ACE YOUR PR INTERVIEW
Thursday, February 9, 2012
Meet Ashley Wick, founder of WICK and Co., a PR agency that serves luxury brands in the fashion, lifestyle and travel industries to increase visibility and brand equity through core offerings. The style icon and public relations guru has an impressive resume, with past stints at Anya Hindmarch U.S., Diane von Furstenberg, and the beloved Vogue.
We caught up with Ashley to get her feedback for prospective PR and fashion industry candidates on how to dominate the interview process.
How does your position relate to your major in college? Any relevance? I was an english major at Duke University. Over the years I have spent a significant amount of time crafting pitches and press releases, so the ability to articulate and write artfully is very important in my business.
Playing Division 1 athletics (which I like to think of as my ‘minor’) also contributed to my sense of confidence, helped me work successfully in a team, and informed the way I overcame occupational challenges in my early days on the job. I learned how to visualize after reading a book called Dancing Mind, Thinking Body which was required reading for our team and I still use some of the visualization tactics before important presentations or events.
Recommend what to wear? What not to wear? Know your audience. What kind of PR agency or company is it? Who are their clients? ‘Google image’ the founders and employees. Shop in your closet for an outfit that is clean, tidy and comfortable. Do not try to make a fashion statement when you interview. You won’t be able to concentrate on presenting your best self if you are physically uncomfortable.
I believe in ‘dressing the part’ to a degree, but you do not need to go out and buy a new wardrobe to interview. Your outfit should reflect your own personal style. When you have to go to great lengths to fit someone else’s mold, in the process you will probably realize that there is not a natural synergy between you and the company.
How did you find your job coming out of college? I have found all of my past jobs through word of mouth. When hiring in the PR business, most companies or agencies reach out to a trusted group of professional friends for recommendations before they advertise on Linked In or in industry trade publications. In turn, job seekers should email all of their friends who they think could be helpful in their job search. Don’t be shy, spread the word far and wide.
I also think it is worth finding a great temp agency while you are looking for a job because it shows that you are making good use of your time and it allows you to get a foot in the door… you never know, temping could introduce you to a type of role that you never thought existed which is actually a great fit!
What are you looking for in a candidate? When I am hiring someone with little prior work experience I look for someone who is eager to learn, open-minded, organized, and shows genuine interest in the brands I represent.
As I build my team, I am looking for candidates that exhibit qualities and interests that I lack; individuals who excel in the areas where I have less expertise (I am not tech savvy!). If you have a skill set that the other people in the company do not, that is a great advantage.
Top tips to a PR candidate?
- 1) INTERN! Most companies first look to their intern pool when hiring.
- 2) When interviewing, come prepared and know the agency’s clients and recent company news.
- 3) If you are interviewing with an agency, clarify what accounts you will be working on. It is important that you are excited about the brands you will ultimately be pitching. You are not going to be good at something that does not excite you!
- 4) Know what you are good at and be able to site how your skill set will provide value to the company.
Biggest red flag in a candidate? DO NOT Facebook the interviewer following your meeting. A serious no-no.