Mastering the Public Relations Assistant Interview: 7 Essential Questions to Prepare For

Interviewing for a public relations assistant role? You’re smart to do your research. Preparing for the most common PR assistant interview questions will help you walk into the interview room feeling confident and ready to shine.

In this article. we’ll cover

• An overview of the public relations assistant role
• 7 of the most frequent PR assistant interview questions
• Tips to make a great impression on your interviewers

Let’s get started!

What Does a Public Relations Assistant Do?

A public relations (PR) assistant helps managers and PR specialists with communication and office work. Their job is to make sure that the company or client has a good reputation in the public eye.

Common public relations assistant duties include:

• Compiling reports, presentations, and other communications materials
• Conducting research on media outlets, journalists, influencers, and competitors
• Coordinating PR events and press conferences
• Drafting press releases, blog posts, social media updates, and other content
• Maintaining media contact lists and client databases
• Tracking media coverage and PR metrics

The role involves lots of organization writing research, and relationship-building skills. Attention to detail and the ability to work gracefully under pressure are also key.

Now let’s look at some of the questions you’re likely to face when interviewing for PR assistant jobs.

7 Essential Public Relations Assistant Interview Questions

Here are some of the most frequent questions interviewers ask PR assistant candidates, along with tips for responding effectively:

1. Why are you interested in this public relations assistant role?

This is often one of the very first questions in a PR assistant interview. The interviewer is looking to gauge your enthusiasm for the role. They also want to hear that you have a solid grasp of a PR assistant’s responsibilities.

Tips for a strong answer:

• Demonstrate your understanding of the day-to-day work involved. Reference the job description and company website when possible.
• Share why you’re excited to take on PR support tasks like conducting research, drafting communications, maintaining media lists, etc.
• Avoid vague answers like, “I’m passionate about PR.” Focus on specifics instead.

For example: “I’m very interested in this opportunity because I love the fast-paced nature of PR agency work. I’m especially excited about the research aspects of the role, such as identifying media targets for campaigns. I also look forward to supporting client events and building relationships with influencers and journalists.”

2. What experience do you have that’s relevant for a public relations assistant role?

Hiring managers want to know that you can handle the core PR duties. Use your response as a chance to showcase your applicable skills and experience.

Tips for an impressive answer:

• Highlight past internships, assistant positions, or administrative roles where you developed relevant skills.
• Provide specific examples of times you compiled reports, organized events, maintained contact lists, drafted communications, or completed other PR-related tasks.
• Quantify your results when possible. For instance, state how many people attended an event you coordinated or the increase in social media followers while you managed an account.

Sample response: “As an assistant at XYZ PR Agency, I supported 5 client accounts by tracking media mentions and compiling quarterly reports. For one major campaign, I coordinated a launch party for 200+ attendees and helped secure media coverage from over a dozen outlets. I also have experience researching influencers and building targeted media lists.”

3. How would you prioritize requests from multiple managers or clients at once?

Juggling multiple requests is part of the reality of a PR assistant role. Interviewers often include multi-tasking questions to assess your organization skills.

Tips for an effective response:

• Emphasize that open communication is key when balancing competing priorities. Explain how you would keep managers updated on timelines and shifting workloads.
• Describe your system for tracking deadlines across different projects so that you don’t drop the ball. Acknowledge you may need to ask managers for help prioritizing at times.
• Provide examples of times you successfully handled multiple assignments and kept stakeholders happy. Quantify your results when possible.

Sample answer: “I would prioritize requests based on urgency and deadlines. If multiple projects have pressing timelines, I touch base with each manager about relative priorities. I also share timelines and requests across the team, so we can re-allocate if any projects are at risk. My system to track deadlines across accounts has helped me juggle 10-15 projects for past managers.”

4. How would you handle working with a difficult client?

Don’t be surprised if you get questions about working with challenging clients or colleagues. Interviewers want to see that you can remain cool under pressure.

Tips for acing your response:

• Emphasize keeping an open dialogue to understand the client’s concerns. Acknowledge their feelings before moving into problem-solving mode.
• Share that while you aim to keep clients happy, you have boundaries. Calmly stand firm if requests are unrealistic or inappropriate.
• Provide examples of times you turned frustrated clients into happy ones. Describe how you employed empathy, active listening, and calm tone.

Sample response: “First, I would listen closely to understand what exactly is making them unhappy or difficult to work with. I find that showing genuine empathy goes a long way. From there, I would explore solutions that make them feel heard, while also being realistic for me to deliver. If we still couldn’t find a middle ground, I would politely explain my boundaries and limitations while reassuring them that I have their best interests in mind.”

5. How would you respond if a media contact treated you unprofessionally?

Interviewers often include “what would you do” scenarios to assess your judgment. Stay cool and professional in your response to this media relations question.

Tips for nailing your response:

• State that you would firmly yet politely address any inappropriate behavior. Explain how you would redirect the conversation to productive ground.
• Emphasize that maintaining relationships is important, but you have self-respect. Describe instances where you set boundaries with disrespectful colleagues in the past.
• Share that for ongoing issues, you would turn to a manager for guidance navigating the relationship.

Example response: “If a media contact acted unprofessionally, I would first politely but firmly address the behavior and get the conversation back on track. However, if the issue persisted across multiple interactions, I would speak with my manager to address it appropriately, whether that involves coaching, resetting expectations, restricting contact, or ultimately cutting ties.”

6. How do you stay organized while handling lots of tasks and requests?

Organization is essential for success in an administrative role. Interviewers want to know that you can keep dozens of plates spinning. Share your best organization tactics in your reply.

Tips for an impressive response:

• Describe your system for tracking deadlines, tasks, and manager requests so nothing falls through the cracks. Share specific organizational tools you use, if applicable.
• Give examples of times your organization helped you excel in past administrative or assistant roles.
• Highlight that while you have systems in place, you also build in flexibility to quickly shift gears when new urgent requests come in.

Sample answer: “I stay highly organized using tools like Asana to track all my tasks, campaigns, and deadlines in one centralized place. I create separate boards for each manager or client so I can quickly filter tasks. I also schedule time on my calendar for deep work and create task batches to maximize efficiency. This system has helped me seamlessly juggle 15+ client projects at once and respond quickly when urgent requests come my way.”

7. Where do you see your public relations career in five years?

It’s common for interviewers to assess your long-term goals and fit for the role. Be thoughtful in your response, while avoiding specifics on promotions or timelines.

Tips for an effective response:

• If you have a genuine interest in long-term PR work, share your aspiration to take on additional responsibilities and grow into PR specialist or manager roles.
• On the other hand, if you hope to shift into another field in the near future, focus your answer on excelling in the assistant role itself. Avoid mentioning plans to move on quickly.
• Emphasize your commitment to professional development. Outline some PR skills and knowledge you hope to build over time.

Example answer: “My goal is to soak up as much knowledge as I can and become an invaluable asset in this public relations assistant role. From there, after proving my skills, I’d be excited by the opportunity to take on more responsibility and ownership of PR campaigns down the road. I’m committed to continuously improving and learning new PR strategies to bring even more value.”

Make a Winning First Impression

Preparing responses for popular PR assistant interview questions is one of the best ways to build confidence before your interview.

But remember that your body language and overall demeanor also make a vital first impression. Walk in with a smile, make eye contact, and give a confident handshake. Listen closely, think before responding, and show genuine enthusiasm for the role.