The Ultimate Guide to Preparing Interview Answers

When you are interviewing for marketing positions, it can be difficult dealing with nerves. In fact, according to a recent recruitment survey, 93% of job candidates suffer anxiety during interviews.

Your best strategy to eliminate nerves is to focus on your strengths and use them as a selling point when answering questions in the interview. How do you do this?

Before you get into an interview, it’s important to think about what you want to say and how you want the interviewer to perceive you. The success of your interview depends on how well prepared you are to answer questions that will be asked. The method we describe in this article will help you show that you are the STAR candidate.

Role of the Interviewer

Interviewers make important decisions in a short space of time. They need to work out if the applicant is suitable for the role, assess skills, and probe for potential areas of weakness. They must also ask questions that will reveal how well a candidate would fit in with the company culture, and what their motives are for wanting the job.

The Role of the Candidate

Your job as the interviewee is to convince the interviewer that you are the right person for the job. You must be able to demonstrate your suitability, show your personality, and emphasize your experience and skills. How you answer questions, and the conversation you strike up with the interviewer is how you do this.

(Bonus Tip: Read our article discussing how not to turn up for creative jobs.)

Questions Asked by Employers

Employers want to hire dependable employees who can be trusted in their roles. Questions asked by employers help them evaluate the competence, education, and personality of the candidate. These questions also enable employers to assess if the candidate is a good fit for the company’s culture.

Hiring managers ask behavioral questions to find out more about a candidate’s personality, how they work with others, and how they have performed in the past. They will ask verification and competency questions to confirm that they possess the skills, experience, and knowledge claimed on their resume.

Interview Preparation Using the STAR Method

The STAR method is a terrific way to prepare answers for any type of interview question. It helps you answer with ease, remove your nerves, and keep on track, delivering concise responses that fully answer what has been asked. Using this method, you’ll find that those pregnant pauses disappear, and that you gain better control of the pace and rhythm of the interview.

What Is STAR?

STAR stands for Situation, Task, Action, Result. By using this format, you can easily articulate your strengths and confirm how well you will slot into the marketing role and the team.

When preparing your answers, shape them so that you highlight the skills highlighted in the job description. Consider your experiences and individual episodes in which you have used these skills. Then design your answer to showcase them, using the STAR method as follows:

• S – Situation

Briefly describe the situation in which you found yourself.

• T – Task

What needed your attention? What problem needed resolving?

• A – Action

What did you do? How did you do it? Did you collaborate with others? Did you do more than was expected?

• R – Results

Describe the outcome. Show the difference you made, and end positively.

Avoid the temptation to deliver long, convoluted answers. Focus on being brief, concise, and specific. Use verifiable numbers to demonstrate your points. Try to keep each part of the answer to no more than two or three sentences. This way you will keep the hiring manager’s attention.

Prepare a few of these answers. This will give you a range of answers that you can adapt to the questions asked. You should practice them, too, but don’t over practice. You don’t want to sound over-rehearsed and robotic.

Be the STAR Candidate in Interviews

The best way to avoid interview nerves is by preparing beforehand. You should know what questions might be asked and prepare answers in advance. The STAR method enables you to demonstrate your strengths and answer questions fluidly. This will leave the interviewer with a positive impression of your presence, rather than any doubts or worries about hiring you.

When we work with candidates, we make sure they know the type of questions they are likely to be asked. We help them prepare for their interviews, so they get to highlight their real selves. Are you receiving the same level of help? Contact…