I'm interviewing at a company that underwent major scandals due to its former CEO (i.e. nepotism, fraudulent financial activity, ethics issues). All of these scandals were reported in the press about five years ago. How can I address these issues in the interview? I would (delicately) like to know if the company has bounced back from this turmoil or if it is still working its way out of muddy waters. Since I'm interviewing for a PR position, I feel it would be remiss not to mention these issues. However, I don't want to offend the hiring managers. Any advice would be much appreciated!
Thank you,
Jackson
Dear Jackson,
Since you're a PR person, the hiring manager will expect you to determine on your own whether the company's image has bounced back sufficiently well for you to consider joining them. I'd suggest that you begin by assuming they've recovered brilliantly, and ask them how they did it. For instance:
THEY: So, any other questions, Jackson?
YOU: Yes -- as a PR person with a bit of experience in crisis PR, I'm very interested in your take on the company's journey from the incident five years ago, up to today. Can you share with me how you navigated those waters, and perhaps the most important strategic moves that allowed you to surmount the challenge? I'm sure there is a great story there!
This way, you're complimenting the PR manager. In the unlikely event that s/he says "We just forgot about it and hoped everyone else would, too," you may think twice about the job, but more likely you'll get the inside scoop on how the company managed its way back from PR Hell.
Best of luck! Liz
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