A long, long time ago in the wilds of northeast Michigan, I was a finalist for a communications director position at a community college where I was working as an adjunct instructor after completing my master’s degree.
The final step in the selection process brought three finalists together. We were to complete two of three exercises and then present them to an audience of deans and faculty – with the other candidates present. It was a nerve-wracking process, but it helped me see where I had to improve my skills and why the college hired the candidate they did.
Job hunting is a full-time contact sport that requires customized resumes, personalized cover letters, portfolios, phone screens, interviews and tests. It’s not uncommon to invest more than 15 to 20 hours on a single job if you are a finalist. A critical part of this process is the skills test. I’ve had to write an alumni profile within 30 minutes. I’ve edited press releases and written talking points. I’ve developed full-blown communication plans with goals, strategies and tactics – complete with a tentative budget.
I’m prepared to invest my time because I recognize the employer’s goal is to select a skilled candidate. But I have my limits. I won’t give an employer free labor. Forbes’ Liz Ryan spells it out quite succinctly:
“I sat in a meeting with a not-for-profit executive who blithely told the group of us in the meeting that she interviews candidates for non-existent jobs a couple of times per year ‘to get ideas.’”
There have been two instances when I pushed back when asked to complete a skills exercise. The first was when an Idaho technology company asked me to write a complete communications plan and list all my media contacts. I had never even had a phone interview with this organization. There are a lot easier ways to build a media list.
More recently, I encountered another questionable exercise. Following a 15-minute phone screen, I was assigned a “writing test.” I won’t share the scenario, but my preliminary research revealed a number of large Michigan organizations have already prepared position papers, releases and analyses. Here is the actual email assignment:
You have 72 hours from the time you receive this document to complete this multi-part assignment, which involves writing a communications “toolkit.” This test is designed to gauge both your writing abilities AND your ability to think creatively, so please don’t hold back. The written toolkit includes:
• A document of core messages
• A press release
• A media advisory
• An op-ed (500 words)
• An internal set of talking points for the 3 speakers
• An internal question-and-answer document anticipating tough questions
• 4-5 letters to the editor supporting the issue
• 2 sample Facebook posts
• 3 sample tweets
I reached out to a number of my fellow PR pros in Florida, Idaho and Michigan, asking for their thoughts. Their feedback underscored my reaction so I decided to follow Liz Ryan’s advice. I crafted an email response offering to do one or two of the items from the list to demonstrate my writing skills and creativity. For the rest, I offered to prepare a quote at my typical hourly rate as a consultant. The response from the hiring manager revealed a great deal about the culture of this firm.
Of course I am no longer being considered for the job – if there really was one. Instead I used my time to complete a project for a client, who happily paid me for my time.
Image from Flickr Creative Commons: S10N’s Photostream
Writer and Raconteur 