by Nicole Selley

Created on: January 18, 2009

Having worked in marketing for over 8 years, I have participated in more than a few interviews for marketing positions from assistant to executive and manager sitting on both sides of the table as the candidate as well as the interviewer. The actual questions asked in an interview depend on the company and position you are applying for, but there will be some questions you should always be prepared for.

1. Your background, previous jobs, education, experience and skills

These questions are common to any job interview. The recruiter will ask you to talk them through your CVs.

This is an easy start into the interview for which you can prepare well and helps the candidate to calm down. At the same time the interviewer will be able to understand how eloquent you are and gain a first impression of you.

They will ask about any gaps in your CV and will ask for more details on a few of your previous positions. This way they can find out more specific information about experiences you gained that are of particular interest to them, understand how experienced you really are and if your profile fits the job at hand.

Many recruiters also ask about your strengths and weaknesses and which part of your previous jobs you enjoyed most. This way they can identify even further if you are suitable for the job (let's say you hated the data side of marketing, but this will make up 50% of the new job it's unlikely to be right for you).

By asking where you see yourself in a few years' time and the reasons for leaving your current job they will be able to see if they can offer you what you need in order to stay with the business should you be recruited, e.g. if they offer the relevant career prospects you would expect or if you are likely to leave again after a few years.

In order to answer these questions, I can only advise you to be well prepared, confident and honest. Lying or exaggerating will not get you anywhere. Even if you are accomplished enough to fool them, they will find out that your skills are not what they expected once you start working and you might not make it through your probation period. So don't try to be someone you are not.

2. Specific marketing skills

The next few questions will be based around identifying if you have the core competencies required in marketing. These may include interpersonal skills, organizational skills, communication skills, enthusiasm, your ability to think analytically and to work independently. You often will be asked to provide examples on

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