30 jobs in the PR and marketing world

Ever wonder what “wows” an interviewer, or what drives them up the wall?

We’ve been discussing these topics with Mandy Zaransky, Ragan Communications’ chief marketing officer, in her “Top Five Tips for a Successful Interview” series. This week, we’ll wrap up the series with a roundup of her insights. Plus, find out the book she says pays interview dividends.

Here is a recap of her five essentials for interviewees hoping to turn a much-anticipated meeting into a career upgrade:

1. Be punctual.

Nobody likes waiting, but nobody likes being interrupted without reason—especially a busy interviewer.

Fact: Arriving too early has its setbacks, too.

“Interviewers are busy, so they’re expecting promptness, but being too early signals that a candidate is likely desperate and possibly obtuse. In the world of interviewing, one is marketing themselves no matter the position and understanding your audience is Marketing 101,” Zaransky says.