Interview: Marketing Manager
Introduce your candidate to American Stone: the business, target markets as you understand them, and gross sales.
Pre-Interview Assessment
Review the Pre-Interview Assessment. Keep in mind that a high candidness score will lower all other scores; and the converse is true: a lower candidness score may inflate all other scores.
Find the aptitudes the applicant comes up short on and ask the recommended questions. Rank the applicant's responses.
Select an aptitude the candidate falls short on. Ask the recommended question(s).
Select an aptitude the candidate falls short on. Ask the recommended question(s).
Select an aptitude the candidate falls short on. Ask the recommended question(s).
Marketing Department of One
Answers to these questions should give you an idea of where your candidate is strong and whether they're weak. Also you'll see if they're creative enough to be able to handle working on a budget. (And you could get some good ideas for tricks you haven't tried). There are not really any correct answers to these questions. Hearing something you haven't heard before is a plus. Someone who expresses strengths in all of these -- sales, online strategies, an ability to track and build reports, and an aesthetic sense, indicates a better candidate.
Decide whether the individual presents themselves as a balance of salesperson and online, tech savvy geek; a balance is preferred.
On the questions about what activities should be subcontracted, generally these will be SMM activities, writing, stock images, graphic design (cheap on Fiverr). Not a good answer: if the candidate says they can do everything well, and that there'd be no need to subcontract.
In our small business, you'll be a marketing department of one. What challenges do you think this presents for you personally?
If you could work as a part of a team of three, what roles would you hire and what role would you keep?
Tell me what activities you think are the best use of your time, and what activies you think best subcontracted.
What efforts do you think are a waste of time and money that businesses rely on in vain? (Words mentioned)
Tell me something unique you think you'd have to offer no other marketing candidate would.
What no-cost or low-cost options for advertising do you see as key to leverage?
Market Target / Branding
As an answer to the question about your candidates "first step," they should answer something along the lines of studying our target marget and our sales. It's a strike against them if they immediately launch into specifics about what we should do without understanding who are target market is, or what market will render the most return.
What do you see as your first step if you are selected as our marketing manager? (check all mentioned)
What experience do you have with rebranding?
SEO and SMM
If necessary, tell the candidate to educate you in his/her responses and not give general answers; that way you can actually gauge they know what they're talking about. Responses with percentages and facts are preferable.