3 Interviews
For this Medium post I had to interview three prospective supervisors in positions I may apply for. Unfortunately no one in my LinkedIn network was available for such an interview or could do so in a way it could be recorded. I chose to interview my supervisor at my current internship, a neighbor in a sales management position, and a close friend who works in public engagement for the Smithsonian.
In preparing for these interviews I consulted several websites about asking questions in professional interview settings. Through this and the use of the class texts I was able to come up with some general directions I felt I should steer the questions. Most of them related to how I would be able to excel at the position and what I could do to better my chances of landing the job and to excel once in the position.
With my first interview with my supervisor I was unable to record the conversation as we talked outside, due to the office’s open concept, and there was quite a bit of ambient noise. I felt most prepared for this interview as I knew, in general, what answers I may get. She told me that probably the greatest skill to possess for Public Relations account management would be strong communication skills, especially written. This means the ability to get the information you need out there in the most concise, succinct and easily accessible way. She said the greatest tool for success in the job was the ability to adapt, specifically during crises, and teamwork as much of public relations involves so much networking and coordination between people and businesses.
My second interview with the woman across the street, who is a Sales manager in telecommunications, went well. I caught her while getting her mail and found a time to meet. She said the key to success for her salespeople was tenacity. The ability to push through the “no’s” and find a way to land a sale was important. Genuineness helped as it put you and the company in a good light. Prospective employees/new employees she found it important for them to be creative and motivated. Teamwork was also highly necessary as it promoted “best practices.” Find the audio here:
My third and final interview I met with my friend from school who is in public engagement for the Smithsonian. He said the key to a successful job is to have good people skills and patience. For him, a successful candidate has good personal communication skills and a generally outgoing personality as well as adaptability. The audio for this interview can be found here:
