Marketing Assistant Skills Interview
Author:
Haya Bakour, MSc I/OA Marketing Assistant interview assessing key skills required for success. We've also included a few motivation and values questions to help you make the best decisions about your candidates.
Focus area:
Question
1
Why are you interested in making a career move to our company as Marketing Assistant? How do you see this opportunity within the context of your career?
What does this question reveal?
Fit and motivation to join the company
Explore tips
- Is seeking an opportunity to grow by applying and developing multiple skills
- Wants to make a defined impact on others and the organization’s success
- Is motivated to add value to the company's culture and work environment
- Is passionate when discussing how this connects with their strengths/interests
Question
2
Imagine you are managing a team and you know that one employee dislikes a certain task. You need this task completed, and only this employee can take on the workload. How would you motivate them to perform the task well?
What does this question reveal?
Use transformational leadership
Explore tips
- Suggests informing the employee of available resources to assist with the task
- Suggests giving them autonomy and a say in how they complete the work
- Suggests praising their work in a related area
- Suggests telling them they believe in their ability to accomplish the task well
Question
3
What would you do if you were assigned a project to manage but lacked some of the skills or knowledge you needed to manage it?
What does this question reveal?
Implement novel solutions and have them embraced by others
Explore tips
- Suggests leveraging their network to quickly research unknown elements
- Generates multiple solutions to the problem
- Demonstrates eagerness to learn new skills/knowledge
- Is not afraid to take risks and exhibit initiative without gaining approval
Question
4
Describe a time you made improvements to a system or a process because you found it to be disorganized or not properly managed. What did you do and what was the outcome?
What does this question reveal?
Develop effective and efficient work systems and processes
Explore tips
- Describes the context and identifies why an improvement to the system was needed
- Clearly explains the improvements they made to the system and their impact
- Explains how they collaborated or communicated with others to achieve success
- Explains how they put systems in place to maintain organization of new system
Question
5
Describe your daily work routine for your previous job. Did you follow a specific process when organizing and scheduling your work?
What does this question reveal?
Organize work effectively and prioritize tasks
Explore tips
- Describes their previous daily work routine in a clear and comprehensive manner
- Discusses specific strategies they used to plan and maintain their routine
- Demonstrates multitasking strategies (creating a to-do list, prioritizing, etc.)
- Shares productivity tools/applications they used to effectively manage work
Question
6
Imagine you receive three urgent requests at the same time: 1) proofread a blog post that should already be live; 2) send out a reminder about a webinar that starts in an hour; and 3) call the CEO. What would you do?
What does this question reveal?
Balance competing, time-sensitive tasks
Explore tips
- Discusses assessing each task's importance and time-sensitivity
- Outlines how they would prioritize each task, with clear reasoning
- Shows commitment to completing all tasks as efficiently as possible
- Discusses managing expectations and asking for help if needed
Question
7
Think back to an incredibly busy work day where you had multiple tasks to do and competing priorities. What strategies did you employ to manage your day?
What does this question reveal?
Organize their workload and prioritize effectively
Explore tips
- Describes a day with multiple tasks; may identify unexpected conflicts/issues
- Shows an ability to remain calm while making plans to accomplish tasks
- Provides a logical and valid rationale to justify how they prioritized the work
- Shows they can effectively deal with conflicting issues under pressure
Question
8
Imagine you have to manage multiple social media accounts, blogs and websites for a business. What tools would you use to manage all the content, and how would you use them?
What does this question reveal?
Manage multiple content types, accounts and platforms
Explore tips
- Lists content management tools (e.g. Hootsuite, Buffer, etc.)
- Utilizes scheduling tools to post in advance in order to free up time
- Uses a content calendar to organize the multiple accounts and platforms
- References evidence/examples to justify why and where tools have been effective
Question
9
Imagine a scenario in which the company is launching [insert product], how will you plan a product launch on social media?
What does this question reveal?
Manage content for product launch
Explore tips
- Discuss product launch strategies including helpful tools, timelines, content approval, etc.
- References content management system (e.g., CMS platforms, Optimizely, Joomla)
- Makes considerations of target audience in content creation (e.g., market research)
- Set a timeline to frame the content strategy for prelaunch, launch day, and postlaunch
Question
10
How would you determine whether our [insert social media platform] content is effective? What metrics would you look at?
What does this question reveal?
Track content engagement with valid metrics
Explore tips
- Understands how to access insights on key social media platforms
- Discusses follower number, referral traffic, CTR, likes/comments/shares, etc.
- Discusses using social media measurement tools to understand insights
- Recognizes the importance of keeping content relevant, targeted and up to date
Question
11
Tell me about a time you were required to demonstrate your data analysis skills. What tools did you use?
What does this question reveal?
Conduct complex data analysis
Explore tips
- Discusses identifying trends and patterns and draws conclusions
- Demonstrates solid skills in quantitative and qualitative data analysis
- Discusses using data visualization to support content
- Discusses specific data analytics methods/tools that are relevant to their role
Question
12
Tell me about how you have worked with cross-functional teams in the past to successfully bring a marketing idea to life. How did you collaborate with teams, and why was it successful?
What does this question reveal?
Work effectively with key teams (e.g., design, engineering)
Explore tips
- Emphasizes the importance of synergy between key teams (design & engineering)
- Proactively holds roadmap sessions to align stakeholders and track progress
- Actively listens to others to solicit and incorporate ideas/feedback
- Communicates the business case for the idea to reinforce alignment in thinking
Question
13
Imagine you join the company as an Marketing Assistant. As a new member, what steps would you take to familiarize yourself with the team and other relevant units within the organization?
What does this question reveal?
Work/collaborate with existing teams and departments
Explore tips
- Exhibits a comprehensive understanding of team dynamics in an accountant role
- Discusses different units and departments that are related to the position
- Sees the importance of understanding how other roles relate to their own
- Exhibits motivation to communicate and cooperate with others
Question
14
Based on your past work history and professional experience, in what type of work environment were the happiest and most productive.
What does this question reveal?
Preferences for organizational culture and workstyle
Explore tips
- Discusses attributes that align with your organization
- References different organizational factors (people, place, work, etc.)
- Highlights the values that shaped the environment/culture
- Shares a story from past experience to support their claims
Question
15
What is one thing you wish I had asked you in our conversation today?
What does this question reveal?
Self-awareness of unique strengths and value-add
Explore tips
- Gives a response that is relevant to the role in question
- Justifies their suggestion by explaining their value-add
- Exhibits strengths that were not previously covered
