From the Horse’s mouth – early Digital Career advice from the industry’s top senior marketers

The digital job market is strong at the moment, but it’s also extremely competitive – and no more so than for juniors looking to make their way! But how can you stand out in an era when video led interviews are commonplace?

Our awesome Digital Recruiter, Miranda, spent some time catching up with a range of senior marketers and hiring managers in order to find out first-hand what junior and early digital job hunters should consider when interviewing for new roles.

With video and face to face interviews becoming more common, how can you stand out? 

Face to face interviews rarely occur before the final stage, and some fully remote roles won’t involve a face to face interview at all. So what approaches can you use to separate yourself from the competition? What questions should you be asking? And how deep should your research into the company go? 

As a recruitment partner with over 400 satisfied clients placed in their dream roles since our launch in 2002, we believe that there are a few key questions you should be asking yourself prior to interviewing:

• What’s important to you?

• Why have you applied for this role?

• What makes this your dream role?

• If it isn’t your dream role, why not?

Considering your answers to these questions will give you the clarity needed to present yourself in the best possible light during your interview.

Advice from industry professionals 

We spoke with a wide range of industry voices to understand the key attributes that make a great candidate stand out, the questions you should be asking and any other useful tips for getting ahead in an increasingly competitive job market. 

What makes a candidate stand out?

Any sought-after role is likely to have a number of qualified interviewees, so it’s vital that you separate yourself from the competition. One point that consistently came up in our chats with experts was the importance of doing your research.

Olivia Wiltshire, Head of Digital PR at Builtvisible, said that she always looked for genuine enthusiasm for the industry, saying “a candidate who has proactively researched the company and arrives with intelligent, relevant questions will go far”. Meanwhile Lauren Randell, a Senior Account Director at Vervaunt, noted that “the ideal interviewee should display a working knowledge of the company and the wider industry”.

There was also consensus among our industry professionals that a candidate who really engages with the interview process and displays their personality will stick in the minds of those on the interviewing panel. Digital PR Director at Jellyfish, Naomi Chow, told us:

“The first question I always ask is “tell me about yourself” – this is deliberately vague and open, as I’ll be assessing the candidate on how they structure their answer, their passion and enthusiasm in their tone of voice and how much knowledge they convey when speaking about their current and previous roles.”

Zoe Blogg, Operations Director at Reboot, advised prospective interviewees to “make sure to ask relevant questions at the end of the interview – for example, discuss the company’s mission, values or revenue”, a point that Lauren agreed with, as she advised candidates to see your meeting as “an opportunity to interview the employer – asking about staff development, work culture etc”.

A number of other tips also came up in our discussions. Zoe told us that she looks for candidates who display an ability to self-teach relevant skills, while also providing some practical advice – “Send any presentation documents or slides in advance of the meeting, and apply directly rather than through a job search platform, as this will make your interest seem specific to the role”. 

Meanwhile Tom Gandhi, Head of SEO at Novos, noted that a strong interviewee should show confidence, but also honesty – prizing “a willingness to acknowledge when you’re unsure – there’s no harm in not knowing something, and it’s better to admit it rather than try to pretend”. Olivia agreed on this point: “even the most talented people have areas to work on and things to learn, so don’t try to pull the wool. Acknowledge your areas of improvement and your authenticity will shine through”.

Questions candidates should ask

The confidence to ask questions is key to a successful interview, but they need to be relevant – our industry experts let us know the types of questions they like to hear from applicants. One consistent theme throughout our chats was the importance of showing a genuine enthusiasm for the company as a whole. 

As Lauren told us, “I want an interviewee to ask how the company supports employees with regard to diversity, training, progression and culture” – and this chimed with a number of other experts. Louayy Haqqi, Head of Paid Media at Performance agency, Evoluted, responded along similar lines, telling candidates to relax before advising::

“Finding the right work environment for you is essential, so ask the questions that matter to you – note down your values, and think of questions that will help you understand whether the company you’re interviewing for reflect these.

Naomi agreed that any question that shows a passion for the job is a good one, advising that a strong candidate “should enquire about the company’s attrition rate – high staff turnover can result from a toxic working environment”.

Naomi also mentioned that questions which point to an interest in staying at the company for the long-term will reflect well on the interviewee – “what does the future of the company look like? Different personalities thrive in different environments, so it is good to know if the company you join is likely to look very different a few years down the line – and it also shows that you’re thinking about long-term employment at the company”.

If I had one piece of advice…

We grilled our experts at length and gained a huge amount of advice from them – but we also wanted to know what they considered to be the single most important tip for nailing an interview, and they didn’t disappoint! 

Lauren Randell summed it up in a single word – “Relax!” – before expanding: 

“The interview stage is an opportunity to show your personality; if you’ve made it that far, the people in charge are already impressed with your CV and want to know what you’re like as a person. Remember that it’s ok to be unsure of an answer – honesty is better than pretending, and self-awareness and a willingness to learn are attractive qualities.”

Louayy Haqqi, Head of Paid Media at Performance agency, Evoluted, responded along similar lines, telling candidates to relax before advising:

“The interview stage is an opportunity to show your personality; if you’ve made it that far, the people in charge are already impressed with your CV and want to know what you’re like as a person. Remember that it’s ok to be unsure of an answer – honesty is better than pretending, and self-awareness and a willingness to learn are attractive qualities.”

Zoe Blogg agreed with Lauren and Louayy that staying calm is vital, telling future interviewees “try not to be nervous – breathe, take your time answering questions (you can even bring in notes – this shows preparation) but said that her number one tip was simple: “above all, be yourself!”

Most of our respondents were in harmony on this point – Naomi agreed that it is vital to “be yourself and don’t be afraid to ask questions – the interview process goes both ways!” while Tom was on the same page, saying “be yourself and highlight the experience you’ll bring to the role”.

From speaking to these incredible experts it’s fair to say that preparation is key to a successful interview, so make sure to show the effort you’ve gone to in researching the business and above all show them the real you – your CV is a black and white list of your career achievements, but the interview is a chance to add a bit of colour and show off your personality. Happy job hunting!