I worked as Comms Dir. for 6 years at a nonprofit that hosts conferences as its primary activity. 3 yrs back, financial problems gutted staff and my position was eliminated- due to my intervention, my direct report remained. This person I hired and trained has done well, organized and efficient. It is now time to staff up for another conference and I’m welcome to return, but my direct report is being promoted to Comms Dir. they’d like to split the role somehow, but I can’t figure out how.
I would give (and have in the past been given) a short writing assignment that reflects a typical task that’s part of the job. Press release announcing launch of X, reactive statement about X, speech for X.
I was given a short writing test, but it consisted of taking an already written piece and summarizing it as web content. I also helped hire a position with a writing test - the position was for a content manager, and we gave them a fact sheet and had them write an article on it. This was in person, they had 45 minutes before interviewing with us.
This is wholly dependent on the level of staffer.
For entry levels, I used this:
“Congratulations, you’ve just been appointed (Title) at (Agency). Write a press release announcing your appointment.”
For mid-levels in healthcare I’ve given them a journal article and asked them to write a release about the study.
Yes! I work in consumer/lifestyle so I have them write a pitch pitching themselves for the job. It’s always so fun - you get a sense of their writing style immediately. They know the topic and they either have fun with it or it’s meh. If they’re a good writer they should be able to pitch anything.
A timed crisis comms response plan to a client-specific emergency that affected the public — where my screen was recorded so my director could see my thought process as I typed it out.
I give an extensive writing test and have candidates edit a very dense legal alert to see if they can make it sing. Test also includes fixing sentences, spelling and writing a press release.
Depends on the role and responsibilities of the position and what type of company it’s for. Can help with some examples with more insight!