Reading through the weird interview questions that Google and Facebook use to hire people is always fun, but some of the most important questions come from the candidate, not the interviewer. After all, the candidate has to make sure the company is right for them, too!.
Now that you’re getting ready for a PR job interview, here are some questions that you might want to think about asking. And, while this is the PR edition, many of these questions apply across any industry.
Founded in 2012, Walker Sands has rapidly emerged as a top public relations and marketing agency. With expertise across B2B tech, healthcare, and professional services, they have become a sought-after firm for high-growth companies.
However, with growth comes competition. As Walker Sands continues expanding, standing out in their interview process is more important than ever.
In this article I’ll share insider tips to master the 10 most common Walker Sands interview questions. With preparation using these exact questions asked of previous candidates you can showcase your qualifications and land the job at this prestigious agency.
1. Why do you want to work at Walker Sands?
This screening question assesses your familiarity with the firm and motivation for joining Interviewers want to see passion for Walker Sands’ mission and culture.
Highlight their stellar reputation for spearheading integrated marketing and PR campaigns that deliver proven ROI for clients. Discuss your admiration of their progressive, entrepreneurial environment and emphasis on professional development. Share how their expertise in B2B technology aligns with your background and interests. Convey enthusiasm for contributing your skills to such a thriving, collaborative agency.
2. Tell me about a campaign or project you worked on.
This behavioral question tests your ability to convey campaign details and results. Discuss a specific campaign you led or contributed to.
Outline the initial client needs and objectives. Share creative strategies and tactics you implemented in areas like social media, content marketing, influencer engagement or events. Highlight any metrics demonstrating your impact, such as increased traffic, conversions, or press mentions.
Discuss challenges faced and how you addressed them. Demonstrate strategic thinking, technical know-how and ability to deliver measurable outcomes.
3. How do you handle a difficult client?
Client relationships are vital in PR. This question evaluates your diplomacy, communication style and problem-solving.
Share how you’d listen closely to understand the client’s concerns and identify solutions collaboratively. Give examples of adjusting your style or approach based on client feedback to improve the partnership. Outline how you’d use patience and maintain composure during tense interactions.
Emphasize upholding commitments and keeping clients informed to build trust and prevent issues. Convey your dedication to clients’ best interests to provide top-notch service.
4. How do you stay up-to-date on PR and marketing trends?
Ongoing learning is key in the dynamic PR field. This question assesses your curiosity, strategic thinking and technical savvy.
Discuss reading industry publications, blogs and newsletters to learn emerging best practices. Share how you follow leaders in the space on social media. Highlight involvement in associations and online courses to enhance skills. Outline how you track campaign results to identify successful new approaches.
Convey an innate drive to continuously refine your expertise to maximize outcomes for clients. Give examples of how you’ve implemented cutting-edge tactics like geofencing or live streaming.
5. Why should we hire you?
This is your chance to advocate for yourself. Avoid disparaging others. Instead, focus on your unique attributes.
Highlight specific experiences that equip you for the role, like past PR agency or client-side work. Discuss specialized skills in areas like media relations, content creation or analytics. Share how your communication style and values align with the company culture. Convey your work ethic, initiative and desire to grow professionally.
Quantify past achievements that exhibit your work quality and potential contributions. This showcases your strategic thinking and confidence.
6. Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
This question gauges your ambition and career planning. Demonstrate your long-term outlook and growth potential.
Articulate aspirations to take on more responsibility, manage key accounts or lead projects based on performance. Discuss goals to deepen expertise in specific industries or services like thought leadership positioning or executive visibility. Share how you hope to become a trusted advisor known for strategic counsel and deliverables that move the needle.
Convey your aim to be an influential contributor who empowers those around you to do their best work. This portrays you as focused, driven and invested in the agency’s future.
7. How would you contribute to diversity, equity and inclusion efforts at Walker Sands?
DE&I is a top priority at Walker Sands. This assesses your commitment to cultivating an equitable, diverse culture.
Share ideas to enhance recruitment, mentorship and advancement of underrepresented groups. Discuss participating in ERGs that align with your background. Highlight the value of diverse perspectives and the importance of allyship. Provide examples of how you’ve shown inclusiveness and sensitivity in past roles. Convey your passion for co-creating an agency where everyone thrives.
8. Tell me about a time you failed. What did you learn?
Handling failures is inevitable in PR. Interviewers look for maturity and ability to glean lessons here.
Briefly summarize a past failure or setback. Share factors that caused it and your response. Discuss actions you took to mitigate impact and get back on track.
Most importantly, highlight key learnings that improved your future performance or approach. Demonstrate accountability, growth mindset and resilience. Use the experience to spotlight development.
9. How do you motivate yourself on uninteresting projects?
PR involves varied projects and tasks. This probes your work ethic, attitude and discipline.
Acknowledge the reality of occasionally mundane work. Share how focusing on stakeholders’ needs and the end goal of client satisfaction motivates you. Discuss tactics like creating checklists, setting milestones, or applying creativity to infuse interest in the task. Highlight deriving motivation from upholding your reputation for excellence.
Convey that you view no project as completely unimportant, as each represents an opportunity to build trust and add value. This showcases commitment, maturity and client-centricity.
10. Do you have any questions for me?
Always prepare thoughtful questions as this exchange allows you to demonstrate interest, strategic thinking and enthusiasm.
Ask about the interviewer’s background, their team’s focus, challenges and achievements. Inquire about agency growth plans, workplace culture or training programs. Listen actively and ask relevant follow-ups to have a meaningful dialogue.
Avoid basic policies easily found online. Thoughtful questions make you memorable and convey eagerness to join the team.
With preparation using these insider Walker Sands interview tips and answers, you can confidently navigate the selective hiring process at this esteemed firm. Showcase how your skills and passion perfectly align to contribute to their dynamic culture and continued success.
What is the day-to-day like for this positions?
You should naturally want to know what you’ll be doing if you get the job, but go one step further and ask if you can talk to someone who already has the job you’re applying for. It’s a good idea to keep this in mind when the HR or management team is interviewing someone because they may not be as familiar with the day-to-day duties of the job.
Do you work in siloed teams or would I have the opportunity to work with everyone in the company?
In PR, siloed teams are very common within agencies. If you want to work for a company with fifty people, you might only work with five of them. You could be put in a division that only works with one technology, industry, or client. This is an important question to ask if you want to be part of a diverse team.
