Competition for marketing jobs is fierce, but if you truly belong in the field that won’t put you off. Although you can’t predict exactly what a particular company will ask, it is possible to prepare broad answers that will reveal your worth.

Know your own success stories 

When an interviewer asks about previous successes, he or she is looking for more than a nutshell of the end result. They want to know why you chose your tactics, and how they were evaluated.

If you exceeded expectations be ready to explain why. You should also be able to say what the success meant for the company: was it greater awareness or additional sales?

Know what the company needs 

If you are asked for marketing ideas then have specific, relevant proposals in mind. Think about what would appeal to the people the company usually targets, and also think of ways to sell to a new demographic.

Be aware of previous campaigns, and don’t rule out suggesting they are repeated just because they were somebody else’s idea.

Take the company’s likely resources into account. You need to prove you understand the realities of budget constraints, and can work within them.

Know why you have failed in the past 

Questions about previous failures can actually reveal your strengths if answered correctly. The key is to explain what lessons you learned from the experience, and how you will apply them to future campaigns.

Tell the interviewer why you think the strategy didn’t work, and give them detailed information about how came to your conclusions. Simply saying the target wasn’t met is not enough – you should provide facts, statistics and analysis.

Know yourself 

You need to tell the interviewer why you’re the best candidate for the job. Saying you’re hardworking, enthusiastic and a team player is a waste of words because this is what they expect from all candidates.

What sets you apart from everyone else?