10 Questions To Ask in a Marketing Interview (and How To Ace It)

My favorite part of every spy movie? That inevitable scene where the ultra-cool antiheroes assemble their team.

Now, if you’re reading this, you’re probably not interviewing for a position as an expert lock-picker, hacker or getaway driver. (Or maybe you are. A marketing counter-intelligence team sounds pretty cool, not gonna lie.) Either way, the stakes can feel as high as a heist for both hiring managers and candidates — which means it pays to gear up with the best interview questions.

But what should you ask? Here’s the secret: You want to seem clever and thoughtful, sure, but you want to get the right information, too.

Here are 10 examples of questions that check both boxes and might just make you a marketing team’s new James Bond.

Top 10 Questions To Ask a Marketing Job Interviewer

Whether you’re a long-time marketing professional or an industry newcomer, it’s easy to get stuck thinking of interviews as a chance to prove yourself. That’s why it feels so important to ask questions that make you look good.

However, this is a two-way street. The company and role need to prove themselves, too — which is why it’s just as important to ensure your interview questions are valuable to you.

Just remember, this isn’t a superspy interrogation. It’s a negotiation between people with complementary skills who are going to look really cool working together.

In a perfect world, you should ask questions organically as the conversation evolves. However, as any good spy will tell you, it’s important to have a backup plan — which is why you should think ahead and prepare questions like these:

Marketing Questions

“What’s your approach to keeping up with the latest marketing trends?”

This question allows you to acknowledge hot topics, showing off your research skills, flexibility and knowledge of the marketing industry. It also gives you valuable insight into how the company handles change and what kind of adaptiveness managers might expect from their teams.

“What marketing technology do you use?”

This is a highly practical question because it tells you which systems you’ll need to use. If you’re familiar with some of them, you can use that to your advantage and show off your marketing skills; if not, you can mention similar platforms you’ve worked with.

“I noticed this recent campaign — what was the overall strategy behind it?”

Tell me you’ve done your research without actually telling me you’ve done your research. It’s easy: Bring a campaign or content example and ask about the underlying marketing initiatives. Bonus points if you look at it both as a potential customer (proving that you can think from the audience’s perspective) and as a digital marketer (proving that you’re strategic, thoughtful and creative).

There are two caveats here:

Avoid empty flattery: Pick something that resonates with you so that you can be authentic when you point out what you liked and learned.
Keep it positive: Be sure you’re discussing a successful marketing campaign — that way, you can discuss tangible value (like building brand awareness or connecting with the community), not problems and weaknesses. It’s risky to bring in the marketing team’s work and tell them how you could have done better.

Company Questions

“How would you describe the company culture in your own words?”

Remember, your interviewer is probably a marketing professional, too — so it’s smart to tap into your shared language. Asking about company culture reveals what you’re walking into, sure, but it also shows that you’re interested in the story you’ll help tell.

“What’s the company’s vision for growth or expansion over the next 5 years?”

This is an important interview question for every marketing candidate. Why? As factors like AI change our industry, it’s crucial to know where you stand — and with this question, you’re showing that you think critically about the future (while getting information about what your next 5 years might look like).

“How much do employees collaborate within and outside of their teams?”

Marketing efforts are all about collaboration. Asking this type of question helps hiring managers see you as a team player, but it also helps you get a feel for the company’s overall values and social dynamics.

Role Questions

“What would I begin working on in this position?”

If you want to prove that you’re ready to jump right in, this question does the trick. But it’s not just about your can-do attitude; it also helps you understand what the onboarding process looks like, how you might progress over time and what your day-to-day responsibilities would include.

“What size/structure of team would I work within?”

There’s no “standard team” when it comes to marketing. You need to know whom you’re working with (and for), which departments you collaborate with and what your growth opportunities look like — and hiring managers need to know that you care about this kind of stuff.

“What kind of professional development do you offer employees?”

This is a great question because it opens the door for all kinds of discussions. Interviewers will see that you’re interested in growing your marketing skills, and along the way, you’ll get a peek at how the company invests in its people.

“How do you measure success for this role?”

This might be my favorite interview question ever. It shows that you think flexibly and creatively about the definition of “success” — and, just as importantly, you’re willing to work toward it. Of course, this is also your chance to ensure the team has reasonable expectations and aligns with your personal values, professional goals and overall work ethic.

Finding the Right Answers: Acing the Rest of the Interview

Here’s the thing: The Q&A portion is likely going to be the last 10 or 20 minutes. That means there’s a whole lot more interview to prepare for — and while Ethan Hunt may be able to improvise his way through impossible missions, the rest of us usually need a plan.

Here’s what to think about before you walk into any marketing interview:

Prepare for Questions

Asking questions is important, but you’ll spend more time answering them. Brush up on common examples like these:

Why are you interested in marketing?
Which marketing techniques are you most comfortable with?
Why did you choose our company to apply to?
How do you define product marketing?
What’s your most significant career achievement?
What motivates you?

Keep in mind that some interviewers might ask you an unexpected question just to break the ice, get you thinking or see how you improvise. (Example: “What superpower would you choose and how would you use it?”) While you can’t prepare for everything, it’s wise to be ready for anything.

Study the Company

Don’t get all of your information about the company from the interview itself. Nothing says “I waited until the last minute to do my homework” like asking questions you could have Googled yourself!

Instead, spend some time getting acquainted with the company. Start with their “About Us” page, blog, campaign examples and client testimonials — and consider refreshing your memory on the job description, too. You can also use websites like Glassdoor or LinkedIn to get employee perspectives.

This should help you:

Get the basics about the company and specific marketing role.
Highlight knowledge gaps you can address in the interview.
Help you shape and direct your questions so you get the right information and look good in the process.

Know Your Niche

If you’re in a marketing interview, the assumption is that you know a thing or two about marketing. But don’t get too confident. (That’s what takes down some of the best spies!) Instead, take your time and brush up on the latest market trends, campaigns, challenges and conversations. While it’s helpful to do this kind of research for background information, don’t forget to contextualize it based on your role, too.

Why does it matter? Well, interviewers want to see that you’re comfortable and confident in your niche. For example, they may ask you about a recent campaign that you found inspiring or how you’d tackle a common marketing event like a product launch. If you’ve done your research, you’ll be ready to navigate these kinds of conversations without breaking a sweat.

Get Ready To Excel in Marketing

Interviews are conversations. They’re a chance to show up, show off and see if the company is a good fit for your future.

So, the next time you’re sitting across from a hiring manager, remember they’re not the only super-cool superspy in the room. You’ve handled plenty of your own challenges, and now your expertise can help a new team — and they can help you, too.

This is your mission, should you choose to accept it.

(P.S.: This blog will not self-destruct in 5 seconds.)