Robert was kind enough to invite me to participate in one of his PR Quest podcasts last week. About halfway through the podcast, he asked if I had any favorite interview questions for entry-level candidates. This got me thinking (very dangerous, I know!) that it might be worthwhile to elaborate on how I usually go about interviewing people for junior-level positions.
I imagine all of us Marcomblog contributors have 3-4 questions/techniques we like to use so if everyone else is game, perhaps we can get a list going.
As for me:
*I usually start off by explaining my role with the company and giving a 2-minute snapshot of my background. I then turn it around and ask the “interviewee” to do the same. What am I looking for? A concise answer, what experiences/traits/accomplishments he/she decides to highlight, etc.
*I always ask entry-level candidates to describe what my company does and why they are interested in joining the team. When I was on the agency side, I also asked if any clients seemed to stand out as particularly intriguing. Needless to say, I’m checking to see whether the person actually took the time to do any research on the company/clients. (You’d be surprised at how many candidates don’t do well on this question.)
*I’ll often take this one step further and ask candidates why they are interested in working for a technology company and/or why they think a career in high-tech marketing/PR is the right move. Simple as it may seem, I’ve found this question to be very helpful in determining how tech savvy and motivated the person is. The people who stand out usually express an interest in new advancements in technology or getting a “sneak peak” at products or services before they hit the market.
*I almost always ask what types of publications (print and/or online) candidates read. I’m not necessarily looking for Forbes or Fortune here, but it helps me figure out whether the person is tuned in to current events.
I also ask a few of the standard questions (what are you good at, what was your biggest achievement/failure, etc.). It’s amazing how often the question “what aren’t you good at?” still trips people up (even the more experienced ones). ALWAYS come to an interview with an answer prepared for a question like this. Your best bet (in my opinion) is to pick a skill you wouldn’t necessarily be expected to have yet and spin it into an area you’d like to refine. For instance, I wouldn’t expect an entry-level candidate to have much experience managing others, so I would be very satisfied with someone who told me that this was a skill they’d like to develop.
Now, one item I don’t think I touched on during the podcast is interview pet peeves. Aside from the obvious frustration caused by folks coming to interviews completely unprepared, I really only have one. It absolutely, positively sets my teeth on edge to hear someone say they are interested in PR because they are a “people person.” Please do NOT come to an interview and tell me this. (In case you think I’m being a bit harsh here, ask a few other PR pros. Most will agree that this is a definite “interview don’t.”)
Okay, would anyone else like to jump in here with more questions or suggestions?
