Blog

In a time where it seems everyone is focused on marketing, why are some of the biggest companies restructuring to, effectively, remove their Chief Marketing Officers?In June, pharmaceutical giants Johnson & Johnson’s CMO decided to step down, having been in a successful capacity with the company for over six years. Rather than replacing like-for-like, they decided to remodel the business, in doing so, removing the role to pave way for a ‘Growth Marketing Officer’.They have followed suit of some fairly successful names, like Hyatt, Lyft and that little-known brand, Coca-Cola.It’s become, arguably, one of the hottest new C-Level roles, and certainly one for anyone in a senior marketing position to consider.So, what is a Growth Marketing Officer, and what makes them tick?Well, to put it in the most basic terms, a GMO (or CGO – ‘Chief Growth Officer’) is in charge of exactly what you’d expect: growth. Growing the company’s branding, branching out into new markets, just as you’d expect a marketing role to do. But growth focuses on some aspects you would perhaps ignore as a traditional ‘marketeer’.They will add value with things such as customer retention, they will usually be a data-driven individual, keeping an eye on revenue increase, and comfortable doing a lot of analytical work. Rather than using their experience in the industry, or ‘gut feeling’, they will now pick apart data trends; noticing that it’s not just ‘good marketing practice’ to schedule social media posts for a specific time, or day, but actually is rhyme and reason to it.The Growth Marketing Officer slice and dice data to figure out what strategy is in fact working for their brand.They will also be creatively minded; they will be the ones to say “let’s give it a try” rather than “we’ve never done it that way before”. They will not be afraid of something falling down, if it doesn’t work then they will try another way – always looking to open new doors.They will be responsible for overseeing the brand marketing, having to take charge of multiple projects at once – deadlines shouldn’t be something that scare them, but excite them.As the need for growth continues to evolve and grow (ironically), more and more companies and clients are hiring GMO’s it’s important to align all of the functions – creativity, data driven, unafraid of failure, able to multitask, and more – and hiring a Growth Marketing Officer who can deliver this is vital.Mike Thompsett, Global Marketing Manager at Adaptive Business Group said: “The world of marketing is forever changing, and we’ve noticed that large amounts of our clients are exploring new opportunities to keep up with it – it’s so important not to be left behind.”“Whether it’s for a new, exciting start up or an established tech company, it’s become an increasingly attractive position for CEOs to invest in. They need to ensure they are hiring in the right market to keep their company exploring new markets and continue in the right direction.”Adaptive Digital globally with a large focus on the US and EMEA markets for digital marketing and ecommerce professionals, filling roles with brands & agencies in more than 20 countries.To view Adaptive Digital’s full range of open jobs, click here.

Okay, so you think you’re ready for your next big interview?You’ve got a shiny new CV prepared, your best clothes are prepped and you’re ready to meet that hot new digital marketing agency you’ve had your eye on for a while.It’s a mixture of nervous and excited energy, right?Any kind of interview is a daunting experience, especially if you’re going for one in a field you have set your sights on, such as Digital Marketing. It’s one of the most competitive industries to go into in 2019, and there is a lot to learn.You’ve got new terminology to get to grips with, skills you’ll need to show off (or learn), questions you need to ask yourself – and answer! So, the team at Adaptive Digital has put together a guide to help you out ahead of your big interview .Above all, the main thing is to smash the preparation – you can never be too prepared. We’ve jotted down some of the most common things we advise candidates about as we look to get them in front of some of the best people in the game.1. Brush up your appearanceNow, we’re not talking about getting a haircut or getting your Sunday best out the wardrobe (although, it might help) – we mean your social media appearance. In the world we live in, it should come as no shock that recruiters and employers will do their research before employment. Data from an AdWeek survey shows that 47% of employers will check a candidate’s social media platform after receiving an application, and 27% will go ahead and check after first interview. Overall, it’s estimated that more than 90% of employers use tools such as Facebook and Twitter to do a background check.Maybe think twice about that bleary-eyed photo from the weekend or just improve your privacy settings that little bit more. Avoid any awkward questions, or the possibility of missing a golden opportunity, because of an inappropriate picture from University, or a sarcastic Tweet that could land you in hot water.2. Do your researchA no-brainer, right?You want to check over the company’s history, get to know the ins and outs of the hierarchy, know a bit more about who your possible new bosses could be.Check out any press coverage (be it good, or bad) that the company has had recently.Perhaps you are going for a job in crisis communication, knowledge on any bad press is likely to be high up on the employer’s wish list.If it’s a big tech company, check TechCrunch for a bit of insight. Also look at Glassdoor, and other platforms, to get a feel for the company culture.You could even go that one step further and watch a few videos on YouTube, or create a Google Alert so anytime they are mentioned in the news, or a new product is launched, you know about it!You can never be too informed about a company.They will be more impressed if you know what happened two years ago, than what happened two hours ago… think about it!3. Practice your interviewIt may sound daft or old fashioned, but we often find that the best way to prepare a candidate for an interview is to advise them to stand in front of the mirror and talk to themselves, reel off some of the ‘old faithful’ questions:"Where do you see yourself in five years’ time, what’s your dream job, describe any time you’ve had to overcome a challenge” etc.One of the first questions asked by either a recruiter or a client is often "tell me about yourexperiences”.So, get yourself really well versed with what you’ve done and what your experiences in the particular field are, and then say it over and over again!As Dua Lipa so famously sang: “Eat, sleep and breathe it, rehearse and repeat it…” In one way or another, you should be able to recite the speech better than singing your favourite song in the shower! If you want to think outside the box a bit more, or try looking at what hiring managers might be looking for, check out this article – HubSpot has put together a Top 10 Digital Marketing interview questions they ask, with some cheat-sheet answers. There are tonnes of articles out there, so be sure to check a few out before the big day! 4. Demonstrate experienceIf you’re speaking to one of our consultants at Adaptive Digital, they’ll know a lot about what their client is looking for, what they’re likely to look for in a candidate and what experiences they’ll expect you to have had. So utilise your consultant – ask them what they think!Have a real good look at the job description – if it says the client is after a candidate with experience in managing deadlines, think about any time you’ve had to juggle work and get it done on time. Are they looking for someone to lead a team? Oh, but you have no experience of doing so! Instead, think of a time you’ve had to manage someone. Even if it’s a workload, expectations, or team-building. Anything! If you can demonstrate experience or draw some kind of comparison, it’s better than saying nothing.5. Remember your manners!When all said and done, the ‘traditional’ interview rules still apply. Get there early, look sharp, shake hands, maintain eye contact, be polite, don’t slouch (sorry, do we sound like a parent?)Just be sure to do everything to the best of your ability, take pride in who you are and remember why you are there. If you’ve got this far, you’ve got something they are looking for – shine!Finally, don't panic!Interviews are stressful, yes, but they can also be enjoyable. If you maybe fluff your lines, or mess up a little bit, it’s okay. Put it down to experience, learn from it and go again. It’s not the end of the world and, after all, you’re going to smash it! Good luck!Adaptive Digital recruits across Europe and the USA for digital marketing and ecommerce professionals, filling roles with brands & agencies in more than 20 countries.To view Adaptive Digital’s full range of open jobs, click here.