Bish Muir Marketing

Ask the right questions in interview

We've all slightly exaggerated our own skills in an interview, so it's really important that, when you set questions and in-tray exercises at interview, they are sufficiently probing to weed out those who might not have the skills that the job description requires.  If you are developing your marketing team, think really carefully about how  well your candidates understand the day to day function of their role and, for example, can use the software required to do that, to the level required.  

In-tray exercises - basic analytics

I've banged on before about the importance not only of being able to collect good data for marketing, but of knowing how to interpret that in order to support, and direct, your marketing strategy.

Simple in-tray exercises, where applicants are asked to interpret analytics (either in the form of digital data or from quantitative surveys) should indicate their ability to understand the basic building blocks for marketing.  It's also useful to have someone on the interview panel who can deep dive into some of the technicalities of marketing software.  Describe a scenario and ask them how they would execute this on, say, Meta or Hootsuite, or how they would approach a multi-channel campaign targeting a particular demographic.

What not to do

No lie, I went to one interview where I was asked what my husband did for a living.  Absolutely forbidden, for one, and totally irrelevant to the job requirements, for another. Needless to say, I didn't answer and didn't bother taking the application any further. Joking apart, make sure your interviews are focused around experience, knowledge of the product or service and ability to fit the job description.  Of course,  personalities are important, to see if they will fit in with your team, but you can do that by getting some of your team to 'show them around' after the interview.  Hands down they will find out more about that person when their guard is down, than in an interview situation.

Finally - build a sense of team

A lot has been said about leadership and what makes good leaders and managers and what does not.  In marketing, good managers are those that keep their team engaged by encouraging them to push themselves to think more creatively, calling out good work and making the office a pleasant and vibrant place to work.  Fill your team with radiators, not drains.  Humans are pack animals, we thrive off other people's positivity.  If you have a 'drain' in the office, they will literally suck the life out of you, your team, your creativity and your productivity.

Radiators will get you more business because they attract people to them.  Too many radiators can make a room too hot but not enough and you'll all freeze.