Interview Guides
Interview Guides for Marketing Roles
These guides walk through a marketing interview from start to finish. Research the company first, prepare answers to the questions you'll get, then follow up and negotiate with a plan. Each guide stands on its own, so start with the stage you're at; you don't have to do it all at once.
- Share of searchShare of search is a brand's share of all branded searches in its category. How to measure it, read it and avoid the common mistakes, with a free calculator.
- Thank-you email after an interviewWhen to send a thank-you email after an interview, what to put in it, and six templates for the recruiter screen, hiring manager, panel and final round.
- 30-60-90 day planA 30-60-90 day plan template for marketing directors, VPs and CMOs, with what goes in each phase, a worked brand example and how to present it.
- Questions to ask the hiring managerThe questions to ask a hiring manager in a marketing interview, grouped by what you want to learn, plus which to skip and how many to ask.
- Brand auditHow to run a brand audit step by step, with a checklist for demand, perception, positioning, social, paid media and competitors, and how to present it.
- Phone screen interview questionsThe questions recruiters ask in a phone screen, with how to answer each one, what they're really checking and what to have ready before the call.
- How to prepare for an interviewHow to prepare for a job interview, from a week out to the hour before: what to research, what to practice, what to bring and what to skip.
- How to research a company before an interviewWhere to look when researching a company before a marketing interview: the business, the brand, its audience, its rivals and the people you'll meet.
- Why do you want to work here?How to answer "why do you want to work here?" in a marketing interview, with a simple structure, example answers and the replies that fall flat.
- Tell me about yourselfA simple structure for answering "tell me about yourself" in an interview, with example answers for marketing roles and easy fixes for common slips.
- Marketing case study presentationHow to prepare a case study presentation for a marketing interview, with a slide-by-slide outline, how much to do and how to handle the panel's questions.
- Second interview questionsWhat changes in a second or final interview for a marketing role, the questions you're likely to get, how to answer them, and what to ask back.
- How to follow up after an interviewWhen to follow up after an interview, how often, and what to write, with templates for checking in, sharing news and responding to silence.
- What are your weaknesses?How to answer the weakness question in an interview honestly, with a simple structure and example answers for marketing roles.
- Salary negotiationHow to negotiate salary and a job offer for a marketing role, with scripts for the salary question, the counteroffer and the parts beyond base pay.
- What to wear to an interviewWhat to wear to a marketing interview, how to read a company's dress code, and how to look right on a video call, from the phone screen to the final round.
- Panel interview tipsHow to prepare for a panel interview for a marketing role, how to answer when several people are asking, and how to follow up with each panelist.
- Signs an interview went wellThe signs an interview went well, the ones that mean less than they seem, and what to do while you wait to hear back.
- Informational interview questionsThe best informational interview questions for marketing careers, how to ask for the conversation, and templates for the request and follow-up.
- Reference check questionsThe reference check questions employers ask about marketing candidates, how to choose the right references, and how to prepare them to help you.
- How to message a recruiter on LinkedInHow to reach out to a recruiter on LinkedIn for a marketing role, which recruiter to pick, and templates for connection notes, messages and follow-ups.
- Behavioral interview questionsCommon behavioral interview questions for marketing jobs, how to answer with the STAR method, and example answers you can adapt to your own work.
- Where do you see yourself in 5 years?How to answer "where do you see yourself in 5 years" in a marketing interview, with a simple structure and example answers from entry level to director.
- What is your greatest strength?How to answer "what is your greatest strength" in a marketing interview, with example answers and how to handle strengths and weaknesses together.
- Tell me about a time you failedHow to answer "tell me about a time you failed" in a marketing interview, with a structure, how to pick the right failure and example answers.
- Why should we hire you?How to answer "why should we hire you" in a marketing interview, with a three-part structure and example answers from entry level to senior leader.
- What motivates you?How to answer "what motivates you" in a marketing interview, with a simple structure, example answers by role and the answers that fall flat.
- Why are you leaving your current job?How to answer "why are you leaving your current job" in a marketing interview, including after a layoff, a firing or a career change, with examples.
- How do you handle stress?How to answer "how do you handle stress" and "how do you work under pressure" in a marketing interview, with a structure and real-sounding examples.
- What is your management style?How marketing managers, directors and CMOs should answer "what is your management style", with a structure, example answers and the follow-ups to expect.
- Questions to ask at the end of an interviewWhat to say when they ask "do you have any questions for us", with questions for each interviewer and round of a marketing interview.
- Elevator pitch examplesElevator pitch examples for marketers from entry level to CMO, with a simple template and versions for networking, interviews and LinkedIn.
- Video interview tipsVideo interview tips for marketing roles: camera, light and sound setup, how to come across well on screen, and how to handle one-way recorded interviews.
- What are your salary expectations?How to answer "what are your salary expectations" on the application, in the recruiter screen and at the offer, with scripts for marketing roles.
- How to decline a job offerHow to decline a job offer politely by email or phone, with templates for taking another offer, pay, fit and keeping the door open.
- How to accept a job offerHow to accept a job offer by email, what to confirm before you say yes, and templates for a verbal yes, a negotiated offer and resigning.
- How to respond to a rejection emailHow to respond to a job rejection email after an interview, how to ask for feedback, and templates for each stage, from a screen to the final round.
- Resignation letterFive resignation letter templates to copy, including one for leaving a marketing role mid-campaign, plus what to include and how to resign well.
- Two weeks notice letterShort two weeks notice letter templates for email or print, how to count the two weeks, and what to plan for in a marketing handover.
- How to ask for a raiseHow to ask for a raise using your marketing results: building the case, timing, a meeting script, the follow-up email and what to do if the answer is no.
- How to ask for a promotionHow to ask for a promotion in marketing: what changes at each level, how to show you already work at the next one, and a script for the conversation.
- Counter offer letterCounter offer email templates for a job offer: base salary, sign-on bonus, title, start date and remote days, with how to structure and send each one.
- Exit interview questionsThe exit interview questions you're likely to hear as a departing employee, how honest to be, and example answers that help without burning bridges.
- Mock interview questionsMock interview questions for marketing roles, grouped by interview round, with how to set up the practice session and a simple way to score your answers.
- What are your career goals?How to answer "what are your career goals" in an interview, with short-term and long-term goal examples for marketing roles from entry level to director.
- What makes you unique?How to answer "what makes you unique" in an interview, how it differs from "why should we hire you", and example answers for marketing roles by level.
- How do you prioritize your work?How to answer "how do you prioritize your work" in an interview, with a simple method and example answers for marketing roles, coordinator to director.
- Group interview questionsGroup interview questions and assessment-day exercises for marketing roles, what assessors watch for, and how to stand out without talking over people.
- How to ask for a referralHow to ask for a job referral, with email and LinkedIn templates for a close contact, a former colleague and a loose connection, plus how to follow up.
- Marketing plan templateA marketing plan template you can copy, a worked example for a fictional brand, and how to turn the plan into a final-round interview presentation.
- Creative brief templateA creative brief template you can copy, a filled-in example for a fictional brand, what makes a brief useful, and how to talk about briefs in an interview.
- Competitive analysis templateA competitive analysis template built for marketers, the free sources to fill it in, and how to turn what you find into interview talking points.
- Brand positioning statementHow to write a brand positioning statement, with a template, examples, tests for a strong one, and how to critique a brand's positioning in an interview.
- Marketing KPIsThe marketing KPIs leaders report, grouped by goal and channel, how to choose a few that matter, and how to talk about KPIs in interviews and on a resume.
- Marketing budget templateA marketing budget template you can copy, how to build one from goals instead of last year's spend, how to defend it, and how it comes up in interviews.
- Marketing take-home assignmentThe take-home tests and case exercises marketing teams set, how much work to put in, how to present it and when to push back on unpaid work.
Before the interview
Most of the work happens before you walk in, which is good news: it’s the part you control. Start with how to research a company before an interview, then work through how to prepare for an interview. The phone screen comes first for most roles, so read phone screen interview questions and get your answer to tell me about yourself down to about a minute.
During the interview
Hiring managers and panels ask harder questions than recruiters. Prepare for why do you want to work here and what are your weaknesses, bring questions to ask the hiring manager, and read panel interview tips before a round with several people. Later rounds often add a case or a plan: see second interview questions, the marketing case study presentation guide and the 30-60-90 day plan.
After the interview
Send a thank-you email the same day, read the signs an interview went well without over-reading them, and follow up if the date they gave passes. When the offer comes, the salary negotiation guide has scripts to start from, ready to put in your own words.
Brand measurement
Two guides cover the analysis marketing leaders are often asked to show in interviews: share of search, with a free calculator, and how to run a brand audit. Definitions for the terms behind them are in the marketing metrics glossary.