You can ask several questions to potential candidates when interviewing for marketing positions. However, due to limited time, you need to ask questions that get to the core of their skill set. Here is a list of essential interview questions for a marketing position.
What Do You Read to Keep Yourself Up-to-date?
The marketing field changes rapidly and marketers need to keep abreast with the most current landspace. It is important for you to know what they read and whether they put efforts to keep up with the change. Find out if they know about top marketing blogs in their domain.
What do they do after they find something has changed in marketing? For example, what changes have they made in marketing strategies after Google changed its algorithm. The answers to this question will help you know whether the candidate is up for the marketing challenges that await in the near future.
What Kind of Lead Generation Campaigns Get You Excited?
Every marketing campaign is unique, and does not generate similar types of leads. This fact makes this question interesting. The answer given by the candidate will help you learn how the candidate thinks about buyer journeys and how that journey could look for your products or services.
When you ask this question to a candidate, don’t expect an answer of how your marketing team generates leads. A good candidate would demonstrate his/her awareness of the topic and do some brainstorming on the spot which would mean some follow-up questions for you.
The candidate may ask you how qualified leads should be or how the leads are scored in a hypothetical campaign. It only shows the analytical thought process of the candidate which is a good thing.
What Are the Three Important Components of a Digital Marketing Strategy?
This is one of the important interview questions for a marketing position. Digital marketing strategy has many components, and you cannot limit to any specific number. The truth is there is no such right answer to this question.
But there are certain answers that go with the core objective of the question that is a grouping of components for developing a marketing strategy. Here are few sample answers that are right in the context:
· Landing pages for visitors to download more content, a blog with a call to action statements, or a well-defined social strategy.
· A good SEO strategy which also includes analytical tools to check its performance and a website chat option to connect with customers.
· Well-defined buyer personas and customer success strategy.
If the candidate answers something like “a Facebook page” but doesn’t give examples of how to use the page in the marketing strategy, then it indicates the candidate has limited knowledge that may hamper the success of marketing strategies.
Should We Explore All Inbound Marketing Channels?
Again there is no right answer for this question and truth is exploring everything would not guarantee success. The wisest answer for this question is you should not use them all but focus on elements that are important for prospective customers.
The candidate should speak about surveys or ways to collect information from the target customers before using any of these marketing elements.
What Is the Relationship Between Marketing and Sales?
The relationship between marketing and sales has evolved over the time, and they need to collaborate effectively to gain success. Marketing reaches potential customers and offers them knowledge about a company’s product and services through campaigns and promotions.
The nurturing of the customer leads to cycles where they keep coming back for more information and show interest in trying the product and service being offered. After the marketing department has reeled-in the leads, it is the responsibility of the sales team to close the lead with a successful sale.
The salesperson should be able to address the specific needs of the customer and provide a tailored solution. The sales and marketing team value each other and co-operation and co-ordination between these two departments are critical for success.
These interview questions for marketing position will help you understand how the candidates think specifically. You can balance the interview by adding some case-style questions that involve business situations.
Do you have any questions? Please feel free to comment.