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Excellent VP of Marketing Interview Questions

January 10, 2017
January 10, 2017 TruPath

Excellent VP of Marketing Interview Questions

A VP of Marketing carries out a critical role at any organization. Whether leading a marketing team to execute high-level projects or collaborating with other departments to market a new product or service, the VP of Marketing title encompasses various responsibilities.

A marketing expert knows how to truly market oneself in a job interview — so it’s important to dive beyond the resume and take the interview process seriously. Check out some of the top VP of Marketing interview questions to mull over before you make your next hire.

Best VP of Marketing Interview Questions

What do you know about our company, and where do you see us in 10 years?

This is one of the top VP of Marketing interview questions, as it reveals if the candidate has researched your business. Did he or she come to the table with ideas? How might the candidate envision himself/herself within your company? An excellent candidate would come prepared with knowledge about your line of work and the company itself. It’s important for a VP of Marketing to think about strategy and competition in the long-term.

Discuss a time where you made a big mistake and had to think on your feet to develop a solution.

Three must-have traits for a VP of Marketing: Quick thinking, leadership, and problem-solving skills. How did the candidate resolve this situation, and also stifle any potential repercussions from this situation? An experienced VP of Marketing has surely encountered instances of not-so-smooth-sailing — so dig deep on this question.

What is your best strength, and how can it play into our needs?

A company needs a VP of Marketing with a broad range of abilities. Ask the candidate about a top strength, and find out how it can push your business forward. (This question also relates to the first one — has the candidate researched your company enough to give feedback on room for improvement?)

The company has a new product coming out in 3 months. What would you do in order to launch it?

Marketing experts have a knack for time management and planning ahead. As one of the top VP of Marketing interview questions, this situation allows the candidate to strategically walk you through the necessary marketing steps before launching the product. Can he or she arrange a team around the work? What programs or technology will be needed to carry this out? How much time should each step take, in the candidate’s eyes?

You’ve been assigned to plan the company’s nationwide conference. Where do you start?

Any VP of Marketing should know how to effectively gather resources, market an event and gain attendees. How might the candidate approach such a large task? From the guests and the catering to the transportation and the conference events, who will he or she contact to ensure everything is in order? Again, your top VP of Marketing candidate should express expertise and excitement about large-scale marketing.

What new marketing strategy, technique or tool interests you the most at the moment?

As a marketing expert, the VP of Marketing should stay well-versed on marketing tools and tactics. You might follow this question by asking, “What blogs, books or other resources do you utilize to stay up-to-date on marketing news?” The field is ever-evolving — and the VP of Marketing should be, too.

Discuss how you handled a situation where you had to work with a difficult colleague.

Find out how the candidate works with other team members and departments within the company. Was there an uncomfortable situation with a fellow coworker? How did the candidate resolve it? This is one of the top VP of Marketing interview questions because it opens the floor for the candidate to discuss problem-solving and teamwork skills. (After the interview, don’t be shy when it comes to calling up a candidate’s references. This can both verify the candidate’s claims and reveal other qualities to you.)

Tell me about a time where you had to juggle multiple projects with competing deadlines.

It can’t be stated enough — a VP of Marketing should be an expert at time management. Juggling projects should typically be described as an everyday grind for the candidate you’re interviewing. Has any project ever slipped through the cracks and led to a disaster? How would the candidate enlist the help of other employees (or outsource a task) to ensure the work gets done? As an employer, it’s your job to find a VP of Marketing that can deliver on expectations — from clients, from the CMO and from the team.

 

If you’re looking to hire a top-quality marketing executive, TruPath can help find the best fit for your company. What other VP of Marketing interview questions would you add to this list? Let us know!

For all your hiring needs, contact the professionals at TruPath to find the right fit for your team.


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Through our TruProcess, we are able to consistently deliver exceptional candidates that help organizations continue down successful paths. Contact TruPath today to tell us about your staffing needs.