Interview Paper Assignment

Industry Review – Interview Assignment

JMS 480 Principles of Public Relations 

Sign up for proposed public relations practitioner and industry due Feb. 12, 8:10 a.m.

Interview worksheet due April 7, 8:10 a.m.

˃ Objective: Interview a public relations practitioner working in an area of interest about his/her career, public relations and working with the media.

˃ Requirements:

• Approval of the practitioner from Prof. Pecsi prior to conducting interview; proposal due Feb. 12 at 8:10 a.m.
• Interview to be conducted synchronously either face-to-face or via video/phone call (not email)
• Handwritten and addressed thank you note prepared for the practitioner (it may be sealed, Prof. Pecsi will stamp and mail for you)

˃ Layout: A worksheet is provided for you to complete by typing in a summary of the practitioner’s responses

FIRST CONTACT: If you are weary about cold-calling a practitioner you don’t know, consider the following to be used as a script.

“I’m (YOUR NAME), a student at San Diego State University. I’m enrolled in an introduction to public relations course this semester, and becoming more interested in the practice of PR in (YOUR ASSIGNED INDUSTRY). I found your profile (ON LINKEDIN) and thought your career path sounded really interesting. I have an assignment to interview a practitioner and I would really like to interview you. Would you be willing to talk to me? We could meet for coffee or do a phone/video conference interview, whichever is most convenient. It would only take about 30 minutes of your time, and it would really give me invaluable insight in the industry.  Ideally, I’d like to chat before (YOU SET DEADLINE). Please let me know if you’re willing to share your story with me!”

If you’re sending an email remember to include full contact information.

Suggestion: Make the deadline you communicate with the practitioner sooner than later – get it done. At the very least conduct the interview about two weeks before the actual assignment is due in case the interview has to be moved back as well as to allow time for processing the information and writing the worksheet.  

˃ Interview Questions: Use the following interview questions at minimum, and feel free to ask additional questions.

• What is your job title?
• How long have you been at this organization? How long have you worked in public relations?
• How would YOU define public relations?
• What do you like most about your job? Least?
• What percentage of your day is devoted to formative research? Planning? Implementation? Evaluation?
• How would you describe your journey from the role of technician to PR manager?
• What differences do you see between PR and journalism; and PR and marketing?
• What type of relationship do you have media or reporters? What type of relationship do you have with other internal organizations?
• On average, how much U.S. news media content do you estimate uses a PR contact? (get percentage)
• What advice would you give new PR practitioners about working with journalists? What advice would you give new PR practitioners about working with internal organizations?
• Is there anything you would like to add about PR in general, your career progress or working with the media?

˃ TIPS:

• Do not take more than 30 minutes of the practitioner’s time during the interview.
• Do not fill in your assignment worksheet while in the interview, instead stay attentive to the subject.
• Consider having an audio recording of the interview rather than relying solely on written notes.
• Prepare for the interview having done your research, trying to learn about your subject’s industry; him/her; or the area of focus in PR – internal vs. external.
• Manage this assignment well in advance, as the interview may be moved back several times and no deadline extensions will be given.
• Proof read your interview (suggest reading it aloud) before turning it in.
• Use your AP Stylebook and double-check everything.
• Run spell check but don’t let Microsoft Word do all the thinking for you.
• Save your work OFTEN – you never know when the computer will crash. Print the first draft when you have it done just to be safe. Effort is not graded, only end product.
• Ask to take a photo with the practitioner, and post it to Instagram or Twitter to further your networking.

˃ Turning it in: A completed, typed and printed worksheet is due, stapled, in class on the day noted on the syllabus. Work turned in after 8:10 a.m. will not be accepted. Students must also handwrite a thank you note and put it in an addressed envelope (sealed is fine) as a part of this assignment. Prof. Pecsi will stamp and mail the thank you note.

˃ Grading rubric: All written assignments are graded according to a grading rubric for technical skill, in addition to the style and content considerations. Students can rely on the following rubric throughout the semester: