PR strategy questions

"How would you build a PR strategy for a new product launch?" Audience definition (media, customers, investors, influencers), message development (core narrative, news hook), media targeting (which publications and journalists reach the target audience?), timing (pre-brief key journalists under embargo, coordinate with marketing, plan a news cadence beyond day one), measurement (share of voice, sentiment, tier of coverage, message pull-through). Show this is audience-first, not a press release distribution exercise. "What is your approach to developing story angles journalists will want to cover?" Start from the journalist's perspective. Proprietary data, genuine thought leadership from named individuals, cultural commentary, surprising research findings — these earn coverage. Press releases about product updates do not.

Crisis communications questions

"Describe how you would manage a reputational crisis in the first 24 hours." First 90 minutes: get the facts, convene the crisis team (PR, legal, CEO, functional leads), assess immediate risk (anyone hurt? ongoing harm?), prepare a holding statement. Hours 2-12: develop the substantive statement, prepare the spokesperson, monitor social and media. 12-24 hours: substantive public statement, stakeholder communication (employees, partners, investors), media briefing if needed. Key principles: be first, be accurate, be human. "Give an example of a crisis you managed." Be specific and honest — including what you would do differently.

Media relations questions

"How do you build and maintain relationships with journalists?" Genuine relationship: understand what each journalist covers and who their audience is, provide useful information even when it does not benefit you short-term, respect their time (pitches should be concise, relevant, exclusive where possible). Social media: journalists signal what they are working on publicly — monitor and engage appropriately. "How do you measure PR effectiveness?" Beyond clip counts: share of voice, message pull-through, sentiment, tier of coverage (BBC or Guardian beats 50 trade articles), business outcomes (referral traffic, brand search uplift).

Behavioral questions

"Tell me about a campaign that did not perform as expected and what you learned." The campaign, the hypothesis, what happened, root cause, what you would do differently. "How do you manage stakeholder expectations around PR results?" Set realistic expectations: PR builds awareness and credibility over time; the path from coverage to revenue is indirect. Managing expectations prevents you from being held to unrealistic measures.

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Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between PR and marketing?
Marketing is the broader discipline: advertising, content, email, social, events, and PR. PR specifically manages reputation and relationships through earned (not paid) coverage and communications. PR influences how an organisation is perceived; marketing influences how products are discovered and bought. In most organisations the two functions work in close coordination.
Do you need a degree to work in PR?
No specific degree is required. PR employers look for strong writing, media knowledge, communication skills, and genuine curiosity. Relevant degrees (PR, journalism, communications, English, politics) are common but not universal. The CIPR offers professional qualifications from foundation to diploma level. Internship or early agency experience is often more valued than specific academic background.