Interview Questions to Ask a Public Relations Specialist Candidate
Questions that surface real evidence of real earned media results and reputation management, not just sending press releases — plus what to actually listen for in the answer, not just whether they say the right buzzwords.
1. How do you build a media list for a product launch and decide which journalists deserve a personal pitch?
What to listen for: Look for research into each reporter's recent beats, tiered outreach, and an understanding that relevance beats volume when pitching a story to the press.
2. A negative post about your client is spreading fast on social media at 6pm. What do you do in the first hour?
What to listen for: A strong answer covers verifying facts, alerting the client, holding a short approved statement, monitoring spread, and avoiding a rushed or defensive public reply.
3. Your client wants to claim their product is the best on the market, but you cannot support it. How do you respond?
What to listen for: The candidate protects honesty and the client's credibility, offers a provable alternative claim, and explains the risk of misleading the press or public.
4. How do you decide which of five competing announcements gets your limited time this week?
What to listen for: Expect prioritising by deadline, news value, and business impact, plus clear communication with stakeholders about what will slip and why.
5. What would you do in your first 30 days in this public relations specialist role?
What to listen for: Whether their plan is grounded in the role's actual must-haves (media relations/pitching and press release writing) or generic ("get to know the team"). Specificity here signals real understanding of the job, not just interview prep.
6. Why are you leaving your current role, and why this one specifically?
What to listen for: Forward-looking motivation tied to something concrete about this role, versus badmouthing a past employer or vague dissatisfaction. Watch for whether their reasons actually match what this role offers.
A warning sign in this interview
Treats press coverage as the only goal, blames journalists for ignoring pitches, or cannot explain how they would handle a story that goes wrong.
What to look for on the CV before the interview
Coverage secured, the sector and media relationships.
Confirm before you make an offer
Usually none. Ask for coverage secured and campaigns run.
People who may apply under another title
This job is also called PR Specialist, Communications Specialist, Media Relations Officer, PR Manager. A candidate with one of those titles can be a strong match, so ask the same questions and judge the answers, not the title.
Frequently asked questions
How many of these questions should I ask in one interview?
3-4 is realistic for a 30-45 minute interview once you leave room for follow-ups and the candidate's own questions. Divide competencies across panel members rather than every interviewer asking all of them — see the Interview Scorecard tool for a structured version of this.
How is this different from the Interview Scorecard tool?
This page is a generic starting point for the public relations specialist role. The tool generates a full panel-ready kit — competency-grouped questions, a 1-5 rating rubric, and strong/weak answer examples — tailored to your actual job description and competencies.
What is a red flag when interviewing a public relations specialist?
Treats press coverage as the only goal, blames journalists for ignoring pitches, or cannot explain how they would handle a story that goes wrong.
What should I confirm before offering a public relations specialist the job?
Usually none. Ask for coverage secured and campaigns run.
Hiring a public relations specialist? The rest of the toolkit
- How to write the job description →
Titles, must-haves, credentials and a starting posting.
- Search strings to find candidates →
Five searches from broad to narrow, with exclusions.
- Run the whole hire in one place →
Jobs, CV review, interviews, offers and checks together.