1. Explain us what online communities have you managed in the past?
Creating profiles and pages and then posting content to them isn't the job – anyone can do that. The ability to build and engage with the community is the qualifying test of whether someone is a social media manager or a social media user.
2. Tell me what are relevant metrics for tracking ROI on social media?
Engagement, brand reach, lead generation, and conversions. These are the essential measures of social media's return on investment (ROI). They should also be able to more specific in terms of Google Analytics, metrics from software they use, or metrics from a specific platform. Don't make the mistake of thinking that engagement on its own is success either. Without conversions that can be tracked back to that engagement, efforts have been unsuccessful.
Social media is an ever-changing landscape that requires constant and ongoing learning and adapt. Even the most experienced social media managers need to refine their skills. They update their strategies, learn and practice new techniques and stay on top of the latest changes to new and existing platforms.
4. Tell me how do you define the role of a church communications director?
A good response should mention social media, website, and story telling. Bonus points for considering video production and contributing to creative service planning.
5. Tell me what is a time you've failed as a communications director?
Leave it to them to decide whether or not to tell you how they overcame the failure or if they learned anything from it. A good interviewee will jump on an opportunity to turn the negative into a positive.
6. Please explain what are the biggest challenges a marketing manager faces today?
Coming up with new and effective ways to market a product in such a tight economy is a tough challenge and these days customers have more power than ever. It is getting more difficult for marketing initiatives to effectively meet these new customer demands. Keep these and other factors in mind when tackling this question, relate your personal experience of the challenges you have encountered and discuss the creative ways in which you handled them.
7. Explain me what are some of the challenges or roadblocks one might come up against in this role?
A question like this indicates that you're already envisioning yourself in the role and thinking through a plan of attack, should you land the gig. It's also a sign that you're well aware that no job comes free of roadblocks. It shows that not only are you not afraid to deal with those challenges, but you're also prepared for them.
8. Tell me where do people usually eat lunch?
Do they take the time to go out? Do people bring lunch but eat in groups? Do folks normally eat at their desks because they're too busy to socialize? Asking this question serves as a great way to find out a little bit about the company culture. Plus, this is a more lighthearted question that might relax a stiffened atmosphere or lead to a conversation about shared interests.
9. Tell me do you have any questions or concerns about my qualifications?
This question shows that you're not afraid of critical feedback -- in fact, you welcome it. Interviewers tend to make note of red flags -- whether it be something on your resume or something you said -- to discuss with a colleague following the interview. This question gives them the green light to ask about any of the things that are holding them back from being 100% on board with hiring you.
10. Tell me how would you measure my success, and what could I do to exceed your expectations?
I like this question because it addresses expectations in concrete terms. Beyond stock descriptions of good communication and analytical skills, what does excellence look like for that position?
11. Explain me do you have the tools and resources to do your job well?
Asking this question in an interview can give you insight into the challenges the hiring manager has in doing his or her job. Resources trickle down, so if the hiring manager is pressed for time, dealing with an unusually tight budget, or is short on human capital, you will be affected as well.
12. Tell me what would you want to see me accomplish in the first six months?
All too often, job descriptions present routine tasks and responsibilities. Asking about specific expectations and accomplishments can allow you to tailor the conversation to demonstrate your fit for the position. It also shows your commitment to adding value.
13. Explain me what is your company's customer or client service philosophy?
This is an impressive question because it shows that you can make the connection between how the company thinks about its customers and the end result. In other words, how the customer is treated on a day-to-day basis, and in turn, how that shows up in the product.
14. Tell me what metrics would you use to measure success in this role?
Asking a question like this shows that you're goal-oriented and aren't afraid to be held accountable for those goals. You don't shirk accountability. You welcome it -- and will work hard to hit the goals you're responsible for.
15. Tell me if you can't figure out how to solve a problem what do you do?
Do they persist until they find an answer? Do they research online? Do they get bogged down and depressed? Do they ask for help? Do they outsource the problem?
16. Tell me what is your DISC profile? Myers Briggs? Strengthfinder talents?
If they don't know the answer to these questions, (a) it gives you insights to how serious they consider personal development and (b) you might want to have them take a test before the next step in the candidate process to see how they will fit with your team.
17. Explain me your biggest social media failure?
Everyone has failures, some larger than others. Of course, what you really want to know, is how they dealt with it. Gain insight into their coping skills and how they deal with negatives by seeing how the issue was resolved. Pay attention to what they did (or didn't do) to ensure that the failure wouldn't happen again.
18. Tell us which social media channels do you recommend for our business and why?
This answers two questions at once. Has the candidate done the research on your company ahead of time, and how well versed they are in the various social platforms. Pay attention if they mention demographics, style or frequency of messaging, and overall strategy.
19. Please explain which social media tools do you use?
Leave this question open-ended, just as it is phrased above. Your company may already have social media management software in place or you may be looking for a recommendation. If they're only familiar with free software that does nothing more than allow them to schedule posts to Facebook and Twitter, it's not a good sign. Ask them why they like or don't like different tools and which features they use most.
20. Tell me are you a doer or a delegator? Give an example to demonstrate your answer?
Important to know here is that there are positives and negatives in both. A doer might be someone who is a get-it-done at all costs kind of person. However, they might not be willing to share the ministry with others or might tend to over-work and burn out. A delegator might be good at sharing the workload, but might also be someone who is lazy or who tends to pass the buck. This is an important question to ask, but resist the urge to pre-judge the person based on their answer.
21. Please explain me how effectively do you think you can work within budgetary constraints?
In times of economic strain, this question is most relevant for a marketing professional. As marketing is one of the most important functions within a company, when finances are tight a marketing budget, which may once have been limitless can be squeezed down to close to nothing. This is yet another area which will require a creative answer that also highlights your planning and ambition in terms of working under pressure.
Also, the best way to answer questions about the future is to focus on accomplishments of the past. In other words, when asked about how you would deal with possible future scenarios, refer to your past accomplishments. Your answers should focus on successful campaigns with statement such as, “While I was with my previous company I initiated both low-cost lead generation strategies and several viral marketing campaigns using an almost inexistent budget to boost profits by 200%.”
For some jobs, learning the technology or the internal company procedures is the most challenging aspect of coming on board. For others, it is about understanding the human network. Any guidance on how to speed up the learning process and make you effective and productive quicker can give you a significant advantage.
23. Tell me what is the most challenging part of your job? What is your favorite part of your job?
Your hiring manager's job is different from the one you are interviewing for. However, insight into his or her challenges and favorites can offer a glance into the support and assistance you can offer.
This is an important question to ask in an interview because it can help you get insight into the position and how it fits into the network of the company. Who will you support? Who will you supervise and guide? What skills are critical for success?
25. Tell me what are some of the less tangible traits of successful people at this company?
Ever work with people that just get it? That's who hiring managers are looking for. This question demonstrates that you understand a job is about more than just going through the motions. Successful people have a specific frame of mind, approach, attitude, work ethic, communication style, and so on -- and you want to know what that mix looks like at this company.
