Know-How Exchange : Career/Training

My colleague gives some fine input. In truth, the job description for a marketing director is dependent on the company -- the position can be strategically or tactically oriented.

BUT, I'm going to give you some very practical input for two things -- a job description for a director, and the questions for a telephone interview. Get ready....

ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
This is what I would use for for a Marketing Communications Manager -- you may need to adjust depending on your focus:

• Manage Marcom planning and support in five key areas: Advertising, Trade Shows, Events and Conferences, Web Site Development and Implementation, Collateral Materials and Fulfillment


• Develop and implement strategic communications plan and process


• Ensure integrated marketing communications corporate wide


• Consult with marketing management to ensure the implementation of the appropriate Marcom strategies in all external communications


• Communicate Marcom goals and strategies to all departments worldwide


• Develop content for Marcom projects and oversee corporate message management


• Manage all Marcom budget and financial issues


• Direct corporate brand management and development


• Develop Web marketing strategies, objectives and implementation


• Influence the use of consistent communication and design guidelines


• Ensure the development of all creative communication projects in line with corporate goals and allocated budget

As for interviewing, I suggest telephone interviews to whittle down a big pile of “maybes” to 3-5 good candidates you want to see face to face. Here’s how to handle a telephone interview – I’ve use this approach successfully for many years, and with candidates for many positions.

PHONE INTERVIEW

Resume
* Any questions about gaps in jobs
* Direct questions about jobs and responsibilities
* What kind of experience do you have? (Seeks depth rather than amount)
* What aspects of your work do you consider most crucial? (Shows grasp of functional responsibilities; may highlight how he prefers to spend time at work. Be alert here for a potential mismatch. Match his answers to your job description.)
* Of all the work you have done, where have you been most successful? (Will demonstrate his ability to contribute in those most crucial areas or will display an imbalance of efforts in less important areas)


Knock-out questions — firm grasp of what it takes to do the job. The “big picture.”
* What would you say are the broad responsibilities of a marketing director?
* What would you say are the major personal traits/qualities this job demands? (Have already noted the traits necessary to be successful in this position, so an answer that’s way off base should raise a red flag).
* Describe to me how this job would relates to the overall goals of the company. (Should be alert to how his individual efforts fit into the big corporate picture and concerned for its well-being).


Likes and dislikes — a sharp focus that is effective in unmasking mismatches that they can be used during the telephone interview for their knock-out qualities.
* What aspects of your job do you like best? (Task/goal-oriented; busy work; or getting job done)
* What kind of things bother you most about your job? (Compare answer honestly with the job’s realities)
* What would you change about your current job? (Should mesh with your “must-haves”; if not, reject now to avoid job distraction later)


Money. Important to address this on the phone!
* In your professional opinion, how much do you think a job like this should pay?
* How much money are you making? (Looking for salary without fringes.)
* How much money do you want?

Ending
What else should I know about your qualifications?

THE VERDICT
Not able to do the job.
“Competition is fierce. I have others to talk to, and I feel you may not make the short list for this particular position. However, you have some unique skills, and I would like to keep you in mind for the future. Thank you.”

You’re still not sure.
“Competition is keen, and I have other candidates to talk to. I’m not sure at this point whether you will make the short list. I have to give it further consideration. Would you be willing to write me a letter detailing your strengths? It could help.”

Able and possibly willing.
Schedule a face-to-face meeting.
- I expect all appointments to be kept punctually.
- I expect to be informed if for any reason you cannot make a meeting.
- I’ll treat any and all information shared as confidential.
- I expect applications forms to be filled out accurately and completely.
- I intent to check all references.


NOW – if you want to see the long list of face-to-face interview questions I use, please email me.

Best of luck.

There are some superb points made by my colleagues above and I’d like to add only one question which I have found to be most revealing. Having gone through the weeding out processes which are well covered already, I like to put a question which is similar to the scenario setting proposed by square peg.

By now, the candidate is thoroughly briefed on the company and your job spec and has passed these first bases. For the final interview, I ask the candidate to outline what they would do, if offered the job, in the first day, the first week, the first month and the first 3 months, assuming that they were starting next week.

I’d give them a day to prepare a brief presentation using the media of their choice and be prepared to present it to the board or selection panel the next day.

After they’ve given the presentation, I score them on content, delivery and ability to field questions.

Then I ask them if they have any questions of their own. These can be many and varied, but I’m looking for a sign that they are real professionals.

My favourite answer was, “Based on my presentation today and the previous discussions in my interviews do any of you have any reservations about my suitability for this post?

“If you do, I’d like to ask you if you would voice them now so that I might have the opportunity to clear up any misunderstandings which might have arisen due to the tight schedule we have followed”

He then shut up and was offered the job on the spot.

Steve Alker
Unimax Solutions

If you really want to have an effective interview and minimize the risk of either misreading the candidate or sending the wrong message inadvertently, let me recommend this book on selection interviewing:

The Evaluation Interview, by Fear and Chiron.

It's been around for awhile, but it's still the definitive work on the subject.

Since you are looking to hire a brand or marketing manager to support (your?) pet (supplies or the animals themselves?) distribution business, you need more than just someone with branding experience, although that's important too. You need someone who is passionate about pets...and animals in general! So, here's my probing question:

If you were looking to find a new [fill in the blank with your number one product], what's important to you, that the company behind it is reputable or has the best price for your money and why.

Follow-on: How would you position [your company name] to be your first choice when seeking this product?

Good luck, Debi Brady