I'm a PR Manager handling a crisis. How do I hire a crisis communications consultant?

If you’re hiring during an active crisis, I’d treat this less like a normal PR vendor search and more like bringing in a specialized incident-response advisor. The priority is someone who has actually run high-stakes crises, not someone who merely offers “crisis communications” as one service among many.

1. Define what you need before contacting consultants

Write a one-page brief covering:

• What happened: known facts, what is unconfirmed, and what is confidential.
• Who is affected: customers, employees, regulators, investors, community, partners, etc.
• Current exposure: media coverage, social conversation, inquiries, legal/regulatory attention.
• Immediate objective: contain misinformation, prepare executives, respond to media, rebuild trust, etc.
• Expected engagement: emergency response only, 30–90 days, or ongoing preparedness.
• Internal team: who owns PR, legal, HR, executive communications and decision-making.
• Availability requirement: e.g., nights/weekends, rapid response, executive availability.

Don't send sensitive details to prospective consultants until you've established appropriate confidentiality protections.

2. Look for crisis-specific experience

Your strongest candidates should be able to walk you through specific crises they've personally managed.

Ask:

“Tell me about the most consequential crisis you've personally led. What happened in the first six hours, what decisions did you make, and what would you do differently?” Listen for specifics: stakeholder prioritization, media strategy, executive counsel, internal communications, monitoring, escalation and post-crisis recovery.

PRSA's current guidance similarly emphasizes distinguishing people who have actually managed crises from people who have simply read crisis plans.

Ideally, find someone with experience in your type of crisis and your stakeholder environment—for example, regulated industries, product safety, executive misconduct, cybersecurity, labor issues, litigation, nonprofit controversies, or financial/investor crises.

3. Build a shortlist of 3–5

Good sourcing channels include:

• PRSA's professional network and Jobcenter for established PR/communications professionals.
• Referrals from your organization's outside counsel, CEO peers, board members, agency contacts and other senior communicators.
• Specialist crisis/reputation firms.
• Senior independent crisis consultants who have previously led communications at major agencies or corporations.

For an urgent situation, I'd favor direct referrals and specialist firms over posting a generic consultant search.

4. Interview them like an incident-response professional

Give each finalist the same abbreviated scenario—without unnecessarily revealing confidential information—and ask:

1. What would you do in the first two hours?
2. Who needs to be in the crisis team?
3. What information do you need before recommending a public statement?
4. What would you tell the CEO not to say?
5. How would you coordinate communications with legal?
6. How would you handle employees and customers versus the media?
7. How would you decide whether the CEO should be the spokesperson?
8. What would make you recommend saying nothing publicly?
9. How would you monitor whether the response is working?
10. What happens after the immediate crisis is contained?

A good consultant should bring structure to ambiguity rather than immediately jump to drafting a press release.

5. Test their executive-counsel skills

This is especially important for a PR Manager. You don't want someone who simply takes over your function.

Ask:

“Suppose the CEO wants to make a statement that you believe will make the situation worse. How do you handle that?” You're looking for someone capable of respectfully challenging senior executives, while working effectively with legal, HR and other functions. Crisis communication often requires balancing transparency and trust with legal and operational constraints.

6. Check references specifically for crisis behavior

Don't ask only, “Were they good?”

Ask former clients:

• Did they remain calm under pressure?
• Were they available when promised?
• Did they tell executives uncomfortable truths?
• Did they work well with attorneys?
• Did they protect confidential information?
• Did they make decisions based on evidence rather than media anxiety?
• Did they leave the internal team stronger?
• What happened when their initial recommendation turned out to be wrong?

That last question can be particularly revealing.

7. Get a very clear scope and fee structure

For an active crisis, consider separating the engagement into phases:

Phase 1 — Immediate response

• Situation assessment
• Crisis-team activation
• Stakeholder mapping
• Messaging
• Executive counsel
• Media response
• Monitoring

Phase 2 — Stabilization

• Ongoing media/social strategy
• Employee/customer communications
• Spokesperson preparation
• Reputation monitoring
• Stakeholder outreach

Phase 3 — Recovery

• Reputation rebuilding
• Post-crisis analysis
• Crisis-plan revisions
• Tabletop exercise
• Executive/media training

Ask whether fees are hourly, daily, retainer or project-based, and explicitly establish after-hours rates and availability.

A simple scoring matrix

I'd make actual crisis experience a gating criterion rather than allowing a low price or impressive credentials to compensate for its absence.

Also, don't over-index on credentials. An APR or crisis-communications certificate can be a positive signal, but it isn't a substitute for having sat in the room when an organization was under serious pressure. PRSA itself positions its crisis program as professional development for managers and senior communicators.

One important distinction

If the crisis involves potential criminal conduct, litigation, regulatory enforcement, securities issues, or serious allegations against an executive, have your outside counsel involved in the selection and operating model. You want the communications consultant and lawyers working together—not the consultant accidentally creating legal problems while trying to solve the reputational ones.

If you tell me what kind of crisis you're handling (e.g., executive misconduct, product issue, cyber incident, employee controversy, regulatory matter, social-media blowup) and roughly how large the organization is, I can give you a consultant-selection scorecard, interview questions, and a ready-to-send RFP/brief tailored to it.

Hiring a crisis communications consultant under pressure requires a fast, strategic, and laser-focused approach. When reputation and public trust are on the line, you don't have time for a lengthy agency courtship.

Here is a step-by-step guide to finding, vetting, and onboarding the right expert immediately:

• Identify the specific threat: Determine whether you are facing a data breach, executive misconduct, a lawsuit, regulatory investigation, or a hostile social media storm.

• Match the specialty: Find a consultant whose portfolio directly aligns with your crisis type. A litigious crisis requires someone with legal PR experience; an operational disaster requires an expert in rapid, localized stakeholder management.

• Reach out to peers: Call trusted PR peers, friendly journalists, or your corporate legal counsel immediately and ask for top-of-mind recommendations.

• Bypassing the RFP: Skip a formal Request for Proposal (RFP) process—it takes too long. Ask for 2-3 vetted names who can jump on a call within the hour.

• Assess availability: Confirm they or their firm have immediate capacity to dedicate bandwidth to your situation right now.

• Ask tough questions: Ask for examples of how they handled a similar high-pressure scenario, how they interface with legal counsel, and what their immediate first 24-hour playbook looks like.

• Check cultural and ego fit: You need a calm, authoritative advisor who complements your internal team rather than clashing with executive leadership.

• Back-channel quickly: If you don't have time for formal reference checks, lean heavily on your legal counsel or network to verify their discretion and effectiveness under fire.

• Assess confidentiality: Ensure they have robust protocols for handling sensitive, non-public information.

• Establish retainer parameters: Crisis work usually operates on an emergency retainer or rapid hourly rate. Ensure the billing structure and cap expectations are clear before work begins.

• Execute NDA immediately: Fast-track the non-disclosure agreement through your legal team so information can flow securely and transparently from minute one.

To help narrow down the immediate search, could you tell me:

• What type of crisis are you facing (legal, operational, executive, cyber)?
• Do you need someone to counsel leadership or handle media directly?

If you're already in a crisis, hire for speed and crisis-specific experience—not general PR credentials. You want someone who has actually sat in a war room, advised executives under pressure, and handled the media cycle when facts are still developing.

1. Define the problem before you call anyone

Give yourself a one-page brief covering:

• What happened: known facts, unknowns, and timeline.
• Who is affected: employees, customers, regulators, investors, community, etc.
• Current exposure: media inquiries, social activity, litigation/regulatory risk.
• What you need: immediate response, spokesperson coaching, media handling, internal communications, monitoring, reputation recovery, or all of the above.
• Availability required: e.g., immediate/on-call, nights/weekends, 24/7.
• Decision-makers: CEO, GC, HR, board, operations, etc.
• Budget authority: what you can approve immediately.

Don't wait for a beautifully polished brief. In a live crisis, a consultant should be able to help you structure the problem.

2. Look specifically for crisis specialists

A generalist PR consultant who says "crisis communications" on their website isn't necessarily a crisis specialist. Ask for recent, comparable crisis work and find out exactly what they personally did.

Good sourcing channels include:

• prsa.org, which includes a guide to selecting a PR firm or consultant.
• PRSA's professional network and agency/consultant search resources. PRSA says its search tool can filter communications providers by capabilities, industry, size, location and client experience, and can support RFPs.
• Trusted referrals from your outside counsel, other senior communications executives, industry associations, and CEOs who have actually experienced a crisis.
• Specialist crisis firms rather than simply the incumbent marketing/PR agency.

For a Houston/Texas crisis, I'd also prioritize people who understand the local media, regulatory and stakeholder environment if the crisis has a significant regional component.

3. Interview 3–5 candidates very quickly

Ask every candidate essentially the same questions:

1. "Tell me about the closest crisis you've handled to ours."

• What happened?
• What was your role?
• Who was the spokesperson?
• What did you do in the first 24 hours?
• What happened afterward?

2. "Who exactly would be working on our account?"

Get the names of the actual senior people. One warning sign is a senior consultant selling you and then handing the crisis to junior staff. Crisis-specific expertise needs to be present where the decisions are being made. Hennes Communications 3. "What would you do in our first three hours?"

This is probably your best interview question. You want to hear a structured approach involving facts, stakeholders, decision rights, messaging, monitoring, media response and executive alignment—not "let's get a press release out." 4. "How do you work with legal?"

You want someone comfortable operating alongside your GC/outside counsel without allowing legal review to turn every communication into something evasive or defensive. 5. "How do you handle an executive who wants to say something you think is a mistake?" 6. "What would you need from us immediately?" 7. "How do you measure whether the response is working?" 8. "Can I speak confidentially with two clients who have used you during an actual crisis?"

PRSA's current crisis guidance likewise emphasizes clear, factual and empathetic initial communications, preparation of Q&A, and matching the spokesperson to the crisis and audience.

4. Give them a short scenario

Rather than choosing based on chemistry alone, give finalists a sanitized version of your situation and ask for a 30-minute response discussion.

Don't ask them to solve your entire crisis for free. Ask:

"Based on what we've told you, walk us through your first 24 hours, the audiences you'd prioritize, the information you'd need, the likely communications risks, and how you'd organize the response team." You'll quickly see who thinks strategically versus who simply knows PR vocabulary.

5. Check references for the uncomfortable stuff

Don't just ask, "Were you happy?"

Ask references:

• Did they stay calm when things went badly?
• Were they available when you actually needed them?
• Did they tell executives things they didn't want to hear?
• Did they work effectively with legal?
• Did they understand the business, or just the media?
• Did the senior person you hired actually do the work?
• Did their advice get better as the crisis evolved?
• Would you hire them again for another crisis?

That last question is particularly revealing.

6. Get the commercial terms right

For an active crisis, clarify:

• hourly vs. project vs. retainer pricing;
• minimum commitment;
• emergency/night/weekend rates;
• travel;
• media monitoring/social listening costs;
• subcontractors;
• who owns work product;
• confidentiality and privilege arrangements with counsel;
• termination terms;
• exactly who is on call;
• response-time SLA.

If the crisis is likely to continue for weeks or months, negotiate two phases: immediate response and longer-term reputation recovery. Don't accidentally sign an expensive open-ended retainer before you know what you need.

7. Red flags

I'd hesitate if a consultant:

• can't give you specific comparable crisis examples;
• talks primarily about their media contacts;
• promises favorable coverage;
• immediately recommends a press release without understanding the facts;
• is unwilling to challenge management;
• can't explain how they work with legal;
• can't tell you who will actually be available at 2 a.m.;
• focuses on "controlling the narrative" rather than establishing credible facts;
• has lots of impressive brand/campaign work but little actual crisis experience.

One useful distinction: media relations is not crisis management. A person can be excellent at getting journalists' attention and still be poor at helping an organization make sound decisions under uncertainty.

A practical hiring scorecard

I'd weight candidates roughly like this:

The most important test: after 30 minutes with the finalist, do you trust this person to tell your CEO, "No—don't do that" at 1:00 a.m. when everyone else in the room is panicking?

If not, keep interviewing.

If you tell me what kind of crisis you're dealing with (product, executive misconduct, cyber/data, regulatory, employee, lawsuit, safety, social-media, etc.), whether it's already public, and your geography, I can help you build a shortlist of the right type of consultant and an interview/RFP scorecard tailored to it.

If you tell me what kind of crisis you're dealing with (product, executive misconduct, cyber/data, regulatory, employee, lawsuit, safety, social-media, etc.), whether it's already public, and your geography, I can help you build a shortlist of the right type of consultant and an interview/RFP scorecard tailored to it.

Hiring a crisis communications consultant during a high-pressure situation requires moving quickly while maintaining strict vetting standards. When the clock is ticking, follow these steps to secure the right external partner:

1. Define the immediate scope and determine what specific expertise you lack in-house—such as litigation PR, executive coaching, regulatory investigation response, or cyber breach management.
2. Activate your trusted network by reaching out immediately to agency peers, trusted legal counsel, or industry associations for confidential, vetted referrals.
3. Run a rapid-fire RFP or vetting call by asking candidates three non-negotiable questions: Have you handled this exact type of crisis? Who specifically from your firm will be on the ground? How quickly can you integrate with our internal legal and executive teams?
4. Check relevant case studies and references (focusing on discretion, speed, and outcome rather than just big-name brand association) while ensuring they have no conflicts of interest with your competitors or stakeholders.
5. Establish clear terms and speed-to-market fees , finalizing a retainer or project agreement with pre-cleared legal sign-off so they can begin working immediately.

If you'd like, tell me:

• What type of crisis you are managing (legal, executive misconduct, data breach, operational failure?)
• Whether you need a boutique specialist or a large global agency

I can help you tailor the vetting questions or narrow down the right profile.

When you are in the middle of a live crisis, hiring an external consultant isn't like a standard agency search—you don't have weeks for a leisurely RFP process. You need immediate, high-judgment horsepower that can integrate instantly with your legal team, C-suite, and internal PR crew.

Here is a fast, tactical playbook on how to vet, hire, and onboard a crisis communications consultant right now.

1. Tap trusted networks for immediate triage
   Skip general Google searches if the clock is ticking. Call trusted peers at peer companies, your corporate legal counsel, or industry association contacts and ask for two names of top-tier crisis counselors they’ve used in real combat. Speed and trusted pedigree matter more than a flashy portfolio.
2. Verify true crisis pedigree (Not just general PR)
   Many general PR agencies claim "crisis expertise" when it only makes up 10% to 20% of their actual business. Ask flat out: What percentage of your firm’s or your personal billable work is dedicated strictly to active crisis and issues management? You want someone who lives and breathes high-stakes reputational defense, litigation communications, or regulatory blowback—not someone whose primary focus is product launches or lifestyle PR.
3. Demand senior-level execution
   A classic bait-and-switch in agency life is pitching with the heavy-hitting senior partners and then executing the crisis with junior account coordinators. Insist on a contractual guarantee defining who will be on the daily account and what their specific background is in handling identical or closely related threats. You need gray hair and veteran media judgment in your war room, not learners.
4. Check legal compatibility
   A great crisis consultant doesn't work in a vacuum; they must know how to interface cleanly with your legal counsel without letting the lawyers choke off all necessary human communication. Ask the consultant to share a brief example of how they’ve successfully co-piloted a high-liability or legally sensitive narrative alongside defense attorneys.
5. Establish immediate logistics and terms
   Do not get bogged down in multi-week contract negotiations. Ask for an emergency retainer or an hourly "on-call" senior advisory agreement with a guaranteed response time (e.g., available 24/7 with a 1-to-2-hour call-back commitment). Clarify rates upfront, but prioritize immediate deployment over penny-pinching—a botched first 24 hours costs vastly more than a premium consultant fee.

To help narrow down the type of expertise you need right now, tell me:

• What is the nature of the crisis (e.g., legal/investigation, executive misconduct, data breach, operational disaster)?
• Is the story already public or is it an impending media inquiry?

If you’re hiring right now for an active crisis, optimize for someone who can plug in immediately—not necessarily the biggest PR agency. You want a senior crisis operator who has handled situations similar to yours and can work effectively with executives, legal, HR, and media.

1. Define exactly what you need

Before contacting consultants, write down:

• Crisis type: product issue, executive misconduct, cyber incident, regulatory matter, employee issue, activist campaign, etc.
• Current stage: emerging, breaking publicly, sustained coverage, or recovery.
• Audiences: employees, customers, regulators, investors, media, partners, community.
• Geography: local, national, or international.
• Services needed: strategy, media relations, executive counseling, spokesperson preparation, social monitoring, internal communications, stakeholder communications, or 24/7 response.
• Availability: immediate/on-call versus a longer-term engagement.
• Conflicts: competitors, clients, or other relationships that could prevent the consultant from representing you.

This matters because crisis response requires clear roles and rapid decision-making; PRSA specifically recommends establishing responsibilities among communications, legal, operations, HR, and executive leadership.

2. Find 3–5 credible candidates quickly

A good starting point is prsa.org. It lets you search agencies and consultants by communications expertise, industry, location, client experience, and other criteria, and supports RFQs/RFPs.

Also ask for confidential referrals from:

• Your outside counsel
• Other senior PR executives
• Your company's board/investor-relations network
• Industry associations
• Trusted PR agencies that don't have the right crisis capability

For an active crisis, I'd favor referrals plus a targeted PRSA search over posting a generic job description.

3. Screen for actual crisis experience

Don't be overly impressed by a consultant's general media-relations résumé. Ask:

"Tell me about the closest crisis you've personally led. What happened, what did you recommend in the first two hours, who disagreed with you, and what was the outcome?" Then probe:

• What was the first communication?
• How quickly did they establish facts?
• How did they handle incomplete or changing information?
• How did they work with lawyers without allowing legal review to paralyze communications?
• Did they counsel the CEO/executives directly?
• What did they tell the organization not to say?
• How did they handle employees and internal communications?
• What happened when the media narrative turned against the client?
• What measurable outcome did they achieve?

Look for someone who can explain decisions and tradeoffs, not merely list famous clients.

4. Test their judgment before hiring

Give your finalists a sanitized one-page description of your situation and ask for a 30-minute response discussion.

You aren't looking for a polished press release. You're testing whether they can:

1. Identify the biggest reputational risks.
2. Separate known facts from assumptions.
3. Identify the audiences that matter most.
4. Establish an immediate decision/approval structure.
5. Recommend what the company should do—not merely what it should say.
6. Identify the information they need from you.
7. Explain what they would do in the next 2, 6, and 24 hours.

That's especially important because effective crisis counseling is about helping leadership frame risk and make decisions, not simply producing messaging.

5. Check references aggressively

Ask for two or three references from clients who used them during a genuinely difficult situation, preferably situations comparable to yours.

Ask those references:

• Would you hire this person again in a crisis?
• Were they available when you actually needed them?
• Did they tell leadership uncomfortable things?
• How did they interact with legal?
• Did they make the situation calmer or more chaotic?
• Were they effective with the media?
• Did their strategy change as facts changed?
• What would you have wanted to know before hiring them?

6. Clarify the commercial arrangement

For an active crisis, get very clear about:

• Hourly/day rates versus retainer
• Minimum engagement
• Emergency/after-hours rates
• Travel
• Pass-through expenses
• Who actually does the work
• Availability and response-time commitments
• Whether subcontractors are used
• Termination rights
• Confidentiality
• Conflicts of interest
• Ownership of work product
• Whether communications with counsel can appropriately be structured within your legal team's framework

Don't assume a prestigious agency's senior partner will personally run the account. Put the actual crisis lead in the interview.

7. Look for these green flags

Strong candidate:

• Has personally led multiple high-pressure crises.
• Can demonstrate calm, decisive judgment.
• Is comfortable telling executives they're wrong.
• Understands legal, regulatory, employee, and reputational considerations.
• Can work with incomplete information.
• Has a credible media network relevant to your situation.
• Can coach spokespeople under pressure.
• Has a clear escalation and approval process.
• Talks about actions as well as communications.
• Is transparent about what they don't know.

A good spokesperson, for example, needs more than technical expertise: PRSA emphasizes calmness, empathy, transparency, and credibility under pressure.

A practical hiring structure

I'd run it as:

Today: Define the crisis, requirements, conflicts, and decision-makers.

Next few hours: Get 3–5 referrals/candidates and conduct 20-minute screens.

Then: Put 2–3 finalists through the same crisis scenario.

Same day: Check references and conflicts.

Then: Hire the person who demonstrates the best judgment and availability, not necessarily the person with the biggest résumé.

PRSA also has a specific guide for selecting PR firms and consultants through its Counselors Academy, which can be useful if you need to formalize the procurement process.

One important distinction: if this is an unfolding crisis, you don't need to wait for a conventional RFP. A short emergency engagement with a highly experienced crisis counselor can be followed by a more formal procurement process once the immediate situation is stabilized.

To hire a crisis communications consultant or specializedcrisis PR firm under active pressure, you must bypass standard agency vetting and immediately evaluate candidates on 24/7 availability, proven high-stakes experience with situations identical to yours, and the ability to integrate seamlessly with your legal counsel . Move fast by tapping trusted networks (such as referrals from corporate defense lawyers or industry peers), verifying that senior leadership—not junior account managers—will handle your account , and securing an immediate emergency retainer or flat-fee arrangement.

Immediate Vetting Checklist

• Relevant Track Record : Ask directly for case studies involving the exact flavor of your crisis (e.g., regulatory investigations, executive misconduct, data breaches, or active litigation). General PR experience does not equal crisis fluency.
• Senior-Level Execution : Confirm who is actually getting on the phone . In a severe crisis, you need firm principals or senior partners in the "war room," not delegated junior staff.
• Legal Alignment : Ensure the consultant understands how to protect public reputation without undercutting or creating friction with your corporate legal team.

Vetting Questions to Ask on the First Call

1. What percentage of your agency’s total revenue or workload is dedicated strictly to active crisis management versus long-term retainer PR?
2. Can you provide examples of how you handled a rapidly evolving narrative on social media and tier-1 news outlets under a tight deadline?
3. What is your protocol for working alongside outside legal counsel to coordinate public statements without triggering accidental admissions of liability?
4. Who specifically will be on our 24/7 response roster, and what is your guaranteed response time?

If you can share the nature of the crisis (e.g., legal, financial, executive, or operational) and your industry , I can help you outline an immediate internal/external messaging framework or suggest specific types of specialized agencies to target.

If you're hiring during an active crisis, optimize for speed, relevant crisis experience, and senior-level judgment, not a long agency-selection process.

1. Define exactly what you need

Before calling firms, write down:

• The crisis: what happened, what is known/unknown, and what's likely to happen next.
• Audiences: employees, customers, media, regulators, investors, community, etc.
• Scope: immediate response only, or also recovery/reputation rebuilding?
• Availability: do you need someone on-call 24/7?
• Geography: local media, national media, or international?
• Industry expertise: e.g., healthcare, financial services, technology, higher education, government.
• Legal sensitivity: whether litigation, regulatory investigation, or law enforcement is involved.

Don't hire someone merely because they call themselves a "crisis communications" expert. You want someone who has personally counseled executives through comparable crises. PRSA specifically recommends probing candidates about the actual decisions they made during their hardest crisis, rather than simply asking whether they've worked from a crisis plan.

2. Build a very short candidate list

Aim for 3–5 candidates, ideally from:

1. Your existing PR/agency network — ask trusted senior communicators for crisis-specific referrals.
2. PRSA's consultant/agency resources. PRSA's search tool allows organizations to filter communications providers by capabilities, industry, location, client experience and other criteria.
3. Specialist crisis firms rather than generalist PR agencies, particularly if this is a serious reputational, regulatory, litigation, product-safety, cybersecurity or executive-misconduct crisis.

For a Pennsylvania/Philadelphia-area organization, there are also regional specialists with national capabilities. For example, AKCG—Public Relations Counselors announced its 2026 acquisition of Hennes Communications, expanding its crisis planning, management, spokesperson training and media-relations capabilities.

3. Ask for evidence, not a glossy capabilities deck

In the first conversation, ask:

"Tell me about the closest crisis you've handled to ours. What was happening in the first 24 hours, what did you recommend the CEO do, what did you recommend they not do, and what was the outcome?"

Then ask:

• Who actually handled that account—the senior person I'm meeting or someone junior?
• What would you do in our first 60 minutes?
• What information would you need from us immediately?
• How do you work with legal counsel without letting legal considerations paralyze communications?
• Who is available nights/weekends?
• Have you handled hostile reporters, social-media escalation, leaks and executive scrutiny?
• Can you provide two recent client references involving comparable crises?
• What would make you advise us not to respond publicly?
• How do you measure whether the crisis response is working?

That last question matters. Modern communications hiring increasingly emphasizes measurable outcomes rather than simply counting media mentions.

4. Give finalists a realistic scenario

Don't ask them to solve your entire crisis for free. Give each finalist a 30-minute hypothetical:

"At 8:00 a.m., a damaging allegation appears online. By 9:00, two reporters have called. Employees are asking questions, the CEO wants to respond immediately, and legal hasn't established all the facts. Walk us through your first four hours."

Watch how they think.

A strong consultant should quickly establish:

facts → stakeholders → risk → decision authority → holding statement → spokesperson → media strategy → internal communications → monitoring → next update.

They should also be comfortable saying "we don't know yet" when the facts aren't established. Crisis guidance from PRSA emphasizes having roles, spokespeople, communication channels and a command structure established so the organization isn't improvising them during the emergency.

5. Check references very aggressively

Ask references:

• "What did this consultant do exceptionally well?"
• "Where did they struggle?"
• "Were they available when you actually needed them?"
• "Did they tell senior leadership things they didn't want to hear?"
• "Did they make the situation calmer or more complicated?"
• "Would you hire them again for a crisis?"

That last question is particularly revealing.

6. Nail down the engagement before signing

Your agreement should specify:

• named senior consultant(s)
• response-time commitment
• hours/on-call coverage
• deliverables
• media monitoring
• executive counseling
• spokesperson preparation
• internal communications
• social-media support
• coordination with legal
• confidentiality/privilege arrangements where appropriate
• hourly vs. fixed/project fees
• expenses
• termination terms

If lawyers are involved, have your counsel determine how the communications consultant should be engaged and whether any work can appropriately be conducted under counsel's direction. Don't assume that hiring the PR consultant through a lawyer automatically makes communications privileged.

A good hiring rule

I'd weight the decision roughly:

Don't make price the deciding factor. In a genuine crisis, the cost of the wrong advice can dwarf the consultant's fee.

And if you're already in the middle of the crisis, I'd skip a formal RFP. Call three highly qualified people today, brief them identically, run the scenario exercise, check references, and appoint the strongest senior counselor. PRSA's own guidance notes that organizations with internal PR teams frequently bring in external consultants for specialized strategic counsel or high-stakes projects.

If you tell me what kind of crisis you're managing (e.g., executive misconduct, product issue, cyberattack, regulatory investigation, social-media backlash) and roughly where the organization is located, I can also identify a shortlist of crisis communications firms/consultants that fit the situation and compare them.

If you're hiring for an active crisis, speed matters—but you still want enough diligence to avoid bringing in someone who is simply a generalist PR consultant with “crisis” on their website.

1. Define what you actually need

Separate the engagement into response and preparedness:

• Active crisis: situation assessment, stakeholder mapping, message development, media strategy, spokesperson coaching, monitoring, rapid-response drafting, and executive counsel.
• Preparedness: crisis plan, scenario playbooks, escalation protocols, media training, simulations/tabletops, and monitoring setup.
• Both: establish an on-call relationship before the next incident.

Also decide whether you need senior strategic counsel, hands-on execution, or both. A strong strategist isn't necessarily the person you want writing every response at 2 a.m.

2. Look for crisis-specific experience

I'd prioritize candidates who can demonstrate:

• Several real crises, not just routine reputation campaigns.
• Experience with crises similar to yours—e.g., executive misconduct, product safety, cyber incident, regulatory action, litigation, employee issues, activist pressure, or viral social controversy.
• Direct experience advising CEOs/executives and boards.
• Strong media relationships in the relevant sector.
• Ability to work alongside legal counsel without allowing legal review to paralyze communications.
• 24/7 or rapid-response availability if the situation requires it.
• Excellent judgment under incomplete information.

Ask them to walk you through two or three actual crises: What happened? What did you recommend? What did the client initially want to do? What changed? What was the outcome? What would you do differently?

Don't accept only polished case studies. You want to hear how they think when the facts are messy.

3. Get 3–5 candidates quickly

Your best sources are usually:

1. Trusted referrals from other senior communications executives, general counsel, or CEOs.
2. Your existing PR agency's crisis specialists, if applicable.
3. PRSA's agency and professional search tool, which lets you filter communications professionals by expertise, industry, location, experience and other criteria and supports RFQs/RFPs.
4. Specialist crisis/strategic communications firms.

For an urgent situation, I'd rather interview three highly qualified people today than run a six-week procurement exercise.

4. Give each candidate the same briefing

A one- to two-page brief is enough initially:

• What happened and when
• What is known vs. unknown
• Who knows about it
• Current/public exposure
• Key stakeholders
• Regulatory/legal considerations
• What has already been said
• What decisions are pending
• Your internal team and available resources
• Desired response time
• Expected engagement length

Be careful with sensitive information during the initial search. You don't need to disclose every confidential fact before you've established conflicts, confidentiality arrangements, and an appropriate engagement structure.

5. Ask these interview questions

I'd use questions like:

Experience

• “Tell me about the closest crisis you've handled to ours.”
• “What was your role personally?”
• “Who was the decision-maker you advised?”

Judgment

• “What would you want to know before recommending that we say anything publicly?”
• “When would you recommend not responding?”
• “How do you handle a situation where legal and communications advice conflict?”

Execution

• “Walk me through your first two hours.”
• “Who needs to be in the crisis room?”
• “What would you want from our team tonight?”

Media

• “How would you handle an aggressive reporter who has information we haven't confirmed?”
• “How do you decide whether the CEO, another executive, or nobody should be the spokesperson?”

Measurement

• “How will we know your advice is working?”

That last question matters: don't let them reduce success to impressions or media volume.

6. Check references aggressively

Ask for two or three former clients who used them during an actual crisis, preferably clients whose situations resemble yours.

Ask the references:

• Did they remain calm under pressure?
• Did they tell you things you didn't want to hear?
• Were they available when promised?
• Did their advice hold up after the facts changed?
• How did they interact with legal and executives?
• Were they actually doing the work, or was a junior team doing it?
• Would you hire them again during a serious crisis?

That last question is particularly revealing.

7. Nail down the commercial arrangement

For an active crisis, I'd clarify before signing:

• Named senior advisor
• Backup advisor
• Guaranteed response time
• Hours/availability
• Retainer vs. project fee vs. hourly
• Emergency/out-of-hours rates
• What work is included
• Travel expenses
• Media monitoring costs
• Cancellation/termination terms
• Confidentiality and data handling
• Conflicts of interest
• Who owns work product
• Whether subcontractors will be used

PRSA's own RFP materials provide a useful procurement framework: experience with similar projects, proposed personnel, methodology, timeline, budget, references, and terms are all reasonable things to request.

8. Watch for these red flags

I'd be cautious if a consultant:

• Promises they can “control the narrative.”
• Immediately recommends a public statement without understanding the facts.
• Can't articulate a specific crisis they've personally managed.
• Talks mostly about media contacts rather than judgment and stakeholder management.
• Has no clear process for working with legal.
• Won't identify the senior person who will actually be available.
• Has significant conflicts with competitors, regulators, plaintiffs, or other relevant parties.
• Wants a long-term retainer before understanding your situation.
• Can't explain what they would do in the first 30–60 minutes.

A practical hiring structure

For a crisis happening right now, I'd use:

Today: identify 3–5 specialists → 30-minute interviews → conflict checks → references
Within 24 hours: select one → execute NDA/engagement → establish crisis team and communications protocol
First 24–48 hours: situation assessment → stakeholder map → holding statement/key messages → spokesperson strategy → media/social monitoring → response scenarios
After stabilization: conduct a post-crisis review and decide whether to retain them for preparedness.

If this is an active crisis, tell me the broad category (e.g., cyberattack, executive misconduct, product issue, regulatory, employee, litigation, viral social) and whether you're looking for an individual consultant or an agency. I can help you build a shortlisting criteria and interview scorecard tailored to it.

Hiring a crisis communications consultant during an active or potential crisis requires a fast, highly targeted procurement process.

Steps to Hire a Crisis Communications Consultant

1. Define the Scope and Objectives
   • Immediate Need : Determine whether you need rapid-response containment (media leaks, active scandal) or strategic advisory (litigation support, long-term reputation rehabilitation).
   • Skill Alignment : Match the consultant’s specific background—such as cyber-attacks, executive misconduct, regulatory investigations, or financial restructuring—to the exact nature of your crisis.
2. Leverage Trusted and Confidential Networks
   • Industry Peers : Reach out confidentially to trusted colleagues or legal counsel at your firm to request vetted recommendations.
   • Specialized Agencies : Contact boutique crisis firms or specialized practices within major PR networks (e.g., Edelman, Finsbury Glover Hering/Longview, Kekst CNC) that maintain dedicated 24/7 crisis response teams.
3. Conduct an Accelerated Vetting Process
   • Relevant Experience : Ask candidates directly: "What similar 10M+ or high-profile crises have you handled in the past 24 months?"
   • Availability : Confirm that the lead consultant—not just the agency name—is actively hands-on and available 24 ÷ 7 for your timeline.
   • Conflict of Checks : Run immediate conflicts-of-interest checks through legal to ensure they do not represent opposing parties, competitors, or related entities.
4. Evaluate Cultural and Strategic Fit
   • Directness : Look for advisors who challenge executive assumptions rather than agree with everything you say.
   • Media Relationships : Assess their working relationships with key journalists, trade publications, or national desks relevant to your industry.
5. Finalize Terms and Retainer
   • Retainer Structure : Negotiate a clear emergency retainer covering an initial block of hours, with predetermined hourly or weekly overages.
   • Privilege Protection : Coordinate with corporate legal counsel to see if the crisis consultant can be retained under Kovel or attorney-client privilege, where applicable, to protect sensitive strategy discussions.

If you'd like, let me know:

• What type of crisis you are facing (e.g., data breach, executive issue, legal/regulatory action)
• Whether you need a solo independent consultant or a full agency team

I can help you outline specific vetting questions to ask candidates during your initial call.