Tips to Prepare for a Digital Marketing Interview

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 appearance

Now, 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 research

A 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 interview

It 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 your

experiences”.

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 experience

If 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.