Marketing Interview Questions & Answers

I was invited via email to attend a 1st interview after applying for the position through the company website (Over the moon!). I arrived half an hour early due to train times but was grateful for this time as it allowed me to collect my thoughts, take in the surroundings, the atmosphere and gave me an insight into the mundane activities at the headquarters (Pretty nosy but useful when deciding if this is a place you'd like to work). The Recruitment Adviser who had emailed me the invitation came to collect me and escorted me to an interview room where he and two senior members of the marketing team sat across a table ready to interview me. A little daunting- but that's the way it is I'm afraid!

They gave me the opportunity to briefly introduce myself, my employment history and why I was interested in this role. This was the easiest part as I was pretty sure of the answers! (I had to use all my efforts to keep them concise as rambling is a weakness of mine). They then went on to competency questions- these were more tricky but nothing I hadn't seen on practice questions online and examples were required for every one pretty much.

Luckily the atmosphere was relaxed and they were a very friendly panel.

The 2nd interview was a more in-depth repeat of the first interview and involved a task which I needed to prepare beforehand. They asked me to discuss my thought process when carrying out the task and asked a few questions. They were happy with the result and 3 days later I was offered the job! (I had to do a silent dance outside my office so as not to give anything away)

Why did you apply for this particular department as opposed to our other departments because it seems you have skills and experience more suited to some of the others? This question took me by surprise because, if I'm completely honest, I didn't really mind which department I worked for as they were all of interest to me!

I answered that I had used my skills in previous jobs and was keen to explore new and different areas, it seemed to go down well- lots of nodding.

-Arrive earlier than early (20-30 mins) to take in the working environment. This allows you to consider whether this it's a place you'd be happy to work. (It's not just about what they want but it's about what you want for your professional career!)

-When preparing answers to questions, always think of examples. Saying you are good at something is not good enough for them, you need to prove that you are

-Exaggerating the truth when it comes to experiences is okay but lying about skills is not. If you got the job on these grounds prepare to panic when they expect you to do things you've never done before!

-Lastly, try and find common ground with the interviewers, laugh at their jokes and always show a keen interest in what they're saying

I did not attend an assessment centre.

The initial phone interview consisted of asking me about my knowledge of the company, so what their business model was, how they generate income, what I like or maybe don't like about their service. They then proceeded to test my language skills since they were looking for someone with good Swedish language skills, and asked what I thought some of the trends in the Swedish market was, who their biggest competitors might be etc.
The face-to-face interview was with a woman in the Marketing department and a guy in the Commercial department. They handed me a piece of paper with a scenario on it, I got some time to read it through, and then they proceeded with asking me questions regarding how I would increase revenue, broaden the market and retain current customer base, all based on my own knowledge and the information on the paper.

Some of the Marketing questions regarding the scenario were difficult, since I suspected they wanted quite specific answers.

Research the company thoroughly, especially news coverage. Analyse what you think their strategy and business model is. Use their service, I did and when they asked me to tell them specifically what I liked about their service I could tell them what I thought since I'd used it. Be yourself, and don't think that you need to know everything. They'll be able to assess whether you have the right sort of thinking for the company by the questions that they ask and how you answer. By using a scenario instead of competency based questions, you might feel like you're thrown into the unknown, but it's good because they'll get a much better sense of who you are since you won't be able to practice your answers.

There was no assessment centre.

The first stage of the interview process was when I was invited in for a group interview, initially 15 people were selected for the group interviews as I was informed by my recruiter however only 6 people turned up on the day for the group interview.

We were sat in a board room and had informal presentations from the Head of Marketing and Events, Marketing Manager and current Marketing Executive to provide more information on Euromoney and Euromoney Conferences.

Following this we were then asked to interact with our partner sat next to us and after 3 minutes present back to the team as much information as we could remember about our partner. This was a fun and fairly informal exercise.

We were then asked to complete a general knowledge questionnaire of one A1 side consisting of a few numerical and general knowledge questions such as; capitals and currencies of different countries worldwide.

Following this we were then interviewed in different rooms one on one by the Marketing Manager and Marketing Executive. These interviews lasted around 20 minutes and I was asked about my passion for Euromoney Conferences, the events and marketing industry, my experience in marketing from previous jobs and what I could bring to the role. The questions were fairly generic and easy to prepare for.

Personally the most difficult questions I was asked were in the general knowledge questionnaire as this is not something I had anticipated or prepared for. Whereas, I had prepared for the generic interview questions of my passion for the business, industry experience, marketing capabilities etc.
The questionnaire was fairly informal but asked a wide range of questions about the G7 countries, which countries have the largest economy China, Japan or India? Which country used to be in the G8 but is not and has now formed the G7? What is the capital of Brazil, Thailand and Japan? What currency is used in China?

As Euromoney Conferences operates worldwide with international clients, sponsors and attendees it is important to this role to have a strong understanding of global issues.

Before interviewing with Euromoney Conferences make sure that you fully understand what Euromoney are all about and then understand the difference between their subsidiary Euromoney Conferences.
During the group panel board room the Head of Marketing and Marketing Manager presented to the group about what Euromoney Conferences involves. However, she was looking for contributions from the interviewees and asked the group questions about our knowledge and understanding of Euromoney. E.g. What do you currently understand about Euromoney? Who are our competitors? What sponsors do we use?

I was able to answer these questions posed to the group as I had completed considerable research before the interview. However, some group members remained very quiet during this informal discussion which did not leave a positive impression and noticeably these candidates were not invited to the second stage of the interviews.

Also, make sure that you are very well prepared for the one to one interviews to demonstrate your enthusiasm for marketing and events and give examples of your personal experience in the industry and how you can make a significant difference in this role.

As we were in a small group of only 6 candidates we remained in this group for most of the exercises e.g. during the presentations from the Head of Marketing and Marketing Manager.

We were then split into three groups of 2 and asked to interview our partner for 1.5 minutes each and try to find out as much about our partners life as possible e.g. their school/uni life, work experience, personal background etc. Then we were asked to present back to the group and members of staff as much as we could remember about our partner as possible. This exercise was fairly informal and although it seemed to test our memory it was focused more on our confidence in presenting to a group of people.

We were then asked to individually complete the general knowledge questionnaire. Once we completed the questionnaire we were then called for our one to one interviews with the Marketing Manager and Marketing Executive. Once this was complete we were free to leave the premises and the assessment morning was finished.

Interview process was split into two interviews. First was a one to one with the training/personnel manager, second interview was with two other managers. I was asked generic interview questions about strengths/weaknesses. What area do I think I need most improvement on? How previous employers would describe me. How my friends would describe me. Both time we went through my CV and I was asked to talk about different points/aspects. What I enjoyed about what I had done. Then I was asked what I would expect from employers. Which personalities did I work best with. Time management questions e.g. if I had 12 hours of work to do in a 12 hour day what would I do?
The 2nd interview was concluded with an Excel test and a Literacy test. Each taking half an hour.

Questions about how others perceived me were the most difficult. In previous interviews feedback suggested that I did not let enough of my own personality into my answers. So I struggled to find a balance between giving answered that reflected well on me and being more myself.

Both times the interviewers said that the interview was informal. So there is a less stressful atmosphere.I would suggest researching the company as in the second interview they asked how I would describe the company to others and what my initial impressions were.

Excel Test: Checking Data, Data Entry, Analysis

Literacy Test: Grammar, Spelling, Writing, E-mail, Tone of voice between co-workers and clients

I had a Skype interview with an employee who had worked in the same position I was applying for. Most of the interview was spent on explaining what the position would entail, what sort of experience I'd had with these aspects (e.g. Sales and Finance)and what my hopes were of the job. He asked me about my experience and interests, and what type of career path I envisioned for myself, and how this position would contribute to that. He was very well prepared, very clear with his information, and very friendly with his questions.

The most difficult question for me was what I imagined the Sales aspect of the job would entail. He admitted that the job opening wasn't very specific about the tasks you would be taking on, but I hadn't had any relevant experience in Sales, and had difficulty imagining how I'd tackle that part of the job.

Seeing as the actual job opening doesn't give too much information, I'd spent some time researching the company as well as looking at other job openings with a similar job title so see what tasks you'd be expected to take on. I personally didn't feel the job was for me after the interview, because I didn't expect how big a part Sales and Finance would be of the job, but I was grateful the interview did give me a clear picture of the job. I'd say to make a list of exactly what you want from a job, where you see this job taking you in terms of your ideal career, and what tasks you wouldn't see yourself doing. A list of strengths and weaknesses is also essential.

So far I've only had a Skype interview as I live abroad for the moment.

I received the request for my initial interview through my recruiters Pattersons (Abingdon). I attended the first interview which was conducted by two of the company's managers. The two ladies kindly welcomed me to sit down in an office away from the chaos of the sales room.
They began by asking me about the stage I was at at the the moment and they both had a copy of my CV in front of them. I explained I had finished university the week before and that this was my first interview. They were both very friendly and carried on asking about my work and how I felt it would help me in the role I had applied for.
I was asked how I deal with stress and how I go about prioritising tasks. I had brought examples of my work and was able to use an ipad to take them through the responsive designs of my websites. This first interview took a more conversational format rather than a quick fire question and answer session. I came away feeling calm and confident.

I was asked back for a second interview two weeks later to meet the head of marketing and to be shown the computers and the software they used. My meeting with the head of marketing was more intense, he was interested in the details of my past projects and I found myself explaining pieces of work that I had assumed he wouldn't want to know about. Although assertive he was also friendly and engaging. He asked about what I did in my free time and he then happily related to my hobbies and we were able to chat about badminton and the tennis. By the end it didn't feel as though I was in an interview at all.

In my second interview the head of marketing asked "Are you happy with dealing with both the creative side and the data management side?" I answered with "yes" but there was a silence in which I felt like they wanted me to expand on my answer. So I explained that I would appreciate the variety and would enjoy handling the data first hand, that it would make me feel like I was having an influence on the scope of the company.

Have examples of your work ready for instant viewing. Look them in the eye and talk about how you will/can help the company grow. Look enthusiastic about your surroundings. Remember that they're trying to impress you as well as the other way round.

The main task of the two interviews was the presenting of examples of my work. Before I arrived I had prepared several pieces on my Ipad to show them as I had been asked.

My telephone interview with Appetito was very relaxed which helped me feel comfortable. I was asked questions about my previous work experience, which allowed me to add more detail and divulge into my main responsibilities and what it had taught me. I was also asked a lot about the company including the history, current issues they are facing, location of each headquarters etc which I found challenging even though I had done extensive research beforehand.

I was asked: 'What de-motivates you?' - this definietly caught me off guard as did the question, 'What's your biggest mistake?'. I have undertaken numerous interviews for my placement year and a small number of graduate telephone interviews and have never been asked these two questions before so to think quickly on my feet.

My telephone interview lasted for a good 45-50 minutes so make sure you prepare answers based on your work experience as they follow your answers with further questions.
Also, I was asked a lot about the company - some of which I didn't know even though I had spent time preparing. Don't just use their website, try to delve deeper into the company by looking at the news and current issues they are facing in their environment.

I have only undertaken the telephone interview, numerical and verbal reasoning testing and further application questionning about my personality.

Interview was very informal and did not go by a structured set of questions. Interviewer was more interested in asking curve ball competency questions.
After interview was asked to do a simple maths test and then a personality questionnaire

Tell me about a time when you think you underperformed in a task and what you did after.

If applying for an analytical role, be prepared to give indepth details of previous quantitative projects you have done and how you did them.

There was no assessment centre.

I was contacted by a member of the graduate recruitment team who left me a message to arrange a time for the interview. When I called back she conducted the interview then rather than arranging another time so be prepared for this. When calling back I was not given a direct line to contact the person so had to go through the switchboard and be transferred several times before someone was able to put me through to the right place.
The interview lasted about 15-20 minutes and she started by explaining a bit more about the role and then asked some questions about the company and about the specific role. Then some competency questions about how I have demonstrated certain skills that they value at ovo.
Finally she finished with some more general questions eg. What's the most adventurous thing you've ever done and why?
Following this she told me that I would hear back from her within a week but it ended up taking about 3 weeks to hear anything back and I hadn't reached the assessment centre unfortunately.

Explain how you demonstrate the characteristics that we value eg bright, intuitive etc. she named about 5 traits and I panicked and started to answer and then forgot what all the characteristics were that she mentioned so didn't give a very relevant answer.

Read up on the role and how you'd be suited for it. Read up on the company and their values and think how you can demonstrate these.

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20-30 candidates for a range of internships, were brought in for 1.5 days of assessment and group exercises with a recruitment agency (The Spring Project), mostly to do with personal development. At the end of the last day we prepared presentation in a group and presented in front of the other candidates and a panel of line managers. I was not awarded an internship at the end of this process, however I was contacted by the recruitment company and asked to do a phone interview for a different internship within the company. I interviewed with the line manager and was offered the job that afternoon.

We were asked to rate our suitability to the positions compared to other candidates.

Be yourself and be honest about your abilities. They didn't want people who knew everything, rather they wanted people who showed that they were willing to listen and learn. I would also say don't be too disappointed if you don't get offered an internship during this process, as it is very competitive, and if you may a good impression they may contact you again for a slightly different role.

We were asked to prepare group presentations very quickly (less than 15mins) a number of times, about different subjects (Such as what makes a good intern). We also had to prepare a longer presentation about a specific attribute (My group was given Responsibility).