What Matters in an Interview

  By Erica Swerdlow In the past 30+ years of working in public relations and communications, specifically at agencies, I have had the complex but rewarding task of hiring people in all types of positions; complex because it has always been difficult for me to find the right formula that helps find the right fit,…… Continue reading What Matters in an Interview

Interview Prep Advice for Your First Role in PR

  Jobs in the PR industry tend to require confidence, strong communication skills and good interpersonal skills. The interview stage is therefore an important step in helping hiring managers determine if you’re the right fit for the role. Consultant and researcher Amanda Crowe and I put our heads together to come up with the following…… Continue reading Interview Prep Advice for Your First Role in PR

How to Nail a Job Interview Via Questions

  During a job interview, there comes a point where you are asked if you have any questions.  The answer to that question should always be “YES I do!”  I can’t tell you how many times I have asked that question to a candidate, just to hear “no I do not.”  At this point, a…… Continue reading How to Nail a Job Interview Via Questions

Interviews: Be Prepared for 2-Way Q&As

Q.  I went into an interview last week well prepared to discuss my strengths and weaknesses and career goals, but I wasn’t prepared for what happened. Almost the entire time with three different people consisted of them asking me what questions I had about the company.  They, in turn, answered those questions and asked follow up questions…… Continue reading Interviews: Be Prepared for 2-Way Q&As

Prepare for Unusal Interview Questions: Describe Yourself in One Word and What Do You Stink At?

I’ll never forget walking into my very first job interview to find the prospective employer buried in The New York Times.  Without looking up from behind his paper, the gruff reporter-turned-PR pro read a headline about the war in Vietnam and asked me to comment.  Such politically insensitive questions aren’t common place today, but tough-to-answer questions are becoming fairly routine.   When you…… Continue reading Prepare for Unusal Interview Questions: Describe Yourself in One Word and What Do You Stink At?

The Question Every Intern Candidate Should Ask

  Last week, I talked with an enterprising college senior who managed to wrangle five agency interviews during his 24-hour visit to Chicago.  That feat alone is impressive and merits kudos, but his final question at each interview is the subject of this post. His question: “What percentage of interns move into full-time positions here?”   Answers to…… Continue reading The Question Every Intern Candidate Should Ask

How to Ace a Google Interview?

The above headline and artwork caught my eye as I was reading today’s Wall Street Journal.  Author William Poundstone poses some of the actual questions raised during coveted Google interviews.  It’s now clear why one in 14 high school students applying to Harvard is accepted while only about one in 130 applicants lands a job at Google. During one of my first…… Continue reading How to Ace a Google Interview?

Smart Athletes Get Attention of This CEO

  Kevin O’Connor    A friend currently is attending a 2-week pharmaceutical sales training program where he’s surrounded by former athletes.  During the interview process, he was asked questions about his participation in sports in high school and college.  He now knows this particular company places a premium on people who know how to compete. Two executive…… Continue reading Smart Athletes Get Attention of This CEO