You wanted that job. You felt you were the best candidate for that Public Relations Job. You had all the qualifications, and you were willing to work for what they were offering. Enthusiastically willing, when it came down to it. But you didn’t get that job. They gave it to someone else. Why??? The question keeps you up at night. If you were Shakespeare, you would say you are “vexed.” But you are not The Bard, so you just want an answer to your question.
Ronn Torossian would like to offer you an answer, and it begins with the fact that job hunting borrows a lot from the world of public relations.
How to find a better job in Public Relations…
#1 – Ask good questions
Engaging your audience is a vital part of public relations. The same is true during an interview. Most candidates spend a lot of time working on how they will answer questions, but precious few realize they should be asking them, too. This not only creates a dialogue in a way restating practiced answers never could, it brings the interviewers into the conversation completely. They are not just assessing at that point, they are working with you to create a positive result.
#2 – Be good on the spot
Great PR is flexible. When you are not sure how your audience will react to a release, you have to be willing to take what comes and make the best of it. Likewise, in the interview room, you may not know what questions are coming, but you need to be willing to enthusiastically answer all of them. You may not like the order in which they are given, or the tone or demeanor of the interviewer… but you still have to roll with it and make the most of your opportunity.
#3 – Speak the right language
Just like every market group has a language, every company has a culture. You need to know as much as you can about that culture before you walk into that room. Understanding how they think and what they believe, and knowing what their expressed goals and priorities are, will help you stand out and create a connection.
Bottom line, when you approach job hunting as public relations your entire attitude about each step of the process should change. It becomes more about relating to the company rather than getting you a job. This approach almost always leads to better results.
