Public relations interview questions...cont'd
How to Answer Tough Questions
Inevitably, an interviewer will ask the publicist a set of tough or unfair questions. A publicist must prepare to answer such questions in advance. These questions are designed to probe the topic and the client deeper and perhaps even trip the publicist up, causing them to say too much or appear confused.
Tough or difficult questions normally work in the following ways:
- The question involves a false option;
- The question is hypothetical;
- The question is prefaced with a negative statement;
- The question refers to a party that is not present;
- The question involves an inconsistency;
- The question is irrelevant;
- The interviewer puts words in the interviewee's mouth.
Practice these tactics for answering and dealing with tough questions:
1. Lead the interview in a positive way with your answers;
2. Do not speak or answer questions "off the record";
3. Do not speculate or provide hypothetical answers;
4. Do not accept a hypothetical question;
5. Do not accept "what if" questions;
6. Correct imperceptions;
7. Do not attempt to argue with an absent party when providing answers or speak for an absent party;
8. Answer irrelevant questions succinctly, then address the issues you wish to focus on;
9. Never quote or repeat an inflammatory question in your answer;
10. Do not feel the need to answer inappropriate or proprietary questions;
11. Prepare for the interviewer to re-phrase the same question many times in an attempt to get you to answer more than you wish to;
12. Do not provide more information than a question calls for;
13. When you have answered a question, stop speaking. Do not be enticed to excessive or unnecessary answering by a reporter who remains silent or nods their head.
These pointers can help a public relations specialist anticipate and effectively handle difficult questions, which many times cause an interviewee to say the wrong things too much.
