Information in this blog post was obtained from the HubSpot Blog, Social Media Today, and Sprout Social.
Are you going on a social media marketing job interview with little to no experience? Do not fret! I have listed a few interview questions that hiring managers may ask you and how you can answer them.
"Tell me about yourself."
It is the most basic and most common question that an interview can and will ask you. But what do they want to know? I used to be so frazzled when they asked this question. There is so much about me... What can I possibly focus on? Well, you don't want to tell them only about your hobbies, but you also don't want to go straight through your entire resume. First, you should describe your current role and highlight any achievements you have made. Make sure that you are staying relevant to the needs of the job that you are interviewing for. You should then provide background as to how you reached your goals. Focus on your work experience that relates to the current interview. When you are finally done, tie all that information into a conclusion that explains how you fit the job that you are applying for. Be sure to practice this as it will be helpful for any interview that you may have in the future. Preparing an elevator speech for any opportunity will be helpful in the long run, especially when you are networking in the marketing industry!
"Tell me about your strengths and weaknesses."
This one may seem easy, but be strategic with your answers.
As for strengths, focus on one that is relevant to the job that you applied for and be prepared to provide examples. For example, if you say that you are a great strategic thinker, provide an example of when there was an issue and how you used your skills to solve it. If you are great at time management, provide an example of when you worked under deadline-driven timelines and how you overcame and achieved in them.
As for weaknesses, choose one that will not prevent your ability to succeed in the job that you are applied for. For example, if you applied for a copywriting job, don't say that you find spelling difficult. Be genuine with your answers and explain how you have been working on your weakness(es) and how much you have improved.
"How do you handle negative feedback?"
This does not take a lot of company or brand research, but it does take some insight into yourself and who you want to be. Being able to accept constructive criticism from others shows the type of person, coworker, and employee that you will potentially be. Using it as a tool for personal growth is beneficial for everyone to have. Answering this question genuinely will show the hiring manager how well you will work with others, your ambitions for your future work goals, and so much more.
"Have you managed social media accounts before?"
If you do not have any experience, do not fret. If you have elevated or used them in some way, you can speak about your personal social media platforms. You want to let your interviewer know that you have experience with the social media platforms that they currently use. This will require research before you go into your interview. If the role is entry-level, some hiring managers may be content that with the fact that you do not have experience with social media.
"How would you elevate our presence on social media?"
Again, this will require research. You will want to know which social media platforms the company uses, which ones they focus on, and how they use them. There is no right or wrong answer to this question, but you will want to know the company's activity across all platforms. Do they post every single day on Facebook? What time do they post? How many likes per post do they get? You will then devise a plan with how to take action and how to measure success. Should we post on Mondays at 3 pm instead of 9 pm? Should we create a mascot like DuoLingo on TikTok to increase brand awareness? Think of new and fresh ideas on how to attract and increase followers! Give great examples and the hiring manager will surely be impressed.
"Based on our existing presence on social media, what types of content would you recommend we create more of? Why?"
Yes, more research! Again, going into interviews about social media will take a lot of social media homework. This specific interview question, although it sounds similar to the prior question, it is essentially very different. Should we create a podcast like McDonald's "The Sauce Podcast"? Should we create a TikTok video with the latest dance trend so we can increase engagement? Every business is different, and it will definitely not be easy. Look at social media through the company's eyes and see which one will also fit its brand image. Businesses differ in their professional levels and flexibility, so you should definitely know what type of company that you are applying for.
"Which brands are your favorite on social media? Why?"
For a social media marketer, being up-to-date with social media is a given. Make sure that you are following the latest trends, keeping up with the hottest new influencers, and so on. Choosing a brand will show the hiring manager how plugged in you are to social media and what type of content that you are most attracted to. If DuoLingo is your favorite TikTok account, be prepared to answer why. In general, as a marketer, you will need to keep up with social media in most cases.
"How do you stay up-to-date with trends?"
As previously mentioned, social media marketers should take it upon themselves to keep up with social media and the latest trends. Hiring managers ask this to determine if you know what's happening in the industry since it changes every day. Your strategy could suffer if you do not keep tabs on the hottest trends, innovations, etc. You can tell the hiring manager about a social media blog post that you follow or a news outlet that keeps you informed. Marketing is about the information and how we use it, so be sure to keep that in mind.
"Describe our company's brand."
Another research question! Although you know the name of the company, do you really know the brand? Knowing the hiring company's brand will show the hiring manager that you have done your due diligence and prepared for the interview. If you want to be a good social media manager, you should be able to be knowledgeable and be able to research. In any case, don't you want to know about the brand of the company that you applied for?
"Have you ever worked with influencers or brand ambassadors? How would you discover, acquire, and manage them?"
This is a "creator's economy" and many brands do find it beneficial to partner with influencers or brand ambassadors. If you have worked with creators in the past, it will show the hiring manager how much experience that you have. Give a detailed experience, from start to finish, about how you discovered a creator and saw potential benefit of your partnership. Provide information about how you skillfully acquired the creator's partnership with the brand. Finally, tell the hiring manager how long you managed the partnership and what you achieved. Having experience with creators is a huge plus!
"Why should we hire you?"
Your answer should make you stand out from the competing interviewees. Be confident in your answer when you state your accomplishments and experiences that make you perfect for the role. Before your interview with the hiring manager, review the job requirements and make sure that you answer is relevant. Your answer should demonstrate to the hiring manager how you will fit the role's needs.
"Are there any questions that you would like to ask me (hiring manager)?"
Yes, always yes! This will most likely be the very last question that you will be asked. Hiring managers appreciate thoughtful questions that go beyond the role and dig deep. Ask questions that give you some insight into the role and the team that you will be working with. You can ask a hypothetical question about the job or ask about the challenges of the job. Make sure that it is thoughtful, but also relevant to role that you applied for.
Even without experience, acing your interview will be the best next thing! These are just a few of the questions that you may be asked during a social media marketing interview. Though there may be a lot of research to do, it is great to know the company before you even apply. The most important thing to do is to not forget to prepare for your interview. Good luck with your job search!
For even more tips and tricks about how to excel in your future digital marketing interview, please go ahead and read my colleague Danielle's post about them here.
Resources
Barysevich, A. (2015, December 14). Tips for Acing Your Social Media Job Interview in 2016. Social Media Today. https://www.socialmediatoday.com/social-business/tips-acing- your-social-media-job-interview-2016.
Coleman, J. (2022). 27 essential social media manager interview questions (and answers). Sprout Social. https://sproutsocial.com/insights/social-media-manager- interview-questions/.
Santiago, E. (2022, May 24). 13 Common Interview Questions and How to Answer Them. HubSpot Blog. https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/common-interview-questions.
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