Interviewing with a marketer is usually quite simple for most, and the key question for making a decision is the answer to the question “What experience as a marketer?”, And if the answer is quite long and meaningful, then the person is accepted.

If there was no experience, then you most likely refuse, or take a person purely on the basis of feelings, since there are not so many candidates from which you have to choose.

But in fact, it is better to do things differently from the beginning. How to find a marketer and what questions to ask at an interview is the topic of today's article.

There are many in my head...

When looking for a marketer in a company, a manager has a lot of questions in his head, but if you take them all and combine them, they will all sound something like this:

1. How to find a good marketer?
2. How to understand that he is intelligent?
3. What questions should be asked?
4. Which answers to the questions are considered correct?

You can find more detailed answers to the first two questions in our video, I highly recommend watching:

In general, this article is primarily aimed at managers (HR), so that they understand how to choose and what he should actually do, which ones.

Yes, this is a stone in the garden of the managerial link, or rather those who imagine not a marketer, but a business partner with a salary of 20 thousand rubles.

Well, somehow...

But of course, this information will be no less useful for marketers themselves, so that they understand what is expected of them and better prepare for interviews (a stone flies into the garden not for far-fetched reasons, but for quite real facts that we encounter weekly).

Instruction for managers

Let's do it. I'll start with the basics of hiring, which have been and continue to be ignored by most executives.

And all because without them there is simply no point in asking the right questions at the interview, since, one might say, there will be no one to interview ...

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We are adults and we understand that an interview is a sale. And the search for a good specialist (you don’t need another one?) - even more so.

Gone are the days when you could just post information on the Internet like: "Required marketer, call here." This does not work.

Moreover, I remember the desire of every manager to find a good specialist for little money (of course, you agree to pay him good money. But then ... when he shows himself. Well, in general, never).

You need to attract a specialist, just as you attract new customers through advertising.

Therefore, the first thing you need to do is to make a good, selling advertisement for a vacancy, in which you need to indicate your requirements for the applicant. Thereby:

1. You will remove unnecessary people and save your time;
2. Increase the likelihood of seeing a more professional specialist at the interview.

I understand that while I am writing not quite about the interview, but take your time, everything will be fine. We go further.

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Sell ​​your company

You need to sell your company in an interview. That is, to tell who you are, where you are moving, what plans you have in general.

To be honest, I'm not very sure that the CEO of some large international company will read my article (but I will believe it), so most likely your business is small or medium.

That is why you need to sell the idea that working in your company is not only profitable and stable ( keywords at the interview ;-)), but also damn cool.

Because a cool young team, because a specialist will be able to develop, because you pay for trainings (for example, with us), and in the end, because you have cookies.

Remember, a good marketer is a “creative” person, which means that he will not come into a driven framework and an oppressive atmosphere. And you have to choose the best of the worst.

I want

Well, now let's move on to the interview itself. Or rather, preparation. One of your most important tasks is to decide who you still want to see in your team:

1. The executor of your ideas (read - your hands);
2. A creative who will only come up with crazy ideas and implement them;
3. Universal soldier, otherwise - jack of all trades;
4. A marketer who will come up with ideas and others will implement them.

I can say right away - if you want to find a specialist who will deal with marketing around the clock, while still learning on your own and doing everything yourself, for example:

• not just to know what, but also to develop, typeset it yourself,
• not just to know the essence, but also to set up targeted advertising for you, to design all the pictures for posts;
• not only to know that the script should be in the company and what it affects, but also to write to you,

and even for a salary (naturally, not the most luxurious), then you can safely forget about it. If a person knows how and does all this, then it is easier for him to work for himself than for someone else. Therefore, do not think that a marketer should know and be able to do everything. Eg.

1. He must know what is technical task give to the programmer, but he himself should not do it;
2. He must know everything, but the contractors he has found must do this. Which, by the way, he will control and provide you with reports on their work;
3. He must find out what New Product is required by your customers, but a logistician, but not a marketer, should deal with its search and order;
4. And so on.

It seems to be logical and understandable, but ... "I have no money to support such a staff." Well then, do not be surprised that a specialist who was not assigned to his duties works slowly and inefficiently.

Because it is IMPOSSIBLE to know everything in marketing. Too big a sphere and at the same time very dynamically developing. For example, there are 12 of us in the team and we all learn from each other.

Important. If you think that this advice is only for beginner businessmen, then you are greatly mistaken. This applies to all companies, including large ones. And even now, many leaders are looking for a "jack of all trades."

Limits of responsibility

Consider the limits of his responsibility. Clear and understandable. “He will be engaged in marketing” is not the line of responsibility.

1. Will he be responsible for monitoring competitors and their prices?
2. What about internet marketing?
3. What about the development and creation of a new product?
4. What about bringing it to market?
5. What about pricing?

Based on this, it will become clearer to you what tasks to set for him and what to prescribe for him to evaluate the effectiveness of his work.

All this will help you not only create a more complete profile of the vacancy, but also understand who you are still looking for, both for yourself and for the specialist who will come to the vacancy.

Interview Questions

So we come to the most interesting thing, what tricky questions you need to ask in order to see the whole truth. And we will divide all questions into two blocks: theoretical and practical.

Theoretical block

Questions in any case are formed based on your needs, which we discussed above. Without them, nowhere.

And also, based on whether a beginner or an old man. Therefore, everything that is written below, adapt to yourself and the situation. And I also draw your attention to the fact that the questions are written in a chaotic order.

General issues :

1. Are you familiar with our company? (We check whether the person was preparing for the meeting at all or just goes to everyone in a row)
2. What is marketing for you? What do you think a marketer should do? (We pay attention to how much its representation coincides with your tasks)
3. How do you imagine your typical working day in this position, of course, after you adapt? (An alternative to the previous question, if you suddenly left the answer)
4. What trainings or books on marketing did you study?
   (Usually no one reads or passes anything, so the next question will help you)
5. Perhaps you read some specialized sites or groups in in social networks? If so, which ones?

   (Here it will immediately be clear whether it is developing at all or not. And if it develops, then in what direction. Usually we hear that these are pro groups)

6. Tell us about your activities in your last job as a marketer? (Ask in more detail to understand how really deeply he went into this, and does not speak for the sake of volume)
7. What were the results in the past work? (Moreover, ask not only about money, but also about conversion, ctr and other indicators)
8. Do you know what ROI/CTR/LTV is? ( Alternative question the previous one, in case you have a candidate without experience).
9. Where do you see yourself in a year/two/three years? (Often marketers are people who plan to open their own business in the future, take them or not, make your own decision)

Specialized Questions:

1. What's happened ?
2. What is it needed for ?
3. Name ten marketing tools
4. ? (Here, pay attention, the marketer thinks in the category of only attracting customers or categories and pricing, increasing the average check, returning customers, increasing loyalty)
5. What is better offline or online promotion?
   (A normal marketer will not say which is better, there are pros and cons everywhere)
6. What channels for attracting customers do you consider the most relevant now?
7. What is better vkontakte or facebook?
   (Also, like the previous question, there is no better one)
8. Why is it necessary to define target audience? What are the top 5 questions you ask to determine it?
9. What advertising models do you know?
10. How to increase average check Can you tell me some different options?

Thanks to this type of questions, you will understand whether the applicant understands or is just pretending.

Moreover, I draw your attention to the fact that many people understand it in a capped way and to find out, ask piercing questions like “What else?”, “How did you do it”, “What does it look like”, “Why did you choose it”, “Tell me more” .

Practice block

Theory is good. But better practice. One of our favorite and, I would say, universal questions will help you make a final decision either yes or no. And it looks like this:

“There is our company, our products/services and an unlimited advertising budget. Task: to attract customers and make sure that, at a minimum, advertising pays off to zero. What do you suggest?

According to the answers, you will understand whether a person is smart in practical marketing or is it just a naked theorist who has seen enough.

Important. Almost 8 out of 10 marketers immediately talk about discounts and this should alert you, because they will often reduce prices. A more thoughtful option instead of discounts is, for example, bonuses.

Instruction for marketers

Dear leaders, you should also read this to know how the ideal marketer should prepare for your meeting and by what criteria you can immediately understand that he is “yours”.

And now, dear marketer, I think you have already read the instructions for managers and are shocked. The impossible is expected of you, and even for such a small salary!

That's it, so that the salary is higher and you are valued more, and read the instructions for you.

I will not say that you need a selling resume with your achievements, courses and diplomas. This is all very necessary. You can just read about it in any other article about resumes.

Also, I will not tell you that the resume must be written without errors. This is what you should know.

But here's what you need to prepare for every interview - yes. Now I will explain what I mean. You need to research the potential employer. What kind of company is this, what does it do, how long has it been on the market, what is it famous for, who are the competitors.

You have no idea how important this information is for the head of the company who plans to hire you.

And what a huge plus you will earn if you devote 20-30 minutes of your time to this issue before the interview. This is important (even vital!) for 2 reasons:

1. You will understand whether it is worth working in such a company. High salary in the ad it does not always turn out to be so in reality and bad reviews on the Internet will dispel or confirm your doubts;
2. You will immediately establish yourself as a professional, thereby significantly increasing your expertise.

Just imagine the situation. You come to the interview and in the process you take out printed promotional products of the company, on which you begin to offer your edits to the manager, substantiating them with your knowledge.

And I'm already your employee

Speaking now as a manager, I would consider hiring such a specialist in the first place, even if his experience is insufficient.

Again, clothing appearance are important (I recalled a recent interview with a guy dressed in an outfit like from an Italian catwalk, and I'm not exaggerating), but still they don't take you by clothes.

Which will increase your chances of getting the next coveted position. Explore the customer acquisition methods your potential employer is currently using.

Write down what he does not use and ... at the right time, take this trump card out of your sleeve. Everyone is looking for new ways to attract customers, and managers even more so.

And if you also orient the manager about the costs of one or another method, he will definitely remember your candidacy.

Well, a list of questions, thanks to which you will understand a lot about the company and this will help you make the right choice:

1. To whom does the marketer or marketing department report?
2. How does the manager feel about marketing? Is it from the series “do something to attract customers” or is there a clear understanding and a certain strategy?
3. What tools have you already used, what worked, what didn't?
4. Does the company have a monthly marketing budget? And in what size?
5. And the most important thing! What are your responsibilities. And God forbid, show you that you can take on everything! Everything and more is thrown at you.

Briefly about the main

Now watch this video and cheer yourself up! Questions are questions, and no one has canceled stressful interviews 😉

And now a small summary of the article: to find a good marketer, I'll tell you, this is a whole quest. We will have to review more than a dozen, because, honestly, everyone and sundry go into marketing now, before such an offer was for an advertiser.

And the most interesting thing is that no one wants to study this “deeper”, they will pounce on chips and try to increase sales at the expense of them.

And we, as leaders, understand that without a good fundamental base, chips remain chips, and not tools for stable growth.

So never stop at the first marketer. If you have already taken up hiring, then approach according to the principle “can I see everyone?”.

Some time ago, a new topic of discussion appeared in the blogosphere: "Questions that are asked at Google in an interview."

As usual: it is not known how true this is, but for marketers there is the following list of questions:

1. Why do you want to work for Google?
2. What do you know about Google products and technologies?
3. If you are a Google's Adwords promotion manager, how do you plan to do it?
4. What would you say at an AdWords or AdSense seminar?
5. Who is Google's competitor(s), and how does Google compete with them?
6. Have you ever used Google products? gmail?
7. What do you think is a creative way to promote the Google brand and products?
8. If you were promoting Gmail, how would you achieve your goal of getting 100 million new users in 6 months?

As you can see, all questions, without exception, in one way or another are devoted to the company, its products and its future development. This is the case when you need to study closely enough what the company does, and even prepare a couple of your own ideas.

But do not think that everything is so simple! Questions for other positions include more than unexpected wording. Eg:

• How many golf balls can you fit in a school bus?
• How much would you charge to clean all the windows in Seattle?
• Imagine that you have shrunk down to a penny and entered a blender (coffee grinder). The blades will begin to rotate after 60 seconds. Your actions?
• If you are looking at a clock that says 3:15, what is the angle between the hour hand and the minute hand? (Answer: not 0)

What would you say? ;))

Comments (17) on the entry “What do they ask marketers at an interview at Google?”

Well, I already have answers for the first 8 questions;)

And as for the unexpected ... about golf balls, I would probably answer "a lot"

With windows, a normal commercial approach - we specify how many windows there are, take the time for 1 window, multiply by our time rate, add overhead costs ( detergents, transport, insurance for high-altitude work) :)

And with a blender, if you can’t get out of there in 60 seconds, it’s best to spend this time climbing onto the axis or onto one of the knives - they don’t intersect with each other ... that’s how I thought! ;)

Excellent post. Haven't read these in a long time. Solid specifics.

Google, like any company thinking about its promotion, is doing everything right. By asking such questions, firstly, you determine how loyal the applicant is to the company, how much he wants to work here, and secondly, you draw a huge number of new ideas (after all, no one will argue that over time the eye becomes dull, and it is not possible to take the entire number of job seekers ).

This kind of interview always reminds me of business show-offs. Talk only about yourself beloved (about the company), and when it comes down to it, they fire you. A vivid example of this is today's continuous dismissal of workers.

Regarding the latest replies. I would answer like this:

1. Full bus.

2. $10,000 per month.

3. I vowed not to drink so much more.

4. Electronic watches do not have arrows.

It is interesting to hear the response from the employer based on the results of the responses. ;))

Everything, pure water IMHO. ;))

4 the answer from the previous commenter is interesting, but you would not be hired) looking for easy ways to solve problems that are far wrong is clearly not the task of Google :)

• Seeking and finding easy ways in life is not the goal of man. Otherwise, life becomes uninteresting.

  It is best to overcome the difficulties created by the person himself and then receive medals, orders, awards. Otherwise, why get everything. ;))

In the last answers, in my opinion, it is not the numbers themselves that are important, but the demonstration of marketing thinking.

For example, about balls - a useless answer like "many" or "333 times 1/333 of the bus" :)

It would probably be better for the employer to insert an answer (at the interview of the applicant for the position of marketer) like - "as much as the fleet can buy" or "enough for all the local newspapers to write about it" :)

About windows - it’s trite to voice sums of money (even when bringing methods for calculating the total amount). The trick is not to earn one-time money, but to create a long-lasting service. Remember Google's strategies... It's probably better, after all, to talk about paying with some kind of long-term financial arrangements.

Although, perhaps, the question clarifies the creativity and ambition of the applicant for the position. In this case, a completely different tactic of answers ...

When the minute hand is at 15 minutes, the hour hand is shifted from 15 o'clock by ¼ of an hour, because there are 4 15 minutes in one hour. That is, the hour hand travels ¼ of the angle from five minutes in a quarter of an hour.

12 five minutes in one hour

one hour 360 degrees

one five-minute - 360/12 = 30 degrees.

30 degrees divided by 4 gives a 7.5 degree angle between the arrows.

About the blender - I will answer: And you imagine that I can jump cool or fly or control blenders. In general, I, an iron one-cent coin, don’t give a fuck about the blades of your blender. :) Why? Yes, because they will spin over my head :) and I will lie and look at their frantic rotation. A one-cent coin is flat and thin blades do not reach.

In the answer about windows - Am I going to Google for a window cleaner job? Hardly in Google there is such a vacancy. I won't wash windows. I'd rather go to Microsoft or Apple. :)

How many balloons can fit in a bus?

One is definitely possible if the bus is not a 1/100 model.

Two is possible, well, three too. Even alone :)

How to prepare for a marketing interview? This question is often asked by candidates for the vacancy of a marketer. This is especially true for applicants with experience and who want to show their professionalism at the interview. I have repeatedly had to interview with marketers. Some of the recommendations that I had to give to the candidates I liked in order to facilitate the passage of the next stage of the interview, with several stages of selection, are given below.

A lot has been written about general preparation for an interview, today I will talk about how to prepare for an interview that affects professional competencies. A marketer, especially if he already has significant experience, should focus on a company with classic marketing. Of course, there are options when, due to the market situation in which the company is located, the focus of the interview shifts in one direction or another. But it is always easier to move from understanding the general situation to the specifics of one of the areas of work of a marketer than to change the logic of the story during the interview.

If your future manager is a marketing professional, chances are he expects you to have the same systematic view of marketing that he has. The success of the interview depends on whether you can show the ability to take on the routine work of collecting and analyzing information to prepare decisions. And this, in turn, depends on the knowledge of those models that are used by the company's marketers, the ability to apply them and the logic of your reasoning when making marketing decisions.

Understanding Marketing

There are more than a thousand definitions of marketing, it is not necessary to know them all, but you should have your own understanding of marketing. How else can you show in which area you are an expert.

There is no universal definition that would be accepted by everyone. Nevertheless, the purpose of marketing is quite clear - marketing helps to increase the competitiveness of the company, and, consequently, its profitability, by understanding the consumer and using marketing tools.

If you want to show erudition - say that you agree with the definition of the American Marketing Association - "an organizational function and set of processes for the purpose of creating, promoting and communicating value to the consumer, as well as managing customer relationships, beneficial to all stakeholders."

Any business fits into a model adapted to marketing, D. Abel: To whom do we sell (consumers)? What do we sell (product)? How do we sell? (Technologies). Accordingly, it is convenient to talk about how you helped increase the company's profit by previous place work (and the question about your previous experience will probably be asked) in a similar vein.

• Show understanding of the client - how did the company build work with clients?
• Describe how you helped develop the company's product.
• Demonstrate an understanding of the company's market environment.
• Explain what marketing tools the company used to improve business results, and how you were involved in this.

Of course, in the company where you worked (or work), you could only be responsible for part of the functions of marketing, but this does not prevent you from showing a general understanding of marketing and its purpose. Accordingly, by telling who and how they solved them, and how you helped in fulfilling these tasks, you will show an understanding of the marketing tasks in the company and your experience in solving them.

Customer insight

The main thing that is expected of you is the ability to understand what the client needs in order to offer the best solution.
The easiest way to start is by describing the market (customers) in which the company operates. It will be a big plus if you can show how you estimated the market size. This is one of the difficult questions, the answer to which is best thought out in advance. Do not forget about the sources of information that you used. The argument “I think so” without justification will not work. It is unlikely that anyone will check you, unless, of course, you plan to work in the same market, they will rather evaluate your ability to use the information available.

The second difficult question that might be asked is how the company segmented its customers. Pair key points that you should pay attention to are segmentation goals and segment evaluation. Even if you didn’t personally do this in the company, take the trouble to understand why the company adopted such an approach.
Be prepared to describe the characteristics of your clients and their characteristics, as well as how you personally know how to work with clients, not in terms of personal selling (although this will also be a plus), but in order to understand how the company can be better for him .

Product Understanding

Strangely, some marketers at the interview can not talk about the products of the company they worked for. In my personal opinion, a marketer should understand the company's product, if not at the level of a technologist or engineer, then at least at the level good seller- Necessarily.

Therefore, be prepared to talk about the structure of the assortment and the main positions in each group. And most importantly, show how your products took into account the interests of those segments that you spoke about earlier. If you have experience working in a product development team (creating, improving, expanding the range, etc.), be sure to demonstrate it.

It is logical if talking about products, you will mention the main products of competitors with which you had to compete for the consumer. Tell us the key differences between your product and competitors' products. The more convincing your argument, the better impression you will make. This means that in a new market, you will be able to pick up arguments to distinguish the product from the competition.

Understanding the market environment

A marketer, like no one else, must understand the market environment in which the company operates.

Sometimes a marketer is at a loss when asked to describe the market in which the company operates, even more difficult when asked to portray it. In order to make it convenient to answer this question, you can use the scheme of distribution in distribution channels. Then you will not forget to tell about the main competitors, how sales are carried out in different segments and with which intermediaries the company works. If the company is an intermediary, then it is worth talking about the main suppliers operating in the market.

This scheme can be supplemented with M. Porter's model of intra-industry competition. In this case, along with suppliers, customers and competitors, one can touch on the topic of substitutes, as well as the problem of the emergence of new competitors if the market is characterized by low barriers to entry.

You talked about competitors' products and comparing them with the company's products earlier, but if you want to touch on some aspects in addition to show your strengths, for example, working with information about competitors, it is advisable to do this at this stage.

Most likely, there will be a question where you get the necessary information from - this is a good reason to focus on the ability to receive information when talking about the market. And not only from the Internet, but also when communicating with partners and employees of the sales department.

Proficiency with marketing tools

Actually, we come to the most important. Here you have to convince the interlocutor that you know how to benefit the company. Depending on the specific situation in the company you are interviewing for, your different skills may be in demand. What will be interesting for your potential manager to hear at the interview - how do you decide practical tasks or at least how you approach them. So try to prepare yourself to answer the following questions:

How did you help improve your company's product? Tell us how you work with your clients. What surveys were conducted. What conclusions and recommendations did you give and how did you justify them. This may apply not only to manufacturing companies, trading companies also optimize their assortment. And customer service plays an important role in the development of the company.

How did you participate in pricing? Marketers in Russian companies are not often responsible for pricing, but at a minimum, you should know how you controlled the price ratio between the prices of your company's products and the prices of competitors, and what pricing policy the company used, you should know. Just as you should be able to explain how the prices of your products were determined, even if it is a banal “cost + markup” method.

What was your assistance in the development of the sales network? In this case, the company is most interested in your experience in assessing the local market and preparing recommendations for partners. If you participated in the opening of branches or stores, be sure to tell us. Also, it is worth noting especially if this work was carried out constantly and you have typical developments.

Concerning promotion block, then companies can have completely different approaches, so rely on your real experience and see the reaction of the interlocutor. The most important point that you should definitely touch on is - evaluation of the effectiveness of the company's marketing communications. Few people are now interested in mastering the budget - tell us how the results of promotional activities were evaluated.

What I would like to draw attention to is that the work of sellers is directly related to marketing communications, remember that “direct sales” is part of the “promotion” block, so do not forget to talk about how you helped your sellers - preparing texts, presentations, etc. .P. directly related to the tasks of the marketer.

Of course, all of the above is just a canvas for your story. Most likely, the conversation interview will take place in dialogue, and the suggested hints will only help you emphasize your professionalism and show the facets of your experience in a way.

How to understand what kind of marketing in the company

How can a marketer understand what is really waiting for him in a company with which he is ready to associate several years of his life. In this, he can be helped by knowledge of the stages of development of marketing and the characteristics of companies at different stages of development. The list of tasks that a marketer will have to solve depends on this.

Analyzing the current situation in the labor market, one can clearly see an increase in the activity of applicants, caused by a decrease in the financial stability of companies. On the other hand, employers are happy to use the opportunity to attract professionals on more favorable terms. Each party in the negotiations strives to show its best side, at the same time, everyone would like to receive objective information About company. A marketer is no exception - when interviewing and getting a job, a specialist would like to understand

A marketer can partially answer this question by understanding the specifics of working in companies that are at different stages of development, corresponding to the marketing concepts that are described in each textbook. The marketer only needs to apply analytical skills and pay attention to the moments in the interview that allow him to assess what awaits him in the company.

Companies with production marketing

Companies that are at the stage of the concept of production marketing "in its purest form" are now almost never found. It is difficult to imagine that a company operating in a market where there is no competition, and demand is practically unlimited, will invite a marketer. Rather, the chief marketer in such a situation will be the director of production, concerned with increasing productivity. But in some cases, the emphasis on production marketing in companies is found. Sometimes the owners separate production and sales division into separate companies. For production, if it cannot meet the demand from the trading house, the problems of increasing productivity and reducing costs become relevant. And the marketer, if he is responsible for marketing in these two companies, and this is often the case, has to work on tasks related to production marketing in a manufacturing company. At the same time, in a company related to trade, the tasks may be different.

What points indicate that you will have to work in the key of the production marketing concept:

• There is a separate company that is engaged only in production, and sales go through one or a limited number of partners that are part of a single structure.
• Production cannot cope with the flow of orders for shipment.
• It speaks of the need to deal with the problems of production.
• The need to optimize the assortment is mentioned.

• Assortment optimization.
• Tasks related to product packaging.
• Release planning to increase the percentage of completion of shipment requests.
• Additional tasks related to production are possible, for example, increasing contribution margin, improving product quality, etc.

Sales marketing companies

Very often, the situation that a marketer will face is the company's concentration on sales marketing. In such companies, production is already established, the product or service cycle is provided, but there are constant problems with sales volume that does not meet the expectations of the owner or manager. At the same time, pricing is often in the hands of financial service, and the list of manufactured products has developed historically and is practically not subject to change. Quite often in such a situation there are companies for which "completely unexpectedly" there was a decline in sales. Yesterday everything was fine, but today the receipt of money is clearly not enough. Just at this stage, the question often arises of attracting a marketer, who, as they hope, will help solve sales problems.

What points indicate that you will have to work in the key of the sales marketing concept:

• The main task that is mentioned is the achievement of a given level of sales.
• Pricing and product management are functions of other departments.
• A company or a direction that will actually have to be dealt with at the start-up level, and before that there was no marketer in the company.
• The marketing budget is not defined, in this situation it is often formed on a residual basis.
• Functional reporting to the Head of Sales Department.
• If we are talking about a manager, often the title of the position is director of marketing and sales.

What are the main tasks to be solved:

• Helping sellers is perhaps the most important thing.
• For the B2B market - search for contacts for sellers. Formation of databases of potential clients, search for information about the client, etc.
• Preparing materials for clients commercial offers before presentations.
• Collection of information and analytics on customers and competitors.
• Price monitoring of competitors' offers, including their conditions of sale.
• Site support, if any, including independent writing of texts and everything related to attracting customers via the Internet.
• Development of promotional campaigns and placement of advertising (if there is a budget), as well as evaluation of their effectiveness.
• If we are talking about a manager, business planning will be additionally added, providing for the achievement of sales goals.

Companies focused on traditional marketing

Top management of companies, understanding that in modern conditions only a consumer-oriented company is competitive and uses all the marketing tools from the concept of traditional marketing for its success, they are found in Russia, although not as often as we would like. This is probably a great opportunity for a marketer to realize their potential. Often this large companies in which a marketing department is formed, but a similar situation can also be in small companies if the owner or CEO he himself professes the philosophy of marketing management.

What points indicate that you will have to work in the vein of the concept of classical marketing:

• Among the main tasks are not only the development of sales and promotion, but also pricing, as well as work to improve the product or assortment.
• When describing a company, you are provided with a significant amount of information about customers and competitors.
• It is mentioned that in the company all employees are focused on the client, of course, not to the detriment of profitability.
• Mentions of the company are easy to find on the Internet, and the company's website is aimed at the consumer, and does not resemble a dusty shop window with last year's news.
• Reporting directly to the head of the company.

What are the main tasks to be solved:

• Analysis of consumers, what they want, their requirements and attitudes towards products and the company itself. Segmentation and development of a marketing mix for each of the segments.
• Collection of information and analysis of the company's market environment, primarily competitors, and provision of forecasts of the situation for business planning. Development of marketing plans or, at least, preparation of information for company development plans.
• Work in all areas of marketing (4P), if the staff of the marketing department is small.

If the company develops, then there will be an opportunity to develop with it and solve many problems. It is better for a marketer to tune in in advance to be guided by the principle “if no one in the company knows how to solve a problem, the marketing department must find a solution.” (With)

The above examples do not claim to be complete. But even on such simple examples it is obvious that a marketer who understands the essence of the development of marketing concepts and their features will be able to understand what awaits him in the company even at certain moments of the interview.

“Greetings, dear reader of the blog about marketing. It's time to continue the series of articles for novice marketers. Last time, as part of this course, I focused on ways to find a job for all of us, our favorite position as a marketing manager. Today, we will talk about preparing for an interview for the vacancy of a marketer.

Preparation for an interview, in principle, is a necessary thing and in most cases does not depend on the chosen vacancy. However, a marketer is a position that requires not only knowledge, but also an originality of thinking, the ability to find non-standard solutions and a clear understanding of the work of the main processes. In this regard, a person without a certain potential is usually not taken to such a vacancy. And I'm not talking about experience now. I agree that experience is a necessary thing, but sometimes, the desire and desire to acquire it is much more important.

So, we have already found and chosen interesting companies in which I would like to be responsible for marketing. They didn't forget to create the perfect resume, and even sent it to potential employers. The answer was not long in coming, and an interview is scheduled for tomorrow. Half the work is done, it remains to make a good impression and the work is in our pocket. However, for this impression to be really good, careful preparation is needed.

Preparing for an interview is key.

We study the employer. Once an invitation has been received, it is essential to dedicate some time to researching the employer. Perhaps, if at the stage of choosing a company we carefully analyzed it, after the invitation we should not devote much time to this study, but it is still necessary to refresh the memory. In the course of the study, we pay attention to the history of the company's development, its achievements and, in fact, the field of activity. It will not be superfluous to find reviews about the company. We pay very close attention to marketing activities potential employer, what methods of promotion are used in the market. The Internet is simply irreplaceable for this. Studying the external image of the company, do not forget to fix the questions that have arisen for a substantive conversation at the interview.

The main thing is to sleep. Get a good night's sleep before the interview. Even if the employer is in the house next door, and the interview is scheduled for three in the afternoon, it is still better to go to bed early. This is necessary in order to look cheerful and happy at the interview. And it doesn’t matter that later you will sleep at work, due to chronic lack of sleep, the most important task- produce good first impression.

This is seen off by the mind, and met by clothes. Even if the company where you were invited for an interview does not have a dress code (at least go in shorts), we simply have to appear in the classics for the first interview. So, in the evening everything should be ironed and polished to a shine.

Whiskers, paws and tail - these are our documents. This principle does not apply here. Documents must be prepared in advance. Copies of diplomas, certificates, recommendations and a couple of copies of resumes are mandatory. You can, of course, postpone making copies for the last 15 minutes before the interview, but where is the guarantee that the photocopier in the neighboring building will work. And no one has canceled the law of meanness yet.

Location orientation. Even if in geography at school there was a solid five. Even if you have latest version GPS navigator in the phone. Even if you spent all your childhood with your grandmother in that area. Play it safe! Or, as detailed as possible (up to the number of poles, before turning), ask the staff member for directions. Or, even better, visit the company in advance. And it certainly does not hurt to lay at least 30 minutes plus the calculated time on the road (in case of force majeure). An example from life. Once I blew a pretty good job just because I couldn’t find the right house in a very familiar area and was late for an interview by 20 minutes. There I was told that because I didn't show up on time, the director went on vacation 5 minutes ago (he was supposed to be interviewing), and they approved another candidate.

Preparing for an interview, or what questions to ask.

Above I have given the key points of preparation for the interview. In fact, this way you can prepare for an interview for any vacancy. However, the vacancy of a marketer or marketing manager implies a certain attitude towards the company you are interested in. If the company is not interested, then you will not go to the interview (without extremes in life). And this attitude will be expressed by the questions that you ask at the interview.

No wonder I put employer research as the first point of key points. It is during the analysis of a potential employer that you should form certain questions. Below is a list of the most correct and important in terms of marketing:

• Who is responsible for the marketing department? The answers here may be a commercial director, a hired general director, an owner. Each has its own approach and tasks. For example, I have not yet met commercial directors who are happy to spend the company's money (their task is to save). The owner is also not a gift - he only has profit maximization on his mind (you can forget about experiments).
• What is the manager's attitude towards marketing in general? Also a key question. If the head of the company does not approve of any marketing ideas and believes that the marketing department is, in general, a useless fighting unit, but it’s just so fashionable (it’s unfortunate that there are still a lot of such managers in Russia), then there is a chance that your stay in the company will not be long.
• What does the word marketing mean in a company? I think there is no point in commenting. With this question, we want to understand what is expected of you as a marketer.
• What is the marketing budget? And does he exist at all? just eat a big difference(including in the tools used) between marketing for 100 thousand rubles a year and 100 million per month. Are you ready to take on this responsibility?
• What marketing tools this moment used in the company? This is also extremely important to know in advance. Does your experience or willingness to learn match these tools? In the first month of work, your incompetence will definitely emerge (it, like many things, does not sink ). However, you will have time to put maximum effort into studying this issue. Now, in principle, there is no shortage of sources of information. But the main thing is to know the direction of the search.
• What are the responsibilities of a marketer in a company? Here we just want to understand what will be entrusted to us, what the marketer should be responsible for and whether it will be interesting for us.

Perhaps these are the key questions that a marketer should ask at an interview. Naturally, no one excludes questions about the schedule, white salary and its level, benefits and the cost of the corporate pool. But this is all standard for any interview.

There is a subtle point, all of the above questions (perhaps, except for the first and last) are best asked to the leader. Firstly, he is more competent, and secondly, you can understand by his eyes where the truth is.

To be honest, I didn’t expect so much to come out, I hope I didn’t get tired of reading. At least, I tried to tell in as much detail as possible about the preparation for an interview for the position of a marketer. If you have any questions, I will be happy to answer them in the comments, write, ask. This is not the last article in the course of a young marketer, so I highly recommend subscribing to the updates of this blog (I described in detail how this can be done in this article). And that's all and successful marketing for all of us.

, ), all kinds, trainings, role-playing and business games.

When preparing an interview, the first thing to do is formulate goals, determine the type, type, form, method of conducting.

With a goal, as a rule, it is simple. It is necessary to determine whether the candidate meets the requirements or not.

But how to conduct an interview, what questions to ask depends on the preferences, experience of the HR manager and the characteristics of the declared vacancy.

Depending on the specialty, position, qualification requirements and practical experience candidate, it is possible to conduct in-depth testing, solve problematic problems, cases, use non-standard methods.

And for more information on how a HR officer is interviewed when applying for a job and what questions HR asks an applicant for the position of HR manager, read.

General issues

Whatever the interview in its structure, type and form, the main tool of the HR manager are questions.

There are a number of common questions that any specialist is asked during an interview:

Questions general allowing to obtain information about the identity of the candidate: education, work experience, marital status.

Questions forcing self-characterization, frankness: Addictions, hobbies, hobbies? What do you like or dislike about yourself? What annoys you about others? What act in your life are you proud of? What would you like to remember? What are you ashamed of?

Questions about the previous place of work (study) Q: Why did you decide to change jobs? Why quit? Do you keep in touch with former colleagues?

Issues related to motivation, ambitions, career and personal aspirations, claims: ? Plans for self-education? What is your ideal place to work? How do you feel about the irregular work schedule? What exactly do you expect from the company? What financial reward do you think is acceptable?

Candidate Testing

There are several types of testing used in interviews.

Smart Tests

Called to determine the features of the course of cognitive mental processes: thinking, perception, sensation, imagination, speech, attention, memory, consciousness.

They are selected in accordance with the requirements for the vacancy and represent a number of mathematical, verbal,.

personality tests

Tests to identify the features of the emotional and volitional spheres are carried out for candidates for positions associated with frequent interpersonal communication.

And also with the need to work with conflicting clients or in extreme situations, with the ability to take responsibility (Schulte's table, "Strategies for behavior in a conflict situation" by Thomas-Kilmenn).

Professional tests

Competency tests determine the level vocational training, qualifications, special skills .

As well as the ability to work with a PC, knowledge of foreign languages ​​(development of the Education Committee of the EAO).

Projective tasks, logical questions and cases

Projective questions

To collect truthful information, the candidate is offered to answer questions, answering which, without noticing it, he reveals his “true face”.

Why do you think the employee was delayed at work? The head went on a business trip, forgetting to leave the key to the closet with important documentation, what will his deputy do?

According to the British Association of HR Managers, 64% of applicants either provide incorrect information about themselves or are silent about facts that, in their opinion, may influence a decision not in their favor.

Logic tasks

Candidates for vacancies related to information technology, trade, management will also have to solve logical problems.

They will allow the interviewer to imagine the candidate's behavior in non-standard situations, to assess his ability to solve problems with several unknowns or variables.

Cases

They are situational tasks..

The applicant must find a way out of the described situation based on his experience: The client was late for an appointment for half an hour and spilled a cup of coffee on another visitor at the entrance. Your actions?

When solving cases, the model of the applicant's behavior in stressful and conflict situations, the ability to control himself is clearly visible.

Features of conducting with applicants for various specialties

In addition to common questions for all applicants, tests that form the basis of any interview, managers prepare special questions, tasks, tests related directly to the position for which the candidate is applying.

Read more about how to pass a job interview correctly.

Marketer

How is the marketing interview going? First of all, you need to be ready to answer questions and solve problems related to general terms marketing, product promotion, pricing, evaluation of the effectiveness of the company's marketing policy.

The employer will be interested in the ability to collect, process and analyze information, think logically, make decisions.

What a marketer should know in an interview:

• what definition of marketing is closest to you;
• give a forecast for the promotion of goods in the regional market;
• what is a SWOT analysis;
• give examples of successful use of an umbrella brand.

• intelligence structure test by Rudolf Amthauer;
• trade understanding test.

Jewelry store or clothing store worker

Often applicants for new job ask the question: how to pass an interview in a clothing store or how to pass an interview in a jewelry store? When applying for a job in a clothing store or a jewelry store for any vacancy - a cashier, a manager, you must carefully consider, think over.

It is worth knowing the world's leading brands, fashion trends.

It is advisable to first familiarize yourself with the assortment, rehearse situations for the presentation and selection of goods, your behavior in the event of unfair claims.

The ability to use the necessary equipment, maintain documentation is welcome.

Questions to the seller of the jewelry store:

• what types of weaving chains exist;
• choose earrings, a bracelet that matches the design and style of this pendant;
• talk about the latest fashion trends for youth jewelry.

Tests:

• methodology "TEMP-sales";
• test of the orientational style of professional communication by A. V. Morozova.

Questions to the seller of the clothing store:

• what colors will be relevant this fall or winter;
• determine the size that suits this client;
• what silhouette dress would you recommend for a full customer to choose;
• what is a print?

Tests:

• test “Ideal wardrobe” by Yulia Dobrovolskaya;

Engineer

The interview for the chief engineer is most often carried out according to the following algorithm: after answering the general issues, the applicant will be offered to pass an intellectual, professional testing. You will have to demonstrate the ability to work with a PC, answer questions related to working with equipment, talk about previous work, participation in projects.

Questions to the engineer:

• How does quantitative analysis differ from qualitative analysis?
• evaluate your level of Excel, World, MagiCAD, AutoCAD and their analogues;
• Describe your most successful project and unsuccessful one.

Tests:

• test questionnaire Bennett (George K. Bennett - Mechanical Comprehension Test);

Labor protection engineer

Candidates need to rethink job descriptions refresh your memory regulations, OSH legislation.

Get familiar with the specifics of the company.

At the interview, they may be asked to take a test or solve problems that reveal the type of behavior in conflict situations, demonstrating the skills of effective interpersonal interaction.

An example of an interview for an occupational safety engineer, questions for him:

• name the main legal acts on labor protection;
• what restrictions exist when performing these works for women;
• how would you organize the process of labor protection at our enterprise.

car dealership worker

How to pass an interview at a car dealership? When hiring for a car dealership, HR managers pay attention to appearance, sales experience, competent speech, courtesy, and competence.

Interview at the dealership, questions:

• what problems did you have same place work;
• Describe the features of this car model.

Read more about how to pass and pass a successful interview for a sales manager and how to conduct it, read in.

Designer

Must impress the interviewer with his portfolio, ability to work in graphic programs, creative thinking.

In addition, the employer is likely to be interested in what the candidate knows about their product, why he loves it, what ways he sees to improve it, why he wants to work in this particular company.

Interview for a designer, questions:

• advantages of processing raster images in the Lab color model;
• in which graphic editor do you prefer to work;
• which creative projects you hope to realize by working with us.

Tests:

• visual-figurative test of the IQ of G. Eysenck;

Estimator

The best way to choose a good estimator is to offer him to perform a specific real task.

The estimator must have flexible thinking, good memory, attention to detail, be able to work with current and regulatory documentation, and communicate with customers.

Interview questions for the estimator:

• calculate the approximate cost of this work;
• describe the procedure for writing off materials;
• Describe the most difficult task you have ever had to complete.

Tests:

• numerical test of the IQ by G. Eysenck;
• methodology for determining stress tolerance and motivation (Schulte Tables).

Call center operator

An interview in a call center can be somewhat different from the usual. The requirements put forward can vary greatly in different companies, but there are also general norms: the optimal pace of speech, a pleasant timbre of voice, competent and clear speech, knowledge of speech etiquette, the ability to manage one's emotions, tolerance, and flexible thinking.

Questions to the call center operator:

• you call the client, your first phrase;
• What do you like to do most in your free time?
• What attracts you in the work of the operator.

Tests:

• voice test;
• diagnostics of the speaker's psychological qualities by oral speech A. A. Zhuravleva, S. L. Koval.

logistician

They prefer to see a specialist with specialized education and at least three years of experience.

Knowledge of a foreign language is desirable various kinds transportation, warehouse and procurement logistics, the ability and skills to negotiate with drivers and contractors.

Logistics interview questions:

• the driver did not come to work, your actions;
• what documents need to be issued upon receipt of goods at the warehouse;
• What are the criteria for assessing traffic?

Tests:

• G. Eysenck's IQ test;
• test for interpersonal relationships in the BodySays Group team modified by NV Grishina.

Cook

Be sure to ask at the interview questions about education, specialization, previous place of work.

Often they offer to demonstrate the ability to own kitchen appliances, cook or tell the recipe for a particular dish.

Interview questions for a chef:

• what modern means for the care of kitchen appliances do you know;
• make a menu for a dietary lunch;
• make an approximate calculation of the dish.

Tests:

Test tasks for the profession of the Education Committee of the EAO.

Chef

The boss should also prepare for projective questions or cases to identify the ability to get along with management, create an effective team, to accept the mission and traditions of the organization.

Interview questions for a chef:

• do you have any recommendations;
• what cuisine do you specialize in;
• What are your top priorities if you get this job?

Cashier

The duties of a cashier in a bank, store, factory differ significantly, but at the interview they always check information about qualifications and work experience.

Interview with a cashier, questions and scheme: motivation and interest in this position, diligence, attentiveness, perseverance, decency, communication are evaluated.

What questions are asked at the interview to the cashier:

• you noticed that your colleague is cheating, your actions;
• what security marks are on banknotes in denominations of 100 rubles;
• What do you know about our organization?

Tests:

• method "Account according to Kraepelin";
• Gorbov test for concentration.

Storekeeper

HP managers are interested in work experience, the opportunity to work overtime, flexible schedule, the ability to work with specialized computer programs.

Interview questions for a warehouse manager:

• How do you feel about cheating?
• to theft;
• in what situations it is possible not to repay a debt (loan);
• How will you take inventory?
• What will you do if there is a shortage?

Tests:

Gorbov's technique for the selectivity of attention. Test for responsible attitude to work.

Cafe worker

Many are surprised that when applying for a job in a cafe, they also have to undergo a full-fledged interview.

During an interview in a cafe, the applicant for the position will be offered to smile, invite a guest to a cafe, show a table, place an order, and demonstrate behavior in a conflict situation. The interviewer is interested in working capacity, physical endurance, politeness.

Questions to the cafe worker:

• what kind of people do you like? Describe your ideal client;
• What do you think service is?
• why do you think the visitor came to our cafe.

Merchandiser (merchandiser)

The merchandiser's interview is not much different from others, but it also has its own specifics. Employers are sure to be interested in his education, work experience in the specialty.

A merchandiser must be able to collect and analyze information about the availability of goods, build a workflow, work with suppliers and sellers.

From personal qualities discipline, responsibility, communication skills are in demand.

Merchandiser interview questions:

• there is not enough goods in the store, your actions;
• what is merchandising;
• give recommendations on the design of the trading floor.

Tests:

• methodology for diagnosing the assessment of self-control in communication by M. Snyder;
• commercial test.

Courier

To some extent, he is the face of the company, therefore, at the interview, first of all, his appearance, demeanor, literacy of speech, and knowledge of etiquette are evaluated.

A good knowledge of the city, the ability to build the best route, work experience are welcome.

The courier interview includes the following questions:

• what attracts you to this job;
• build a route from point A to point B;
• what kind of employment do you expect;
• which schedule is best.

Tests:

• the methodology of behavior in stressful situations by S. Norman, modified by T. A. Kryukova;
• speech etiquette and principles of politeness.

Driver

Driver interviews should reveal the most important qualities needed for the job. He will certainly be asked questions about the driving experience, category, what or whom he drove in the same place, why he decided to change jobs, what schedule he worked on.

The interviewer will definitely try to find out the attitude towards alcohol.

Important for the driver and such qualities as responsibility, discipline, attention, memory.

Driver questions:

• what holidays and how it is customary to celebrate in your family;
• name specifications car "X";
• what are his merits;
• flaws;
• you have an urgent cargo, and you witnessed an accident, your actions.

Tests:

• stability of attention according to Riess;
• social test.

Candidate Evaluation

An experienced HR manager is able to evaluate the applicant in the first 15 minutes. First, pay attention to the appearance, demeanor, body language. Be sure to take into account motivation, attitude to work, intellectual level and level of claims.

A lot depends on the score. professional knowledge, skills, experience, specialized education.

The results of the interview are important for both the employer and the job applicant. It is important for an HR manager to prepare, correctly ask and analyze questions, select tests, tasks, cases.

The applicant should prepare for the interview by thinking over the most beneficial line of conduct for himself, formulating the necessary personal information in a favorable light, refreshing the necessary knowledge in his memory.