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INTERVIEW 1

You’ve got a face-to-face interview coming up with a potential employer for a marketing position. You know where you’re going, who you’re meeting, and what you’re wearing. You’ve researched the company online, you checked out the interviewer on LinkedIn, and you’ve prepared answers to common interview questions. Are you ready? Not unless you’ve made a list of the questions you want to ask the interviewer!

At some point in every interview, the interviewer says, “what questions do you have for me?”  The worst thing you can do is come up emptyhanded by saying, “um, I think you’ve answered everything already” or “no, I think everything sounds great!” Asking several solid questions a) shows that you care enough about the opportunity to prepare and b) helps you create dialogue that set you apart from everyone else interviewing for the job.

Consider choosing a few of these marketing-focused questions for your next interview:

"Who do you sell to? Who is your ideal buyer?"

Marketing is fundamentally about reaching customers and getting them to buy from you. As long as a company has something to sell, marketing careers will exist. Your purpose in life as a marketer is to help your company sell something, so it’s important to understand the company’s target audience.

"What unique challenges do you have in reaching and engaging with customers?"

This question can spark some interesting dialogue about the dynamics the company faces when trying to reach their target audience. You might find that their market is very competitive. The company’s product might be new and educating the target audience might be a priority for marketing. Does the company have a specific geography or demographic that they target? 

"Can you describe your sales cycle? How about the typical customer journey?"

Marketing tactics vary widely based upon the length of the sales cycle. A longer cycle might require more marketing touch points and nurturing. If the sales cycle is short, capturing attention and being in the right place at the right time is critical. What journey does a customer take when deciding to purchase the company’s product or solution, and how does marketing support the journey?

"Who are your competitors? How does your company position itself and/or differentiate in the marketplace?"

If you do enough research, you might already know who the company competes against. You can then focus your conversation on differentiation. Does the company have clear differentiation? How does marketing support the differentiation strategy? What sort of market research takes place? How does the company monitor competitive activity?

"What are your most successful marketing strategies or channels?"  

What works best for the company? What channels deliver the best results? What channels or strategies has the company tried that didn’t work well?

"What tools do you use to support marketing? Does your company use marketing automation and if so, how?"

Marketing technology options become more numerous by the day. Is the company on the cutting edge when it comes to tools that support and enable marketing strategies?

"How does the marketing team track and report on results? What are the key analytics you evaluate to measure success? How do you communicate results to the business?"

How well does the marketing function tie activity to business results? How would your efforts be measured?

"What is the relationship like between marketing and sales?"

In some companies, the relationship between marketing and sales is tight and synergistic. In other company, the relationship can be strained or non-existent.

"How does the marketing team stay current? What training is available for the marketing team?"

Staying current and keeping your skills sharp has never been more important in marketing than it is right now. The marketing landscape evolves at a rapid pace. Does the company invest in marketing training?

"Why do you love marketing?"

It’s always more fun to work for a person who has passion and gets excited about marketing!

Remember ...

... an interview isn’t just about the company deciding if you’re a good fit for the job. It’s also about you deciding if the company is a good fit for you. Always grasp an opportunity to learn more and to show your enthusiasm for the job.

WUNDERLAND GROUP is a full-service staffing agency dedicated to client and talent success in the creative, digital, and marketing fields. Our experienced team is here and ready to start creating opportunities and connecting creative minds. View our jobs and apply today! 

 

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