Caroline Powell

Some of the strongest digital marketing interviews I've had (both as the interviewer as well as the interviewee) have had creative questions. Yes, you'll talk strengths and weaknesses and example scenarios, but come prepared to answer and ask different questions! - What's the last book you read? - What is something you learned (personally or professionally) in the last 48 hours? - What is a role (or who is a person) in the company you really admire? - When was the last time you did something for the first time? How did it work out? - What publications do you subscribe to (or check out frequently)?

Not everyone is good at presentations or public speaking, but be confident in yourself! There's nothing wrong with taking a sip of water to buy yourself some time or pausing to think of an answer. Grab friends or family and run through your presentation if you need to. Go through it with a mentor or old coworker. The more practice you have, the more comfortable you feel. Remember to be authentic. It's not going to do you much good if you pretend to be someone you're not and experience a culture shock when you start the job.

Before going into the interview, take notes on key tasks and software/processes mentioned in the job description that are applicable to your experience. Did you implement Asana at a previous company, resulting in an X% increase in productivity? And this interviewing company also mentioned Asana? What a good fit! Be prepared with ideas on improvement or adjustments for what you've seen for the brand, but don't go into the interview ready to change everything. "From what I saw on your social media, I think the brand could benefit from adding in some more human elements to posts."

Negative feedback doesn't mean that your business is going to fail. Be an engaging brand! Whether it's good or bad, people want to do business with people, not mindless brands. Those that spend the time connecting with their community are those more likely to develop long-term customers and brand advocates. Remember, your loudest critic may become your best beta tester.

You should be social listening always! Remember, negative feedback is an opportunity to improve. Whether it's clarifying product listings or pages, providing more details about your business, or improving the overall customer experience, it's an opportunity to do more for your future buyers.

Respond to all feedback, positive and negative. The brands who are honest with recognizing mistakes or embracing feedback are those that will make it in the long run. Own the negative feedback, and don't get defensive. Should the feedback be blantantly incorrect, rude, or offensive, stay factual. Keep emotion out of it.