Communication Director

This is an important question to ask in an interview because it can help you get insight into the position and how it fits into the network of the company. Who will you support? Who will you supervise and guide? What skills are critical for success?

All too often, job descriptions present routine tasks and responsibilities. Asking about specific expectations and accomplishments can allow you to tailor the conversation to demonstrate your fit for the position. It also shows your commitment to adding value.

This is an impressive question because it shows that you can make the connection between how the company thinks about its customers and the end result. In other words, how the customer is treated on a day-to-day basis, and in turn, how that shows up in the product.

Ever work with people that just get it? That's who hiring managers are looking for. This question demonstrates that you understand a job is about more than just going through the motions. Successful people have a specific frame of mind, approach, attitude, work ethic, communication style, and so on -- and you want to know what that mix looks like at this company.

An interviewer will ask his question in order to assess how you handle a failed plan, as this is quite inevitable. It is important that you are able to recognise the key reasons why a strategy went wrong and what you learnt from the experience.

Campaigns may fail for many different reasons, including: poor research and groundwork, poor planning and follow-through of objectives and goals or ineffective communication. Be open about why the campaign failed, take accountability and focus on what you learnt.

For example, what if you find out the Women’s ministry is making their own flyers and hanging them in the women’s restrooms behind your back?

Asking this question in an interview can give you insight into the challenges the hiring manager has in doing his or her job. Resources trickle down, so if the hiring manager is pressed for time, dealing with an unusually tight budget, or is short on human capital, you will be affected as well.

If their answer is to get as many likes and shares as possible, it’s time to politely end the interview. The path from likes to conversions is more like A to K than A to B, so they should be able to explain what that path looks like for different platforms. Ultimately, conversions are always the goal. They should also be able to help you define success on a strategic and tactical level in order to support your larger marketing goals.

☛ Recall a time you successfully used your crisis management skills

☛ Have you ever had to deal with a challenging PR problem? How did you do it?

☛ Describe a time you were successful in delivering the company message to a target audience. What was the key to its success?

☛ Tell me about a time a campaign didn’t perform as well as you expected. What should you have done differently?

☛ Recall a time you had to deal with a difficult external stakeholder. How did you manage?

☛ A team experience you found disappointing.

☛ How many Communications Director projects do you work on at once?

☛ What percentage of your time is spent doing each function?

☛ What do people most often criticize about you?

☛ Why do you feel you're qualified for this Communications Director job?

☛ Describe a situation where you had to plan or organise something.

☛ Are you good at working in a team?

☛ How does your background make you a good fit for the role?

☛ What media outlets do you follow?

☛ What’s your experience organizing events?

☛ What are elements of interactive public relations?

☛ Describe how you use social media for corporate communications

☛ Are you familiar with our PR efforts? What would you change?

☛ What do you know about our products/firm? Why do you want to work here?

☛ How is content important for communications?

☛ What are things you should consider when planning a press conference?

☛ What methods can you use for effective internal communications?

☛ How do you make the decision to delegate work?

☛ Why do you believe you are qualified for this Communications Director position?

☛ What would be your ideal working environment?

☛ What have you learned from your mistakes?

☛ What are three positive things other Communications Director would say about you?

☛ Give an example of when you had to present complex information in a simplified manner.

☛ Did you ever make a risky decision? How did you handle it?

☛ Have you gone above and beyond the call of duty?

☛ If you were interviewing someone for Communications Director position, what traits would you look for?

☛ What negative thing would your last boss say about you?

☛ How do you think I rate as an interviewer?

☛ You have not done Communications Director job before. How will you succeed?

☛ How do you handle failures? Provide examples.

☛ Have you ever acted as a mentor to a co-worker?

☛ If you were hired tomorrow, what would you focus on?

☛ Imagine you’re having a disagreement with a PR manager on a campaign. How would you resolve this?

☛ If there was a conflict between a senior executive and an external party during an event, what could you do to diffuse the situation?

☛ What do you find challenging when responding to reporters’ inquiries?

☛ What were your annual goals at your most current employer?

☛ How do you usually solve problems?

☛ What have you gained from your Communications Director work experiences?

☛ How will your greatest strength help you perform?

☛ How long will it take for you to make a significant contribution?

☛ What support training would you require to be able to do this Communications Director job?

☛ Describe a difficult work situation and how you overcame it.

☛ When did you last update your Communications Director education?

☛ How do you let subordinates know what you expect of them?

☛ What is the most difficult thing about working with you?

☛ Have you gone above and beyond the call of duty?

☛ What do you think of your previous boss?

☛ What is your usual role in a team?

☛ What do you do when priorities change quickly?

The way they define ‘crisis’ can tell you a lot about how much experience they have. If they haven’t had a real crisis in their own experience, they should at least be familiar with some famous brand reputation blunders. Dealing with negative comments or reviews properly is vital to this position, ask for examples.