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Alternatives tips for preparing for a great interview.
16th November 2011
Preparation is key
Succeeding at interview is a result of two factors: the relevance of your experience and capabilities in relation to the position you are being interviewed for and your ability to market them well to the interviewers. Very few people are naturally good at interviewing so preparation is vital.
Review the Job Specification in depth. Know exactly what the role is about. Be very clear what it is the employer is looking to achieve from this role and what success within it looks like for them.
Conduct an in-depth background of the company and the role. Use the web, trade journals and any company literature that you can find. If the company has a customer care line, phone it to see what the customer experience is like. If the product is targeting a consumer market, check out retailers, their POS, promotions etc. Find out what agencies they use etc. Look at the company from expansion & growth – is there potential for future growth within their brands etc.
Know who you are meeting with, not just their name, but what their specific role is within the organization and if possible, where they have come from.
First impressions count
First impressions do last, so smile, give a good handshake (don’t take their arm off, but don’t be frail and weak with your hand). Be aware of your body language and stay relaxed. It is also very important to be dressed smartly, it is better to be over-dressed than under-dressed. Bring a notebook and pen and note occasional things of interest, if relevant.
Personality
Remember that the interviewer is not only assessing your skills and experience, but also whether he/she likes you, and above all, whether they think you'll fit in. It is important to try to develop a rapport with your interviewer - help put them at their ease too-without being over familiar. The more comfortable the interviewer feels with you, the better the interview will go. Maintain plenty of eye contact, be upbeat and energetic and be careful not to go on too much – watch for any signs of boredom on behalf of the interviewer.
Know your story
Firstly, know your CV inside out and be able to talk in detail about everything that is written on it. Avoid industry jargon. If you can’t do so, then the interviewer will be left wondering at worst if your CV is accurate and at best if you have not bothered to prepare. Either way you will not get a second interview.
Competency based interview frameworks
When interviewing for a marketing position, it is likely that you will be interviewed at some point by the hiring Marketing Manager or Director and a HR Manager. They will most likely use a competency based interview framework. Whilst you should not appear over-rehearsed, preparing these questions fully is key.
Competency based questions are deliberately constructed to eliminate waffle and require factual, evidence-based examples in your answers. You must illustrate your answers with examples of projects you have worked on. (See our article on core competency interviewing for more information on this)
Write down strong and compelling examples for all competencies. When preparing your answers one useful tool is the S.T.A.R acronym:
Situation – The context of the market
Task – The task that you are faced with
Action - The process you put in place to achieve the objective
Result - The (successful) outcome that you achieved
HR Focus: Competencies
The HR Manager will focus on a list of competency questions which will probe areas such as strategic ability, leadership, ability to prioritise, work under pressure etc. If you know that the interview will be conducted using a competency based framework then it is essential that you obtain a competency based questionnaire to prepare in advance of the interview. Write out your full answers to all the questions, ensuring that you answer the question with concrete examples of what the situation was, how you responded to the situation and what you achieved.
Marketing focus: Marketing experience
The Marketing Director is likely to focus on your marketing experience to probe the depth and range of your experience and in what way have you contributed to the success of your brand or company in the past? It is essential to know the basics such as the market share of your brand, budget spend, contribution, competitors...
If you are passionate about marketing than you should also be able to talk about the brands that have inspired you and your favourite TV ads or campaigns. If you can’t do so, you are simply not credible as a marketer. Research inside-out the company you are being interviewed by and be fully conversant about their brand or products and marketing campaigns.
The most effective marketer knows how to position his/her product and advertise all the benefits that are relevant to the needs of their target market. Similarly, to impress any future employer, you need to effectively market the benefits of you as a product, which in this case are your strengths, work experience, industry knowledge, contacts, skills, abilities and successes.
It is important for you to be relevant to the market you are talking to and highlight the key transferable skills you possess which will add significant value to a potential future employer. Remind yourself of what your core strengths and abilities are. Ask your friends to tell you what they see as your strengths and, if you think you can take it, your weaknesses - it helps to get an outsiders view on this and focus strategically going forward.
Listen to what it is you are being asked. Don’t assume the question before it has finished and jump into the answer without thinking about it.
Use the research and knowledge that you have about the role and the company. This will not only assure the interview that you know what you are talking about but it will also show that you really want the role.
Demonstrate your achievements
It is essential that you are able to demonstrate your achievements. They will distinguish you from the other candidates who may have similar experience to you. It is really important to distinguish the “I” from the “we”. You may have worked primarily in cross functional teams on cross functional projects, but what has been your unique contribution to each project? Tell the interviewer about you and your experience. Do not say “We did…” always describe your work as “I have done…” and give personal examples of your achievements.
When asked what achievements you are most proud of, answer chronologically backwards starting with your current position. If your proudest achievement was ten years ago, then your interviewer will wonder what you have been doing since then.
At the interview, be positive and enthusiastic about the job and the company. Enthusiasm can sometimes compensate for not possessing quite the right experience.
Priceless-passion and motivation
There are some things that money just cannot buy and a motivated individual can be priceless…it can be the compelling asset that makes the difference between you and a fellow candidate seeking that dream role. So wear your heart on your sleeve and show that passion when you do find the role you want.
Prepare questions to ask the client
Interviews are done not only to find out about you, but also for you to find out more about them!
Good questions will allow the prospective employer to gauge your suitability for their role, but importantly, it will allow you to ascertain if the role is right for you! But ask intelligent questions - the quality of your questions says a lot about you as a candidate.
The more experienced you are the more you need to prepare!
Senior Marketers please note: do not fall into the trap of thinking, because you are more experienced and have a fantastic CV that you can get away with less preparation. It may be obvious to you that you can do the job, it may also be obvious from your CV, but unless you can demonstrate that, with passion, during the interview then you will not secure the position. It may also be a while since you have interviewed for a position so you will need to prepare thoroughly.
Some don’ts
- Don’t enquire about salary or remuneration on first meeting; it gives the impression that you are only looking at the job for financial gain.
- Don’t make derogatory remarks or run down your current/previous employer.
- Don’t relax and rely on your resume / profile to do your selling for you. Surprisingly this is where a lot of people fall down!
- Don’t be evasive or appear arrogant, it is one sure-fire way of putting the interviewer off you!
And finally...
A lot of people can sell, present to clients and get a positive outcome from their meetings. They forget this when it comes to selling themselves!! If you are interested in the role let the company know that you are impressed with them and end with a strong positive statement about yourself and how much you want the role.
Be careful what you say after the interview when leaving the building. Don’t fall at this final hurdle with an off-hand comment-just stay professional right to the very end!
So in summary, for the interview
- Turn the brief inside out
- Revise your CV to highlight your fit for the role
- Research the company, products, competitor set, market context
- Prepare for a competency interview. Write down all your answers. Rehearse! Rehearse! Rehearse!
- Listen to and answer the questions asked
- Provide recent examples of achievements
- Distinguish the “I” from the “Team”.
- Demonstrate your passion and enthusiasm for the role
- Plan what you would do in the role
- Ask your own questions
- Share the real you
If you would like more interview advice or have any other questions that you would like our help on then please get in contact with out business managers on +353 (1) 661 8889 or email hello@alternatives.ie.
