Online interview prep for digital marketing jobs in 2023

How do I prepare for my job interview in the digital marketing/e-commerce industry? What questions can I expect in the interview? What are the tips to ace my interview and impress the interviewer? All your questions are answered in this blog. Continue reading...

I have taken hundreds of online interviews since 2019 and here's my advice for job interview preparation, frequently asked questions (FAQs) in an interview and my final thoughts.

Let's start with what you should do before an interview -

PREPARATION BEFORE AN INTERVIEW

• Good lighting, aesthetic background and well dressed (atleast the upper body part, haha!) - Wear a formal shirt and consider an approachable hairstyle.
• Research about the company and the individual (interviewer) - Due diligence before the meeting is very important. Make sure you know what the company sells and basic knowledge of the person. I recommend using LinkedIn for your research.
• Look over your resume again - Remember all your past experiences (if any), tools you have used and mention it while speaking.
• Look into the job description and requirements - Remember the key points and tools mentioned in the description.
• Be relaxed and drink water (seriously) - Interviews are like a relaxed formal conversation.
• Schedule interviews in the morning - Try to schedule all your interviews in the morning, preferably between 9AM - 11AM. Mainly because the interviewer will have a fresh and clutter free mind before noon. As the day progresses, the interviewer will have conducted many other interviews and your chance to make a strong first impression will be decreased.  
• Your hardware, software is working and up-to-date - Test your online meeting platform like Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Google Meet, Skype etc and keep them updated before the meeting. Also, check your camera and audio quality. Make sure it's clean and crisp as this will affect the quality of your online interview.

DURING THE INTERVIEW

• Listen carefully to the question and think about your answer. This will help avoid “ummmmm” “hmmmm” “ahhhhhh” etc.
• Be confident. This is very important! 60% of your interview's result will depend on your confidence level. The way you talk, the way you sit, your hand gestures etc.
• Speak in a way that aligns with the job requirements. Eg: If the job requirement mentions Hubspot, Google Analytics, MailChimp. Talk about these tools explicitly and convey your expertise to the interviewer. Mention the names of these tools a few times, this will -

1. Reinforce in the interviewer’s mind and

2. Convince the interviewer that you are a great fit for the position.

• Don’t waste your time interviewing for underpaid jobs. Always ask for a salary range (if not mentioned) and a timeline for the interview process. Everyone's got bills/debt to pay at the end of the day. Basically, money is essential and a prime motivating factor. People who claims "money is not important" or "money doesn't make you happy" are the ones who are already rich. Don't fall for this bullsh*t. I have seen first-hand how money changes relationships and life. Don't go behind money though. Focus on your core skills and money will follow you. I hope you take this in a positive and constructive way.
• Don’t use jargon like APIs (Application Programming Interface), CTR (Click-Through-Rate), Open rates, Click rates etc. Most interviewers don’t understand it. Jargons are better understood by the hiring managers not the Human Resource (HR) specialists.

AFTER THE INTERVIEW

• My secret strategy (I always do this) - Send a LinkedIn connection request to the interviewer and keep in touch. If you get rejected this time, you can stay in touch with the interviewer for future opportunities.
• Apply and forget strategy - Keep applying to all the relevant jobs and forgot about it. Don’t rely on one job interview. Continue sending your resume to all openings, keep befriending recruiters and building your network for the long term. Personally, when I am searching for new, challenging opportunities, I use the same strategy. I apply to 150+ jobs everyday during my search phase. Applying for jobs can be boring and it's the same information filled in many different job applications. You can automate the entire process with the help of a bot. I will write another blog about how you can automate the job application process.
  

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS DURING THE INTERVIEW

From my experience, some of the most frequently asked questions during the interview are

Q1. What is the skill(s) you would like to improve?

Be honest, no one's perfect. Everyone has something to work on and get better.

Q2. What’s your compensation expectations?

NEVER give out a number! NEVER! Always answer like this “I expect to be compensated fairly according to the industry standards” or "I am flexible and open to negotiation". That's it. If you give a specific number (Eg: $85,000), the recruiter will make sure to offer $85,500 although the budget could be $80,000 - $100,000. You won't get the best offer if you give out a number first. Let the recruiter offer first and later, you can negotiate. Squeeze out the best deal for you.

Q3. What Do You Like To Do Outside Of Work? OR What do you do with your time after work? OR How do you spend time in your personal life?

Talk about your hobbies. Eg: I am constantly learning, improving and developing myself by reading business books like 'Zero to One' by Peter Thiel. Also, I play sports like basketball and tennis.

Q4. How do you ensure productivity during remote work?

Talk about your daily routine and strategies. Eg: I use daily STOP strategy (Read about it here)

Q5. What are you looking for in your next job?

Just speak what’s on your mind. Eg: Company culture, perks and benefits, flexible work hours etc.

Q6. Why did you apply to this position?

I say “My expertise is apt for the job requirements, hence I applied".

Q7. What are your 3 or 5 year career goals?

If you have a goal, say it confidently and clearly. If you don’t, make sh*t up.

MY FINAL THOUGHTS

1. Be Confident no matter what!
2. Be specific in your answers (provide numbers when necessary).
3. Relax!
   

Stay discplined, never stop growing and you will reach new heights. I wish you good luck for the upcoming interview! Believe in yourself and you will ace the interview.

Feel free to comment below your experience. If you found this blog helpful, please consider sharing it with your friends, family and colleagues.

Thank you for reading!