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Brand Interviewing 101

Brand Interviewing 101. Your Take-Aways for Today. General Agenda of a Marketing Interview Three Basic Question Types What’s Behind the Question How to Approach the Answers When and How to Highlight Your Best Stuff Common Interviewee Shortfalls and How to Avoid Them

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Brand Interviewing 101

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  1. Brand Interviewing 101

  2. Your Take-Aways for Today • General Agenda of a Marketing Interview • Three Basic Question Types • What’s Behind the Question • How to Approach the Answers • When and How to Highlight Your Best Stuff • Common Interviewee Shortfalls and How to Avoid Them • A Reference to Keep it All in Perspective and Have Fun

  3. Agenda 9:00 Intro & Overview 9:45 Group Work: Resume & Grid 10:45 Group Work: Case Questions 11:15 Break 11:30 Case Question Analysis 12:30 Wrap Up and Q&A

  4. The Interview Process Full-Time Internship Company Reception September January or n/a First Round Interview October February Second Round Interview November/December February or n/a Internship Offer n/a February Full-Time Offer December September

  5. A Different Perspective!!!

  6. When You Think About It... Company Reception ……………….. Happy Hour First Interview ……………….. First Date Second Interview ……………….. Second Date The Internship ……………….. Move In With Me? The Full-Time Offer ……………….. Will You Marry Me? ??? Interviewing ??? or ??? Dating ???

  7. Happy Hour … Company Reception • Get Their Attention • Make a Good First Impression • Say Hello • Get to Know People • “I’m a Catch” • Highlight Your Best 1-2 Points (Conversationally) • Get Their Number • Take a Business Card • Leave a Business Card

  8. 1st Date … 1st Round Interview • Have Dinner w/ Me? • You’ve Been Given a 1st Round Interview • What to Expect • Resume Walk Through • 2-4 Grid Questions • 1-2 Marketing Case Questions • Q&A Opportunity

  9. 2nd Date … 2nd Round Interview • I’d Like You to Meet my Family and Friends • We’d like to fly you in to meet and interview with our team • What to Expect • A lot like Round 1 but, • More Questions • Deeper Dive on your Resume • Skill Focused Interviews

  10. The Waiting Is the Hardest Part! • Follow Up • Email • Phone Calls • Only when requested by Interviewer • US Mail • Great touch to “close the loop” • Be Patient • #1 Priority for You • “Top Ten” Priority for Interviewer

  11. Move In With Me? … Internship Offers • Let’s Give This a Try, Full-Time • Join us for a three month internship, no strings attached • What to Expect • Ownable 12-week Project • Start-to-finish format with clear results • High Impact • True impact on business results is top criteria • High Visibility • Cross-functional team leadership • Upper management interaction • Many Full-Time Offers at End of Summer

  12. Will You Marry Me? … The Full-Time Offer • I Want to Spend My Life with YOU! • Please join us full-time • What to Expect • Interns • Full-time offers extended in mid-September • Acceptance deadline typically in October/November • Fall Recruiting • September Kick-off • Offers extended in late November/early December • Acceptance deadline typically in February/March

  13. Dating 101

  14. Planning Your Perfect Date 1. Resume Walk Through • What You’ve Done • Why You’re Here • Where You’re Going 2. Behavioral Questions • The GRID: Give me an example of time when… • STAR: Situation - Task - Action - Result 3. Marketing Case Questions • Traditional Framework Base • Segment - Target - Position • Consumer - Company - Category - Competition • Product - Position - Price - Promotion 2 minutes!!!

  15. Planning Your Perfect Date TIME MATTERS!!! 30-45 Minute Interview • Intro 1-2 minutes • Resume Walk Through 2-3 minutes • Behavioral 1 3-4 minutes • Behavioral 2 3-4 minutes • Behavioral 3 3-4 minutes • Behavioral 4 3-4 minutes • Case 1 5-7 minutes • Case 2 5-7 minutes • Q&A 5 minutes 30-40 minutes

  16. Resume Walk-Through GOAL Confirm First Impressions Get to Know You & Your Style EXPECT “Tell Me What Brings You Here Today” “Tell Me About Yourself” FORMAT Simple, Concise and Easy to Follow Show Intent and Logic along your Path - Avoid “every bullet” details Highlight Key Skills Open with 1-2 personal facts TIME 2-3 Minutes, maximum

  17. Resume Overview Practice • Take Me Through Your Resume

  18. Behavioral (i.e. Grid) Questions GOAL Assess Personal Strengths/Weaknesses Across Key Skill Sets EXPECT “Tell Me About a Time When You…” “Describe a Situation Where You…” FORMAT The Grid, using STAR Situation (1 sentence) Task (1 sentence) Action (2-3 sentences) Result (3-4 sentences) TIME 3-4 minutes

  19. Behavioral (Grid) Questions Practice • Describe a Situation When You Demonstrated… • Tell Me About a Time When You Faced...

  20. Behavioral Question Tips Structure • Answer the Question! • Simplify details for your audience • Conclude “full circle” with a summary statement Strengths & Weaknesses • Know the vulnerability of your resume & be prepared • 2 Weakness Approaches • Personal: “I tend to focus too much on the details” • Skill based: “My data analysis experience is somewhat limited” • Be honest, not stupid, on “weakness” questions Pace Yourself • Err on the side of concise • Pause if you find yourself talking +2 minutes • Interviewer will ask questions if looking for more detail

  21. Marketing Case Questions (The Grid in Action) GOAL Assess Basic Marketing Knowledge Strategic Thinking, Marketing Frameworks, Analytical Skills, Business Common Sense EXPECT Business Situations, Product Introductions, In-Market Examples FORMAT Use a FRAMEWORK 4 P’s, 3 C’s, S-T-P, Porter’s 5 TIME 5-7 minutes

  22. Marketing Frameworks • 4 P’s: Product - Price - Promotion - Position • 4 C’s: Consumer - Category - Competition - Company • STP: Segment - Target - Position • Porter’s 5: Buyer - Supplier - Substitutes - New Entrants - Rivalry Mixing and Matching P + P + C = OK Keep STP together

  23. Case Question I You are the Brand manager on the nation’s leading laundry detergent, SuperClean. Your sales and market share have been flat for the past two years. In the first quarter of this year, however, you’ve noticed that the #2 Brand, SqueakyClean, has started to steal market share from SuperClean. Your manager is unhappy, and the CEO is visiting next week for an update on the situation. What do you do?

  24. Case I: Options/Ideas • 4 C’s • Consumer • Why do they buy now? • How do they use the product? • Competitor • Is #2 doing something differently? What? • Category • Is category growing/shrinking/stagnant? • Company (optional) • Is your product being treated the same within your organization? • 4 P’s • Product • Have you changed anything? • Price • Have you changed pricing? • Are you being outpriced? • Position • How is your product perceived? • Do consumers accept your claims? • Promotion • Opportunities to get consumer attention

  25. Case Question II Congratulations! You have just been hired as the Brand manager for Chester’s Frozen Dinners. Your first assignment is to recommend what the 2004 Summer meal introduction should be: Roasted Chicken with Vegetables Pork Chops with Spinach and Rice Pasta Primavera with Garlic Bread Walk me through your process and make a recommendation for the 2004 Summer meal entry.

  26. Case II: Options/Ideas • S-T-P • Segment • Who is the consumer that buys now? • Who do you want as your consumer • Target • How can you reach this segment? • Position • What message/perception will get their attention?

  27. Case Question III What is the worst consumer product entry you’ve seen in the last year? Why do you think it is bad? If I hired you as this product’s Brand manager and asked you to relaunch the product, what would you do differently ?

  28. Case III: Options/Ideas • 4 P’s • Product • Price • Position • Promotion • 3 C’s • Consumer • Category • Competition • Company • STP • Segment • Target • Position

  29. Case Question Tips • STOP and Think • 30 seconds silence is OK • Ask questions if you need/want clarification • State assumptions clearly and up front • Keep any math SIMPLE • Choose a FRAMEWORK and work through it clearly • Use signposting -- “first, I would consider X…” • Be Confident, Yet Humble • Make recommendations • Remember that the interviewer knows more than you!

  30. Wrap Up and Q&A Opportunities No Matter What, Ask a Question! • Best questions are hiding within your interview conversation! • Shows you’re engaged in the dialogue • Indicates additional interest • Question Opportunities • Interviewers’ Career Path • Commonalties with Interviewers’ current projects • Come prepared with back-up questions, just in case • Typical career path for entry-level MBA • Company/Interviewers’ point of view on current media topics • Recent ad seen on TV/in magazine, etc.

  31. Last Minute Thoughts • Right Mix of • Confidence (Playing Hard to Get) • Humbleness (Considerate) • YOU (Be Yourself!) • Interviewer Expectations • Know the Obvious • When you don’t know it, admit it • Casual Conversation • Be mindful of negative remarks • You might insult someone’s friend/spouse/own work! • Never Forget: The Interviewer knows more than you!!!

  32. Insider Tips • Scan previous 2 weeks of WSJ/USA Today for mentions • Go into your interview with • Best/Worst Consumer Product (and why)* • Best/Worst Ad (and why) • The product you’re most loyal to (and why) • An awareness of top Superbowl ads (USA Today Poll) • Topline on Company • Stock price & recent range • Company size, most recent earnings, prez name • Major brands of company • Major competitors • Main distribution channel(s) *Avoid company’s brands/industry for which you’re interviewing

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