How To: Interview for a Marketing Position
Interviewing for a marketing position requires a good amount of creativity and tenacity to stand out from the crowd. Come prepared. Be curious. Ask plenty of questions about a potential new role and perhaps a company’s recent marketing activities to show how you think. We understand this isn’t easy, so Antenna has compiled an interviewing tips and tricks guide.
Preparation is key! Insider tip: find the company on Glassdoor, click “interviews” and find interview questions asked in the past for different roles. Visit SeekingAlpha.com to request alerts for updates about the company sent straight to your email, and search “(company name) Earnings Call” to hear about the company’s financial status and challenges. Create a Google Alert so that you receive articles and discussions about the company via email as soon as they’re published.
We’ve created a helpful worksheet on how to set yourself up for a successful in-person interview.
How to Prepare for a Video Interview
Video conference calls have quickly become a part of our day-to-day schedules whether we’re checking in with clients or connecting with new candidates. If you’re job searching, it may feel overwhelming if you’re not accustomed to doing video interviews. But don’t worry — we’ve got your back and have assembled the tips you need to ace your next video interview
Guide to the STAR Method
Here we've distilled our tips into a simple guide for how to share a compelling background of our accomplishments in an easy-to-understand way. No more rambling! If you do find yourself blanking during an interview, here’s what to say: “I’m really excited to be meeting with you, and I think I let that excitement get the best of me. Could you repeat your question to help me get back on track?” Re-labeling your emotions can actually help you feel differently, and this way you’ll come off cool and confident.
How to Win Your Phone Interview
Hone your storytelling skills to communicate clearly and confidently. Take advantage of the ability to reference notes you’ve made in preparation and enjoy the freedom from being seen to focus just on your voice. Here are a few things you shouldn’t say in a job interview.
Stand Out in Any Interview by Following One Rule
End your responses to interview questions with a question of your own. Example: “What is your leadership style?” “My leadership style is (answer), what types of leadership styles are most effective here?” Candidates who ask these types of questions show up well in interviews, and it gives you an opportunity to discuss and reframe your answer.
Negotiating Salary in An Interview
Research what similar employers in your area typically pay, give a range, and ask if they could make up the difference. Look at Glassdoor, Salary.com, and LinkedIn to see what these similar companies are paying. Make the lowest number in that range a salary you’d be excited to get.
Button Up Your Social Media Presence
Interestingly, employers look at social networks in all stages of the interview process. Data from an AdWeek survey shows that:
- 47% of employers look at a candidate’s social media profiles after receiving their application
- 27% check a candidate’s social media profiles after their first interview
- 15% check after their second interview with a candidate
- 4% check just before making a job offer
This means that even if your interview is successful, a poorly thought out Tweet from years ago or a Facebook party photo could be all it takes for you to miss out on receiving a job offer from the company.
Avoid missing out on great opportunities by cleaning up and polishing your social media presence before you begin the interview process. Adjust your Facebook account’s privacy settings so that anything aside from your name and location is invisible to non-friends.
Scan your Twitter feed and delete tweets that could affect your reputation. Check that your LinkedIn profile is up-to-date and reflective of your current skills. Google your name and scan the first two pages to make sure there’s nothing that could hurt your chances.
How to Answer the “Tell Me About Yourself” Question
Use the LOVE formula
Label – identify yourself in some way i.e. “student” or “marketer”
Origin – tell your origin story, how did you get here? Keep this short – 30 seconds max.
Value – what can you uniquely offer?
Engage – something that encourages conversation
Here is a handy worksheet to address this question from “Self-Made Millennial” Madeline Mann.
The Best Interview Questions You Can Ask
1. What does it mean to be a culture fit at this company?
2. What are some of your favorite things about working here?
3. What are the biggest challenges this company is facing, and how will this role help address them?
4. What does success look like in this role and how is it measured?
5. Do you foresee any challenges I may have if I am hired for this role?
6. How will my performance be measured so that we know I’m making progress towards these challenges?
7. What haven’t you asked that you would like to?
Make sure you follow up! Following up within 24 hours after a job interview is crucial. Make sure you stay ahead of the game with this downloadable ultimate email template.
Don't Forget the Basics
Before your interview, remember that the classic “rules” of applying for a job still apply:
- Be polite and introduce yourself to everyone you meet with the goal of making a great first impression.
- Dress well (always dress at or above the standard for the employer) so that you stand out as someone that takes the opportunity seriously. Doesn’t matter if it’s over Zoom or in person.
- Arrive (again, over Zoom or in person) for your interview on time (or preferably 10 to 15 minutes early) and bring extra copies of your CV and reference list with you.
- Avoid bad habits like slouching, fidgeting, chewing gum or mumbling. Meanwhile, focus on keeping great posture, maintaining eye contact and listening to your interviewer.
Need more? Here are some of the top websites and articles Antenna recommends for interviewing for a marketing position:
“Interview Questions to Ask Every Marketing Job Candidate” from LinkedIn Business
“10 Tips to Use for Your Next Marketing Interview” from Forbes
“7 Marketing Interview Questions and Answers” from Indeed
“7 Effective Interview Tips for Any Digital Marketing Job” from Digital Marketing Institute
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