PUBLIC RELATIONS SPECIALIST: Employer

PUBLIC RELATIONS SPECIALIST: ROLE PLAYING SCRIPT FOR EMPLOYER,
Mrs. Powers.

It is October 2007. You are the Senior Vice President for Human Resources for Worldwide Communications, Inc. (WCI), the preeminent public relations/communications firm in America with an office in Portland Maine and other offices throughout the world.

Every year, WCI hires 20 college graduates seeking to make a career in the communications industry. Many of these new hires come from the University of Maine because of its excellent communications department.

Yet, because of WCI’s reputation, you are swamped with applicants for these positions. You have already interviewed 50 applicants who will be awarded BAs in communications in the spring of 2008. You’ve been hiring for this position for five years now and know the type person who would fit well in the culture and share the values of WCI. Every once in awhile, an applicant comes along who shows you something special. You know immediately that this person would be of great value to WCI for many, many years and you find yourself softening on driving a hard financial bargain on entry level salary. You’re never quite sure what that ‘something special’ is, but you know it when you see it and you see it in Ms. Greene.

You interviewed Ms. Greene yesterday. You were impressed with her poise and her work ethic, which she revealed while talking about the work she did every summer for a small public relations firm. At the end of the interview you offered her a job as an entry level public relations specialist. You asked her to come back today if she wanted the job and the two of you would settle out the final details including salary and starting date and then sign a contract.

As the consummate human relations professional, you know the financial picture for your industry. Www.wageproject.org tells you that for the job title of public relations specialist 1, the salary range in Portland is $35,000 to $43,000 with a median salary of $39,000. Because every student wants to work for WCI, you know that you can usually attract new hires at the low end of the range. Last year, WCI’s starting salary for this job was $35,000. You don’t see any reason to start with an offer higher than that epecially in this prolonged recession. Several students you’ve interviewed have already accepted this bargain basement salary. The WCI benefits package for this position is approximately $12,000.

Ms. Greene is your last meeting today and you’ve got to leave in 15 minutes to give a speech.

When you and Ms. Greene sit down to talk, your opening lines to her are:

“We’re so pleased that you want to work for WCI. You’ll be a wonderful addition to our team.

We have just a couple details to settle and you can sign our contract.

I am authorized to offer you a starting salary of $35,000. You will be entitled to the standard benefits package all new employees get and we’d like you to start work in the Portland office on June 1st.

If that’s fine with you, please read over this contract and sign it and you’ll be one of the WCI family!”

See how she reacts. Listen to her. Write down what points might persuade you to raise this offer. Write down what language she might use would make you hold the line and not raise her starting salary and why. Write down what objections you would have if she wants more money. Discuss thoughtfully with her because you want her to accept your job offer. Keep an open mind.

See what is the lowest starting salary that you can get her to accept and get her to accept a specific salary in the 15 minutes before you have to leave.

Remember, you made her a job offer because you were VERY impressed with her. Now it’s time to get her to work at WCI!

Good luck!