Edited on Jun 23, 2026.
The PR job interview is shorter, faster, and more focused on the work than most candidates expect. The hiring manager has read the resume and the writing samples before the meeting starts. The interview itself is where the candidate either confirms what the work suggested or fails to.
The Standard Three Rounds
Most PR roles run three rounds. The first is a screening call with HR or a junior team member — fit, basic qualifications, salary range. The second is with the hiring manager, focused on the work. The third is with the broader team and sometimes a senior leader.
Some firms add a fourth round at the senior level — a presentation to the team, or a case-study round where the candidate walks through how she would approach a hypothetical client problem. Crisis roles often include a fifth round: a stress test where the candidate is presented with a fast-moving scenario and asked to respond in real time.
The Writing Test
About ninety percent of entry-level and mid-level PR interviews include a writing test. The most common forms: draft a press release from a fact sheet, write a pitch email to a named reporter, draft a brief media advisory for an event, or write a CEO statement on a hypothetical issue.
The test is timed — typically thirty to ninety minutes. The hiring manager is checking three things: can the candidate write cleanly under pressure, does she understand the format she is writing in, and does she demonstrate judgment about what to lead with.
Do the Homework
Strong candidates research three things before the interview. The firm — its client roster, recent campaigns, public reputation, leadership team. The hiring manager — her background, her published work, her LinkedIn activity. The work itself — recent coverage the firm placed, recent crises it handled, recent business it won or lost.
The candidate who can reference specific work the firm has done is operating two levels above the candidate who has read the home page and the careers section. The reference does not have to be flattering — saying "I noticed your team handled the [client] recall in March, and I had questions about the approach" signals more interest than any compliment.
- Why this firm specifically?
- Walk me through a campaign you led — what was the goal, what did you do, what was the result?
- Describe a time when a story you pitched did not run. What did you do next?
- How would you handle a client who insists on a strategy you do not agree with?
- Tell me about a crisis you have worked on, or a crisis you have studied. What worked and what did not?
- Who do you read for industry news? Which trade publications, which reporters?
- What is the most interesting PR campaign you have seen in the last six months?
- What questions do you have for me?
The last question is the one most candidates fumble. Have three to five real questions ready. The strongest questions are about the work — what does a typical week look like, what is the most common challenge the team faces, how does the firm measure success on this kind of account.
Questions Worth Asking
Use the candidate-questions time to surface information the offer letter will not. Useful examples:
- What does the path from this role to the next look like, and how long does it usually take?
- How are accounts staffed — does this role own one account or rotate across many?
- What does the team's billable-hour expectation look like in a typical week?
- How does the firm handle new business development at this level — do practitioners participate in pitches?
- What has the team's turnover looked like over the last two years?
The last question is uncomfortable to ask and produces the most useful answer.
The Tone
PR is a people-driven business. The interview is checking whether the candidate can hold a conversation, project warmth without being performative, and read the room. Stiff candidates fail. So do candidates who try too hard.
Make eye contact. Speak in complete sentences. Pause before answering when the question warrants it. Do not fill silence with filler. The candidate who is comfortable letting a question sit for a beat before answering reads more senior than one who jumps to fill the air.
What Disqualifies Candidates Fast
Not knowing the firm's clients. A thirty-second look at the website fixes this. Candidates who arrive without it signal disinterest.
Bad writing on the test. No other strength compensates. Writing is the floor.
Trash-talking previous employers. The industry is small. The hiring manager will assume you will trash-talk her later.
Vague answers to the campaign question. "I worked on the launch and it went well" is not an answer. Specifics — what you did, what the result was, what you learned — are the answer.
No questions at the end. Reads as no interest.
After the Interview
Send a thank-you note within twenty-four hours. Email is fine. The note should be three sentences — thanks for the time, one specific thing from the conversation you found interesting, an offer to provide any additional information needed. The thank-you note matters more than candidates think; the absence of one is noted, and rarely forgiven.
If you do not hear back in the timeline the firm gave, follow up once after the deadline passes. Do not follow up more than twice. Silence after a second follow-up is the answer.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does the interview process usually take?
Two to six weeks from first contact to offer for entry-level and mid-level roles. Senior and executive roles run longer, often two to four months.
What should I wear?
Business casual at agencies, business formal at corporate in-house roles, and read the firm before deciding. When in doubt, go one level above what the firm appears to wear day-to-day.
How do I handle the salary question early?
Give a range, not a number. Anchor the range to research on comparable roles at comparable firms. Do not commit to the bottom of your range — the offer often lands where you anchor.
Should I bring writing samples?
Bring printed copies of three samples even if you have already submitted them. The hiring manager may not have them at hand, and being able to reference a specific piece in the conversation is useful.
What if I bomb a question?
Acknowledge it, briefly. "Let me come back to that — I want to think about it." Then come back to it later in the interview, or in the thank-you note.
How do I evaluate the firm during the interview?
Watch how the hiring manager talks about her team, how she talks about clients, and how the office feels when you walk through it. The firm is interviewing you and you are interviewing the firm.
