Attending an interview can be a nerve-racking experience, especially if you’re looking for a new job and aren’t entirely confident in your abilities. With a growing demand for skilled digital marketers, competition for positions with attractive prospects and benefits is fierce. As a result, it is critical to devote time and effort to interview preparation in order to improve your chances of success. Furthermore, with many interviews now being conducted online, the interview process has evolved, requiring candidates to adapt to new challenges (for some excellent online interview tips, see this article).
There are some things you should avoid if you want to succeed in a digital marketing interview. By following these guidelines, you can present yourself in the best light possible and increase your chances of progressing to the next round. Let’s go over some of the most important things to avoid during an interview so you can ace it with flying colours.
“Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful.” – Albert Schweitzer
1. Be knowledgeable about the company
When it comes to impressing potential employers during a job interview, you must demonstrate not only your skills and experience, but also your enthusiasm for the company and its goals. Employers are looking for candidates who not only have the drive to succeed, but also the qualities of a team player who will contribute to the organization’s growth and success.
You can demonstrate how your goals and skills align with the company’s vision and objectives by conducting extensive research on the company prior to the interview. This demonstrates that you are not just any candidate, but rather one who is uniquely qualified to assist the company in meeting its objectives.
“Researching the company is critical before an interview,” says Pawan Raturi, Examine the functions, products, and services of the company, as well as its location and online presence. Examine industry publications, the company’s website, and its social media accounts to get a full picture of what the company is all about.”
Remember that the interview is an opportunity for you to demonstrate your knowledge and passion for the company as well as for the interviewer to learn about you. Show how your skills and experience make you an ideal fit for the organisation, and you’ll leave an indelible impression.
2. Avoid being Vague during conversation
During an interview, it’s critical to provide enough detail about your experiences, knowledge, and skills to help the interviewer understand the full scope of your abilities. While you should avoid rambling, include examples and scenarios to flesh out your answers and demonstrate your abilities. If you’ve been invited to an interview, it means the company believes you’d be a good fit for the position. Many candidates, however, fall short by providing limited answers and failing to provide sufficient detail. Strike a balance between being concise and providing enough information to highlight your relevant experience and skills, and explain how they qualify you for the position.
Pro Tip: In the interview, don’t rely on your resume as a crutch. If you’re asked for specifics, don’t just refer to what’s already on paper. Instead, flesh out the ideas on your resume and use the interview to connect your previous experiences and skills to the role the agency is looking to fill.
- Don’t Underestimate Yourself
During an interview, you have the chance to sell yourself and explain why your previous experiences make you the best candidate for the job. Although it may be difficult, it is necessary to discuss your accomplishments and successes, as well as why you are a good fit for the company with which you are interviewing.
Pawan Raturi suggests emphasising promotions, awards, going above and beyond, and any client or customer testimonials. Because interviewers have a limited amount of time to evaluate you, it is critical to sell yourself and make a strong impression during the interview.
Review your resume and refresh your memory on the courses you’ve taken, skills you’ve acquired, jobs you’ve had, experiences you’ve had, and how you’ve helped other companies achieve their goals to prepare for the interview. This will allow you to discuss your relevant skills and knowledge with confidence during the interview.
- Do Not Be Afraid of Jargon
To succeed in a digital marketing interview, you must be familiar with the industry’s specialised terminology, technology, and metrics. However, it is also critical not to overwhelm the interviewer with jargon. Call-to-action, click-through and bounce rates, conversions, GA4, and local SEO are all important concepts to understand.
According to Pawan Raturi, using industry buzzwords and acronyms is necessary for digital marketers, but they should be used sparingly. To be able to confidently discuss digital marketing during the interview, it is necessary to have relevant experience and a basic understanding of the subject, but being an expert on everything is not expected.
5. Don’t Pretend to Know Things
Although there is a lot of technical terminology and language in digital marketing, it’s important not to pretend to know something or to pretend to know everything about a specific technology when you don’t. Dishonesty may backfire, so it’s better to admit upfront that you don’t know. Being truthful is always the best approach, especially when dealing with a potential employer.
It’s critical to remember that ignorance is not a sign of weakness. Instead, it’s a chance to show your eagerness to learn new things. Any employer will be impressed if you take advantage of these opportunities to broaden your knowledge base.
Top Tip: A desire for lifelong learning is one of the most important characteristics a digital marketer can have, so it’s always a good idea to demonstrate that you’re eager to learn new things.
- You Shouldn’t Be Afraid to Make Suggestions
It is critical in digital marketing to focus on optimising results and improving performance. If you notice areas where a company’s activities or campaigns could be improved, you can share your thoughts and recommendations during the interview. For example, if you’re interviewing for a social media role and notice that the organisation doesn’t have a strong social media presence, you can suggest ways to expand their reach by repurposing top-performing content or experimenting with new content formats.
This will demonstrate your company research, analytical thinking, and concern for the company’s success. It also demonstrates your ability to do the job and your willingness to help others improve.
