Marketing interview questions and the answers you need to know

​​Jump to a relevant section:

​​Marketing Job Interview Questions:

• Marketing Director

• Marketing Manager

• Marketing Executive

• Marketing Assistant

• Marketing Interview Questions to ask Employers

​Whether you’re planning for your next marketing interview or hiring your next employee, preparing for the marketing interview questions and understanding what is being asked of each will help streamline the interview. We’ll discuss some of the most common questions you could be asked both for general marketing jobs and for more specific roles such as Marketing Assistant, Director, Manager, or Executive.

We’ll cover why the questions are important, what the interviewer is looking for by asking the question and how you can give thoughtful, insightful responses that will help you ace the interview.

These questions can also be useful if you are hiring for marketing roles. Asking the right questions ensures that you hire the most qualified candidates who are the best fit for your growing team.

Here are some common questions that you may be asked when interviewing for any marketing role.

1. What do you consider to be the three most important skills for a marketing career?

This is a chance for you to describe skills you consider to be crucial for marketing. Good answers should strike a balance between hard and soft skills and should reference particular skills mentioned in the job description.

2. How did you get started in marketing?
   Take this opportunity to tell your story. This question is gauging your passion for the industry and is a way for you to show off your communication skills. What excites you about the industry? Did you have an inspiring mentor? Was there a particular campaign that impressed you?

3. How do you stay up to date with current marketing trends and knowledge?
   This question judges how enthusiastic you are about the industry and how committed you are to your professional and personal development. Talk about any industry blogs, podcasts, or newsletters you are subscribed to and any industry influencers you find inspiring.

4. How familiar are you with our company/clients/target market?
   Have you done your research beyond simply glancing through their website? Make sure you understand their placement within their industry, have looked at their current marketing channels including social media and press releases and know who they are marketing their products towards and how.

​

​

Questions for Marketing Directors will seek to establish your familiarity with various marketing techniques and tools, your experience and knowledge of the industry, and that you possess strong analytical, leadership, and management skills.

1. Describe a time when you worked on a project that involved cross-team collaboration. How did you prioritise workflow and ensure everyone delivered on time?
   Your answer should show your communication and leadership abilities as well as how you manage your own and others' time when under pressure.

2. What metrics do you track and how do you keep your team up-to-date with results?
   Good answers should show an understanding of the data collected from a variety of marketing techniques, the tools used to analyse this data, and what knowledge can be gleaned from them. The second part of the question gauges your communication and leadership skills.

3. Describe an occasion when a campaign was less than successful or required corrective action. What steps did you take to ensure the project got back on track?
   Your example should show how you handle failure as well as your ability to work under pressure. Be clear about the steps you took to change the outcome and how those steps affected results. This question also gauges your understanding of marketing techniques and how they work.

4. In your experience, what is the key to developing a strong and successful team?
   This is another question designed to assess your leadership abilities. You should mention any particular management style that you have and how you go about encouraging teamwork and building morale. You could also talk about any specific mentorship you have undertaken.

​

​

Marketing Managers will need to be highly organised, have experience conducting market research and managing a budget, be innovative, and be used to fast-paced work. The role will usually involve managing a team of executives and assistants so you will also need to show excellent leadership and communication skills.

1. What methods do you find most effective to appraise the performance of your team members and why?
   This is a question related to management style and communications skills. Describe your experience with performance appraisal techniques. You should also take the opportunity to show how you might deliver constructive feedback.

2. Describe an occasion when the demands of an ongoing project changed significantly. How did you ensure the project was successful?
   Use your answer to show how you work effectively under pressure and your ability to adapt your work at short notice. What steps did you take to redirect the project? Answers should also show how you used your understanding of marketing techniques to drive results.

3. Describe a new and innovative marketing tactic you have used recently. What did you learn from the experience?
   This question is judging your passion, creativity, and innovation as well as assesses your depth of knowledge. Your answer should also show how your experience of implementing a new tactic deepens your understanding of marketing. Talk about why this tactic was successful or why it failed.

4. Tell us about a time you had to deliver bad news to a client or stakeholder or deliver constructive feedback to a team member. How do you handle difficult discussions?
   This question is a chance to show your excellent communication skills, particularly when under pressure. Good answers should mention delivering bad feedback with respect, empathy, and clarity.

​

​

Marketing Executives need to be adaptable, have strong team-building skills, be on top of current marketing tools and trends as well as have strong editing and proofreading skills and excellent attention to detail.

1. What steps would you take when planning a new marketing campaign?
   Use your answer to show that you understand the end-to-end process of marketing campaigns with a focus on particular channels, processes, and techniques depending on the company's current marketing efforts or the job description.

2. Describe a time when you worked on a project with a team that had different values and ways of working for you? How did you manage the situation?
   This question is assessing your ability to work within a team and also build relationships within the wider company. Good answers will show that you communicate successfully, adapt your ways of working and build successful working relationships.

3. Describe a campaign that you worked on that did not meet its goals. Why was it unsuccessful and what would you do differently now?
   A good answer will show your understanding of marketing techniques, what went wrong and why as well as your ability to learn from mistakes and apply those lessons going forward.

4. How do you decide which marketing channels are the best fit for reaching a project's target audience?
   This is a chance to show off your knowledge of traditional and digital marketing channels and how you would go about assessing which one would best reach a particular target market. Good answers will discuss market research, show an understanding of the various channels available and give a strong example. Try to tailor your example to the customer profile of the company you are interviewing for.

​

​

Marketing Assistants offer support to other members of the marketing department and questions will be designed to discover excellent communication skills, be creative and display the drive and enthusiasm needed to see projects through.

1. Describe some marketing projects that you have been involved in. What was your role?
   Gauges your experience as well as your understanding of the role of a Marketing Assistant. If this is your first marketing role don’t worry! Try to find an example from elsewhere. Perhaps you have been involved in fundraising efforts at school or university or you may have engaged in marketing efforts at an earlier job.

2. Describe a time you received some criticism or negative feedback from a colleague or team leader? How did you handle this experience?
   Measures your communications skills, ability to receive critical feedback, and your adaptability. Are you able to take a negative and turn it into a positive and learn from your mistakes?

3. Describe an occasion in which you have managed multiple tasks on tight deadlines. What techniques or tools do you use to ensure that you are successful when managing your time?
   How well do you manage your time? Can you handle pressure and time-sensitive deadlines? Do you have an understanding of any requirements they may have during a crunch period? When you give your example try to show how your effective time management led to improved results.

4. What are some current trends that are increasing in popularity in marketing? What trends are declining?
   Shows your understanding of current trends and how they influence marketing activities. A detailed answer will also show your passion for marketing and that you are willing to engage in learning about the field.

​

​

Finally, let's look at some questions that you as a candidate can ask in your next marketing interview to ensure that the company is a good fit for you.

1. What unique challenges do you face in reaching and engaging with customers?
   This question will open some interesting avenues of discussion and tell you a lot about the dynamics of the company, their wider marketing priorities, and the market in which they are operating. Do their answers excite you? Does it seem challenging or engaging? Will you enjoy working in this environment?

2. How does the marketing team stay up to date? What training is available?
   Shows you are interested in your professional development and enthusiastic about deepening your understanding of marketing trends and techniques. It also tells you if the company will support and encourage you in developing your skills.

3. What are your most successful marketing strategies or channels?
   What is working well for the company? What strategies have they tried? Which have been successful and which have failed? Does this align with your skillset and your interests?

4. What is it about marketing that inspires you?
   It's always good to get a sense of what inspires and excites current members of the team. Are they passionate and enthusiastic about their job?
   You might also consider asking why they chose to work with the company themselves.

​

How can DMCG Global help?

Successful marketing teams start with talented individuals who collaborate effectively to drive performance and results. Our global talent consultancy at DMCG Global helps to quickly connect marketing agencies and brands with the right individuals anywhere on the planet. Whether you are looking for marketing professionals or your next role and would like a bespoke, high-quality recruitment service, our expert consultants will be happy to help. Get in touch below to find out more

​

​

​