Interview is the most important part of selection process for a marketing job. It's hard for the interviewer to believe that you can sell the product or do a good marketing job if you can't sell yourself. You must be persuasive, confident and well prepared for a marketing interview. Following tips will help you guide your preparation efforts for a marketing interview.
- Research
It's the first and one of the most important parts of the interview preparation. Find out all about the company and the post which you are applying for. In particular you should have some basic knowledge of the company such as its mission statement, role in industry, major products and services, major clients and partners, competitors in market, the advantages and disadvantages of the company over its competitor etc. You should also be aware of recent mentions of the company in news and identity of key personals in the company.
- Review Resume
Your resume should be updated, revised and optimized for the job you are applying for. Based on your research you should revise your resume to highlight the skills and achievements that are relevant to the job for which you are applying. Interviewer would not spend a lot of time on your resume and it should contain enough information about your skills and experience therefore your resume should neither be too long nor too short. Try to highlight and quantify your real world achievements in your resume.
- Prepare Answers
Make a list of expected questions and prepare their answers. Such questions may include those about your key skills regarding the job, why should they choose you over other candidates, why do you wish to fork for this company, where do you see yourself 5 years from now etc. The questions asked would depend on your experience as well. If you are a fresher these would focus on your knowledge, communication skills, ability to work in a team etc. On the other hand if you have previous experience it would focus on your past achievements and performance.
- Prepare Questions
After the interview is over you will be asked if you have any further questions. Never say that you don't have any. Have a list of questions that you'll want to ask the interviewer. These may include questions about your job responsibility, growth prospects, the last person who was on the job, etc. The purpose of these questions should be both to find out if the company and the job is right for you as well as to show your interest in the job.
- Sell Yourself
It's a marketing job you are applying for and you have to sell yourself to the interviewer. Be confidant and energetic. Bring samples of your previous work. Real world example and samples are much better than assumed ones. If you don't have any experience you can mention academic projects and voluntary works. When answering question, highlight your strengths and try to put a positive spin on your weaknesses. Be honest, but do not volunteer information that put your ability to perform the job in doubt.
- Documents
You should bring all relevant documents with you such as your academic certificates, documents regarding your identity, residence, previous work experience along with some selected samples of your previous work. All the documents should be organized and stored for easy access.
- Online Presence
Having a good online presence can be a deciding factor. Your presence on social networking sites such as Facebook, Orkut, Twitter etc can influence the selection decision. You can also create a personal, dedicated website if you are serious about online self presentation.
- Closing
First and last impressions are very important. Always remember to ask the interviewers if they have any concerns about your ability to perform well in the job. Also, you should enquire about the next step and thank them for giving you this opportunity. You should also send them a polite note or e-mail of this effect later.
The tips above are concerned primarily with interview for a marketing job, but they are true for most personal interviews, more or less unchanged. They are by no means comprehensive but can be valuable in guiding your preparation efforts.
