You’ve likely heard the word “exclusive” tossed around in the media a lot. It could be a journalist’s exclusive tip that becomes a national headline or a morning talk show getting the first interview with a participant to a viral news story. Exclusive interviews aren’t something you can just throw out there to any old publication – they have to be a good fit for both the publication and the brand that wants to get in front of their audience.
To the outsider, it may seem like a celebrity gets exclusives every day but in reality, exclusivity is a delicate balancing act for both journalists and publications. Having an exclusive means that the journalist and their publication get to publish the news or announcement before any other publication. It can also imply that the source will not speak to any other publications or sources about the news until their piece is published (this is called an embargo). Both parties must understand the weight of this type of news and understand the risks involved with going back on an exclusivity agreement. Typically this would sever both relationships and have legal ramifications for publicly traded companies.
Shelbie Watts is the Content Marketing Manager at Homebase, the everything app for hourly teams — 100,000+ small (but mighty) businesses rely on us for employee scheduling, time clocks, payroll, team communication and HR.
Answering this question well will show interviewers that you can take pride in your work and understand how past experiences can benefit the role you’re applying for. The key is to choose an accomplishment that demonstrates professional determination, communication and organisation – for example, leading a project from start to finish or overcoming a challenge at work.