing to learn new things, attend conferences and seminars and read industry publications.
Answer Example: "I recently attended a conference where I learned about some new social media strategies. I also subscribe to several newsletters from leading public relations firms, which helps me stay up-to-date on the latest trends in marketing. In my spare time, I like to read blogs written by other PR professionals."
This question is a great way to show your creativity and problem-solving skills. It’s important to remember that the company may already have a customer service plan in place, so it’s important to ask about their current strategies before suggesting new ones.
Answer Example: "I think one way to improve customer service is by having more face-to-face interactions with customers. I’ve seen many companies use video chat software like Skype or FaceTime to talk with customers who are far away. This allows the customer service representative to see the customer’s face and hear their voice, which can make the interaction more personal. It also allows the company to save money on long-distance calls."
The interviewer may ask you this question to learn more about your leadership skills and how you plan to manage the team if you are hired. Use examples from previous roles where you were in charge of a group of people, such as a team or department.
Answer Example: "I have a collaborative management style where I like to involve everyone in discussions about projects and ideas. I believe in giving my team members opportunities to share their opinions and ideas so we can come up with the best solutions together. In my last role, I had a team of five people who worked on public relations campaigns. We would meet once a week to discuss our progress and any challenges we faced."
Employers ask this question to learn more about your qualifications and how you feel you are the best candidate for their open position. Before your interview, make a list of all of your skills and experiences that relate to the job. Focus on highlighting your most relevant skills and explaining how they make you an ideal candidate for the role.
Answer Example: "I am highly organized, which makes me an excellent public relations manager. I’ve worked in public relations for five years, and during that time, I’ve learned how important organization is when it comes to managing projects and deadlines. I also think my communication skills make me an excellent candidate for this position. I’ve always been good at communicating with others, which has helped me build relationships with clients and colleagues."
This question can help the interviewer understand your experience level and how it may relate to their company. Use this opportunity to highlight any skills you have that are relevant to the position, such as communication or problem-solving.
Answer Example: "I’ve worked in public relations for over 10 years, and I’ve had experience working with a variety of industries. I’ve worked with healthcare providers, nonprofits and small businesses to develop strategies for promoting their brands and services. In my last position, I worked with a law firm to create media campaigns and write press releases for new client announcements."
This question is a great way for the interviewer to assess your knowledge of the industry and how you prioritize your work. Your answer should show that you understand the importance of communication, marketing and media relations in public relations.
Answer Example: "I think the most important aspect of public relations is effective communication. Good communication between a company and its customers, employees and other stakeholders is essential for creating an open dialogue about products and services. This helps companies improve their offerings based on customer feedback and input."
This question can help the interviewer understand your knowledge of public relations and how often you update communications plans. Your answer should show that you are aware of when updates are necessary and have experience making those changes.
Answer Example: "I believe it’s important to update communications plans regularly because the industry is always changing. I recommend updating plans every six months or so, depending on the organization’s needs. For example, if we are working on a big project that requires more frequent communication with stakeholders, I would suggest updating the plan sooner."
This question can help the interviewer understand how you handle conflict and whether you are able to resolve it. Use examples from past experiences where you were able to solve conflicts between clients or coworkers and explain how you did so.
Answer Example: "In my last position as a public relations manager, I had two clients who were competing for the same audience. One client was an online retailer and the other was a brick-and-mortar store. I met with both clients and explained the situation, then helped them come up with a plan to work together. We decided that the online retailer would promote the brick-and-mortar store’s products on their website, and in return, the brick-and-mortar store would offer discounts to customers who shopped online."