Interview Guide for

Demand Generation Specialist

This comprehensive interview guide is designed to help you effectively evaluate candidates for the Demand Generation Specialist role at your organization. It provides a structured approach to assessing candidates' skills, experience, and potential for success through multiple interview stages, including a work sample exercise.

How to Use This Guide

To make the most of this interview guide and improve your hiring decisions:

Familiarize yourself with the job description and ideal candidate profile before conducting interviews. This will help you better assess candidate fit and potential for success in the role.
Customize the guide to align with your company's specific needs and industry focus. You can edit questions or add new ones using Yardstick, ensuring the interview process remains relevant and effective for your demand generation needs.
Use the same questions and scorecards for each interview stage to ensure consistency across candidates. This standardized approach allows for more accurate comparisons and data-driven decision-making.
Take detailed notes during interviews to support your evaluations. Yardstick's AI-powered note-taking feature can help capture key insights without distracting you from the conversation, especially during the work sample exercise.
Complete the scorecard immediately after each interview while your impressions are fresh. This helps maintain accuracy and facilitates easier comparisons between candidates, particularly when evaluating complex competencies like data-driven decision making and creative problem-solving.
Pay close attention to candidates' past performance metrics and their ability to articulate campaign strategies. The hiring manager interview section is particularly useful for diving deep into these areas.
Use the behavioral competency interview to assess adaptability and cross-functional collaboration skills, which are crucial for success in dynamic marketing environments.
Leverage the executive interview to evaluate candidates' ability to think strategically and drive long-term marketing results.
Conduct thorough reference checks to verify the candidate's claims about their marketing performance and analytical abilities.
Use Yardstick's analytics to track the effectiveness of each element of the interview guide over time, allowing you to refine and improve your hiring process for demand generation roles continuously.

Remember that this guide is a tool to support your decision-making process. Use your judgment and expertise to evaluate candidates holistically, considering both their qualifications and potential cultural fit within your organization's marketing team.

For more interview question ideas specific to this role, visit: Demand Generation Specialist Interview Questions.

Job Description

🚀 Demand Generation Specialist

About [Company]

[Company] is a leading provider of [Industry] solutions, leveraging cutting-edge artificial intelligence technology to help businesses improve their decision-making and accelerate revenue growth. Our platform enables teams to capture, understand, and act on customer interactions, driving efficiency and success.

The Role

We're seeking a talented Demand Generation Specialist to join our marketing team and drive our campaign efforts to new heights. In this role, you'll be responsible for creating and executing data-driven campaigns that generate leads, marketing-qualified opportunities, and pipeline growth.

Key Responsibilities

📊 Design and implement multi-channel demand generation campaigns
🧪 Run data-driven experiments to optimize campaign performance
📈 Analyze campaign metrics and generate actionable insights
🤝 Collaborate with Sales and SDRs to maximize campaign impact
📝 Create compelling content for email, webinars, and web pages
🏆 Contribute to the team's goal of maximizing marketing-qualified opportunities and driving pipeline

What We're Looking For

2+ years of experience in B2B marketing, preferably in a SaaS environment
Strong analytical skills with the ability to derive insights from campaign data
Excellent project management capabilities to drive multiple projects end-to-end
Data-driven mindset with a commitment to experimentation and measurable results
Strong writing skills and experience creating marketing content
Familiarity with marketing automation and CRM platforms
Bachelor's degree in Marketing, Business, or a related field
Curiosity and a desire to learn and grow in a fast-paced environment

What We Offer

Competitive salary and benefits package
Flexible work environment
Professional development opportunities
Collaborative and innovative team culture
Opportunity to make a significant impact in a growing company

Hiring Process

We've designed our hiring process to be thorough and give you multiple opportunities to showcase your skills and experience. Here's what you can expect:

Initial Screening Call

A brief conversation with our recruiting team to discuss your background and interest in the role.

Work Sample: Campaign Design

An opportunity to demonstrate your campaign design skills through a practical exercise.

Hiring Manager Interview

An in-depth discussion about your experience and approach to demand generation with the hiring manager.

Behavioral Competency Interview

A focused conversation about your past experiences and how they relate to key competencies for this role.

Executive Interview

A final interview with a senior leader to discuss your strategic thinking and potential impact on our marketing efforts.

We aim to provide feedback promptly after each stage and encourage you to ask questions throughout the process. We're excited to get to know you and learn how you can contribute to our team's success!

[Company] is an equal opportunity employer. We value diversity and do not discriminate based on race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status.

Ideal Candidate Profile (Internal)

Role Overview

The Demand Generation Specialist will be a key player in driving our marketing efforts, responsible for creating and executing campaigns that generate high-quality leads and contribute to pipeline growth. This role requires a blend of creativity, analytical thinking, and strong execution skills to develop and optimize multi-channel marketing campaigns.

Essential Behavioral Competencies

Data-Driven Decision Making: Ability to analyze campaign performance data and use insights to inform strategy and optimize future campaigns.
Creative Problem-Solving: Skill in developing innovative campaign ideas and finding unique solutions to marketing challenges.
Cross-Functional Collaboration: Capacity to work effectively with various teams, including content, product marketing, sales, and marketing operations.
Adaptability: Flexibility to adjust strategies based on changing market conditions and campaign results.
Results Orientation: Strong focus on achieving and exceeding marketing goals, with a drive to continuously improve performance metrics.

Desired Outcomes

Example Goals for Role:

Increase marketing-qualified leads (MQLs) by 25% quarter-over-quarter through the implementation of targeted, multi-channel campaigns.
Improve campaign conversion rates by 15% through continuous A/B testing and optimization of email, landing pages, and ad copy.
Develop and execute at least two new experimental campaign concepts per quarter, with at least one showing potential for scaling.
Reduce cost per lead by 10% while maintaining or improving lead quality through efficient budget allocation and campaign optimization.
Achieve a 90% or higher satisfaction rating from sales team on the quality and relevance of marketing-generated leads.

Ideal Candidate Profile

Proven track record of successful B2B demand generation campaigns in a SaaS or technology environment
Strong analytical skills with experience using data to drive marketing decisions
Excellent project management abilities, capable of managing multiple campaigns simultaneously
Creative thinker with the ability to develop innovative campaign concepts
Experience with marketing automation platforms (e.g., Marketo, HubSpot) and CRM systems (e.g., Salesforce)
Strong writing and content creation skills across various formats (email, web, social)
Collaborative team player with excellent communication skills
Adaptable and comfortable working in a fast-paced, changing environment
Passionate about staying current with the latest marketing trends and technologies
Bachelor's degree in Marketing, Business, or related field; MBA or relevant certifications a plus

📞 Screening Interview

Directions for the Interviewer

This initial screening interview is crucial for quickly assessing if a candidate should move forward in the Demand Generation Specialist hiring process. Focus on past performance, relevant experience, and key competencies outlined in the job description. Getting detailed information on past campaign results and metrics early is essential.

Ask all candidates the same questions to ensure fair comparisons. Take detailed notes during the interview to support your evaluations. Complete the scorecard immediately after the interview while your impressions are fresh.

Remember that this is just the first step in the process, so focus on gathering key information rather than making a final decision. The goal is to determine if the candidate has the potential to excel in this role and should continue to the next stage of the interview process.

Directions to Share with Candidate

"I'll be asking you some initial questions about your background and experience to determine fit for our Demand Generation Specialist role. Please provide concise but thorough answers, focusing on specific examples and results where possible. Do you have any questions before we begin?"

Interview Questions

Tell me about your most successful demand generation campaign. What were the key metrics and results?

Areas to Cover:

Specific campaign metrics (leads generated, MQLs, conversion rates)
Campaign strategy and channels used
Role in campaign design and execution
Collaboration with other teams
Lessons learned and applied to future campaigns

Possible Follow-up Questions:

How did this campaign compare to others you've run in terms of ROI?
What challenges did you face during the campaign and how did you overcome them?
How did you measure the long-term impact of this campaign on pipeline and revenue?

Walk me through your approach to analyzing campaign data and deriving actionable insights.

Areas to Cover:

Tools and methods used for data analysis
Process for identifying trends and opportunities
Examples of insights that led to campaign improvements
Comfort level with presenting data to stakeholders

Possible Follow-up Questions:

Can you give an example of a counterintuitive insight you discovered through data analysis?
How do you balance quantitative and qualitative data in your analysis?
How do you communicate complex data insights to non-technical team members?

Describe a situation where you had to adapt your campaign strategy mid-flight due to unexpected results or external factors.

Areas to Cover:

Initial campaign plan and goals
Factors that necessitated changes
Process for deciding on and implementing adaptations
Results of the adapted strategy
Lessons learned about flexibility and adaptability

Possible Follow-up Questions:

How did you communicate the need for changes to stakeholders?
What systems or processes do you have in place to enable quick adaptations?
How has this experience influenced your approach to campaign planning?

How do you collaborate with sales teams to ensure alignment on campaign goals and lead quality?

Areas to Cover:

Methods for gathering input from sales during campaign planning
Processes for lead scoring and qualification
Frequency and format of communication with sales
Handling of conflicts or misalignments

Possible Follow-up Questions:

Can you give an example of how sales feedback improved a campaign?
How do you balance sales' short-term needs with marketing's longer-term goals?
What metrics do you use to measure the effectiveness of marketing-sales alignment?

Tell me about a complex project you managed from start to finish. How did you ensure its success?

Areas to Cover:

Project scope and timeline
Tools and methods used for project management
Stakeholder management and communication
Obstacles encountered and how they were overcome
Measurable outcomes of the project

Possible Follow-up Questions:

How did you prioritize tasks and allocate resources?
What would you do differently if you were to manage a similar project again?
How do you keep team members accountable without micromanaging?

What experience do you have with creating content for demand generation campaigns?

Areas to Cover:

Types of content created (e.g., emails, landing pages, white papers)
Process for developing content strategy
Methods for ensuring content resonates with target audience
Experience with A/B testing and content optimization

Possible Follow-up Questions:

Can you walk me through your creative process for developing a new piece of content?
How do you balance creativity with data-driven decision making in content creation?
What's your approach to repurposing content across different channels?

Which marketing automation and CRM platforms have you used? How proficient are you with them?

Areas to Cover:

Specific platforms used (e.g., Marketo, HubSpot, Salesforce)
Level of proficiency with each platform
Examples of complex workflows or integrations set up
Experience with data management and hygiene

Possible Follow-up Questions:

How do you stay updated on new features and best practices for these platforms?
Can you give an example of a technical challenge you've solved using these tools?
How do you approach training team members on using these platforms effectively?

Are you legally authorized to work in [Location] without sponsorship?

Areas to Cover:

Current work authorization status
Any restrictions or limitations on employment
Timeline of work eligibility if applicable

Possible Follow-up Questions:

When does your current work authorization expire?
Are there any travel restrictions we should be aware of?

Interview Scorecard

Relevant Demand Generation Experience

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Less than 1 year of relevant experience
2: 1-2 years of relevant experience
3: 2-4 years of successful demand generation experience
4: 5+ years of exceptional demand generation experience

Data Analysis and Insight Generation

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Limited ability to analyze data and generate insights
2: Basic data analysis skills with some insight generation
3: Strong data analysis skills with clear, actionable insights
4: Expert-level analysis skills, consistently delivering high-impact insights

Adaptability and Strategic Thinking

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Struggles to adapt to changing circumstances
2: Can adapt with guidance, basic strategic thinking
3: Adapts well, demonstrates good strategic thinking
4: Highly adaptable, innovative strategic thinker

Cross-Functional Collaboration

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Limited experience collaborating across teams
2: Some success in cross-functional collaboration
3: Strong track record of effective cross-team collaboration
4: Exceptional at driving alignment and results across functions

Project Management Skills

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Basic project management skills
2: Capable of managing simple projects effectively
3: Strong project management skills for complex initiatives
4: Expert project manager, consistently delivers exceptional results

Content Creation Abilities

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Limited content creation experience
2: Can create basic content for campaigns
3: Strong content creation skills across multiple formats
4: Exceptional content creator, drives engagement and conversions

Marketing Automation/CRM Proficiency

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Basic familiarity with one or two platforms
2: Proficient with common platforms
3: Advanced skills in multiple platforms
4: Expert-level proficiency, can optimize and integrate complex systems

Work Authorization

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Requires sponsorship with significant restrictions
2: Requires sponsorship with minor restrictions
3: Authorized to work with time limitation
4: Fully authorized to work without restrictions

Goal: Increase marketing-qualified leads (MQLs) by 25% quarter-over-quarter through the implementation of targeted, multi-channel campaigns.

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to achieve significant MQL growth
2: May achieve some MQL growth, but likely below 25%
3: Likely to achieve 25% MQL growth target
4: Likely to exceed 25% MQL growth target

Goal: Improve campaign conversion rates by 15% through continuous A/B testing and optimization of email, landing pages, and ad copy.

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to achieve meaningful conversion rate improvements
2: May achieve some improvement, but likely below 15%
3: Likely to achieve 15% conversion rate improvement
4: Likely to exceed 15% conversion rate improvement

Goal: Develop and execute at least two new experimental campaign concepts per quarter, with at least one showing potential for scaling.

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to develop innovative campaign concepts
2: May develop new concepts, but questionable scalability
3: Likely to meet goal of two new concepts with one scalable
4: Likely to exceed goal with multiple scalable concepts

Goal: Reduce cost per lead by 10% while maintaining or improving lead quality through efficient budget allocation and campaign optimization.

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to reduce cost per lead without sacrificing quality
2: May achieve some cost reduction, but likely below 10%
3: Likely to achieve 10% cost reduction while maintaining quality
4: Likely to exceed 10% cost reduction while improving quality

Overall Recommendation

1: Strong No Hire
2: No Hire
3: Hire
4: Strong Hire

🎭 Work Sample: Multi-Channel Demand Generation Campaign Design

Directions for the Interviewer

This work sample assesses the candidate's ability to design and present a multi-channel demand generation campaign strategy. It evaluates their strategic thinking, creativity, data-driven approach, and ability to align marketing efforts with business goals.

Best practices:

Provide the candidate with background materials 24 hours before the exercise
Allow 30 minutes for the candidate to present their campaign strategy
Allocate 15 minutes for Q&A and discussion
Take detailed notes on the candidate's approach, creativity, and strategic thinking
Provide brief feedback on one strength and one area for improvement
If possible, include a sales team member in the audience to assess sales alignment

Directions to Share with Candidate

"For this exercise, you'll design a multi-channel demand generation campaign for our company. You'll receive background information on our product, target audience, and campaign goals 24 hours before the presentation. Your task is to create a comprehensive campaign strategy that outlines:

Campaign objectives and KPIs
Target audience and persona insights
Channel selection and tactics
Content strategy and messaging
Timeline and budget allocation
Measurement and optimization plan

You'll have 30 minutes to present your strategy, followed by 15 minutes of Q&A. Please be prepared to explain your rationale and how you would collaborate with sales and other teams to execute this campaign. Do you have any questions?"

Provide the candidate with:

Company and product overview
Target audience information
Campaign goals and constraints
Budget parameters
Any other relevant background information

Interview Scorecard

Strategic Thinking

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Lacks clear strategy or alignment with business goals
2: Basic strategy with some alignment to goals
3: Well-developed strategy clearly aligned with business objectives
4: Innovative, comprehensive strategy that exceeds expectations

Data-Driven Approach

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Minimal use of data to inform decisions
2: Some data-driven elements, but lacks depth
3: Strong use of data to support key decisions
4: Exceptional integration of data throughout the strategy

Creativity and Innovation

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Lacks creativity, relies on generic approaches
2: Some creative elements, but mostly standard tactics
3: Creative approach with several innovative ideas
4: Highly innovative strategy with unique, tailored approaches

Channel Selection and Integration

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Poor channel selection or lack of integration
2: Adequate channel selection with basic integration
3: Well-chosen channels with clear integration strategy
4: Optimal channel mix with seamless, innovative integration

Content Strategy and Messaging

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Weak content strategy or misaligned messaging
2: Basic content plan with generally aligned messaging
3: Strong content strategy with well-crafted, targeted messaging
4: Exceptional content plan with highly compelling, personalized messaging

Measurement and Optimization

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Lacks clear measurement plan or optimization strategy
2: Basic metrics and general optimization approach
3: Comprehensive measurement plan with clear optimization strategy
4: Advanced metrics and innovative, proactive optimization approach

Presentation Skills

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Poor communication, unclear or disorganized
2: Adequate communication with some clarity
3: Clear, well-organized presentation
4: Exceptional communication, highly engaging and persuasive

Goal: Increase marketing-qualified leads (MQLs) by 25% quarter-over-quarter through the implementation of targeted, multi-channel campaigns.

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Strategy unlikely to drive significant MQL growth
2: Strategy may drive some MQL growth, but likely below 25%
3: Strategy likely to achieve 25% MQL growth target
4: Strategy likely to exceed 25% MQL growth target

Goal: Improve campaign conversion rates by 15% through continuous A/B testing and optimization of email, landing pages, and ad copy.

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Limited or no focus on conversion rate optimization
2: Basic optimization plan, unlikely to reach 15% improvement
3: Solid optimization strategy likely to achieve 15% improvement
4: Comprehensive optimization plan likely to exceed 15% improvement

Goal: Develop and execute at least two new experimental campaign concepts per quarter, with at least one showing potential for scaling.

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: No clear experimental concepts presented
2: One experimental concept with uncertain scalability
3: Two experimental concepts, at least one with scaling potential
4: Multiple innovative concepts with clear scaling potential

Goal: Reduce cost per lead by 10% while maintaining or improving lead quality through efficient budget allocation and campaign optimization.

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: No clear strategy for reducing cost per lead
2: Some cost-saving measures, but unlikely to reach 10% reduction
3: Solid plan likely to achieve 10% cost reduction without sacrificing quality
4: Innovative approach likely to exceed 10% cost reduction while improving quality

Overall Recommendation

1: Strong No Hire
2: No Hire
3: Hire
4: Strong Hire

👔 Hiring Manager Interview

Directions for the Interviewer

This interview focuses on the candidate's relevant work history and performance in demand generation and marketing roles. Ask the following questions for each relevant previous role, adapting as needed for time and the number of relevant roles. Ask all questions for the most recent or most relevant role. Probe for specific examples and quantifiable results. Pay attention to the progression of responsibilities and achievements across roles, especially in relation to campaign design, data analysis, and cross-functional collaboration.

Directions to Share with Candidate

"I'd like to discuss your relevant work experience in demand generation and marketing in more detail. We'll go through each of your previous roles, focusing on your responsibilities, achievements, and lessons learned. Please provide specific examples and metrics where possible, especially related to campaign strategies, data analysis, and cross-functional collaboration."

Interview Questions

Of all the marketing jobs you've held, which was your favorite and why?

Areas to Cover:

Motivations and preferences in marketing roles
Alignment with current Demand Generation Specialist role
Self-awareness and understanding of strengths

Possible Follow-up Questions:

What aspects of that role do you hope to find in this position?
How did that experience shape your approach to demand generation?
What did you learn about yourself as a marketer in that role?

Tell me about your role at [company]. What attracted you to this demand generation opportunity?

Areas to Cover:

Company background and product/service overview
Target customer profile
Demand generation process and methodology used
Lead generation and nurturing approach
Marketing tech stack and tools used

Possible Follow-up Questions:

Who was your ideal customer, and how did you identify them?
Walk me through your typical demand generation process from first touch to MQL.
How did you generate or receive leads for campaigns?
What was the typical sales cycle length for your leads?
How did your product/service differentiate from competitors?

What were your key performance metrics and how did you perform against them?

Areas to Cover:

Specific metrics (e.g., MQLs, conversion rates, pipeline contribution)
Performance relative to peers or industry benchmarks
Tools and methods used for tracking and reporting
Strategies for consistently meeting/exceeding targets

Possible Follow-up Questions:

How did you calculate the ROI of your demand generation efforts?
What was your process for setting and adjusting performance goals?
Can you give an example of how you improved a specific metric over time?
How did you communicate performance results to stakeholders?

Tell me about your most successful demand generation campaign. What made it stand out?

Areas to Cover:

Campaign objectives and strategy
Channels and tactics used
Content creation and messaging approach
Cross-functional collaboration
Results and metrics achieved
Lessons learned and applied to future campaigns

Possible Follow-up Questions:

How did you measure the long-term impact of this campaign on pipeline and revenue?
What challenges did you face during the campaign and how did you overcome them?
How did you collaborate with sales to maximize the campaign's impact?
What innovative or creative elements did you incorporate into this campaign?

Walk me through your approach to analyzing campaign data and deriving actionable insights.

Areas to Cover:

Tools and methods used for data analysis
Process for identifying trends and opportunities
Examples of insights that led to campaign improvements
Comfort level with presenting data to stakeholders

Possible Follow-up Questions:

Can you give an example of a counterintuitive insight you discovered through data analysis?
How do you balance quantitative and qualitative data in your analysis?
How do you communicate complex data insights to non-technical team members?
What's your process for turning insights into actionable recommendations?

Describe a situation where you had to manage multiple demand generation projects simultaneously. How did you prioritize and ensure success?

Areas to Cover:

Project management tools and methodologies used
Prioritization strategies
Time management and organization skills
Communication with stakeholders
Results achieved across multiple projects

Possible Follow-up Questions:

How did you handle unexpected setbacks or changes in project scope?
Can you give an example of a time when you had to make a difficult prioritization decision?
How do you ensure consistent progress across all projects when juggling multiple priorities?
What strategies do you use to prevent burnout when managing multiple high-pressure projects?

Tell me about your experience creating content for demand generation campaigns. What types of content have you produced?

Areas to Cover:

Types of content created (e.g., emails, whitepapers, webinars, landing pages)
Process for content ideation and creation
Collaboration with designers, subject matter experts, or other team members
Metrics used to measure content performance
Examples of particularly successful content pieces

Possible Follow-up Questions:

How do you tailor content for different stages of the buyer's journey?
Can you walk me through your creative process for developing a new piece of content?
How do you balance creativity with data-driven decision making in content creation?
What's your approach to repurposing content across different channels?

Which marketing automation and CRM platforms have you used? How proficient are you with them?

Areas to Cover:

Specific platforms used (e.g., Marketo, HubSpot, Salesforce)
Level of proficiency with each platform
Examples of complex workflows or integrations set up
Experience with data management and hygiene

Possible Follow-up Questions:

How do you stay updated on new features and best practices for these platforms?
Can you give an example of a technical challenge you've solved using these tools?
How do you approach training team members on using these platforms effectively?
What's your process for evaluating and recommending new marketing technologies?

Which job that you've had in the past does this Demand Generation Specialist role remind you of the most?

Areas to Cover:

Similarities in responsibilities and required skills
Relevant experiences that would transfer well
Potential challenges based on past experiences
Excitement or concerns about the role

Possible Follow-up Questions:

What specific aspects of demand generation feel similar to you?
What challenges from that role might you anticipate here?
What skills from that experience would transfer well to this position?
How would you adapt your approach given the similarities in roles?

Interview Scorecard

Relevant Demand Generation Experience

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Less than 1 year of relevant experience
2: 1-2 years of relevant experience
3: 2-4 years of successful demand generation experience
4: 5+ years of exceptional demand generation experience

Campaign Design and Execution

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Limited experience in campaign design and execution
2: Basic campaign design skills with some successful executions
3: Strong track record of designing and executing effective campaigns
4: Exceptional campaign strategist with innovative, high-impact executions

Data Analysis and Insights

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Basic understanding of marketing metrics
2: Can analyze data and derive some insights
3: Strong analytical skills with clear, actionable insights
4: Expert-level analysis skills, consistently delivering high-impact insights

Project Management

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Limited project management experience
2: Can manage simple projects effectively
3: Strong project management skills for complex initiatives
4: Exceptional project manager, consistently delivers results on time and within budget

Content Creation

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Limited content creation experience
2: Can create basic content for campaigns
3: Strong content creation skills across multiple formats
4: Exceptional content creator, drives engagement and conversions

Marketing Automation/CRM Proficiency

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Basic familiarity with one or two platforms
2: Proficient with common platforms
3: Advanced skills in multiple platforms
4: Expert-level proficiency, can optimize and integrate complex systems

Goal: Increase marketing-qualified leads (MQLs) by 25% quarter-over-quarter through the implementation of targeted, multi-channel campaigns.

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to achieve significant MQL growth
2: May achieve some MQL growth, but likely below 25%
3: Likely to achieve 25% MQL growth target
4: Likely to exceed 25% MQL growth target

Goal: Improve campaign conversion rates by 15% through continuous A/B testing and optimization of email, landing pages, and ad copy.

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to achieve meaningful conversion rate improvements
2: May achieve some improvement, but likely below 15%
3: Likely to achieve 15% conversion rate improvement
4: Likely to exceed 15% conversion rate improvement

Goal: Develop and execute at least two new experimental campaign concepts per quarter, with at least one showing potential for scaling.

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to develop innovative campaign concepts
2: May develop new concepts, but questionable scalability
3: Likely to meet goal of two new concepts with one scalable
4: Likely to exceed goal with multiple scalable concepts

Goal: Reduce cost per lead by 10% while maintaining or improving lead quality through efficient budget allocation and campaign optimization.

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to reduce cost per lead without sacrificing quality
2: May achieve some cost reduction, but likely below 10%
3: Likely to achieve 10% cost reduction while maintaining quality
4: Likely to exceed 10% cost reduction while improving quality

Overall Recommendation

1: Strong No Hire
2: No Hire
3: Hire
4: Strong Hire

🧠 Behavioral Competency Interview

Directions for the Interviewer

This interview assesses the candidate's behavioral competencies critical for success in the Demand Generation Specialist role. Ask all candidates the same questions, probing for specific examples and details about the situation, actions taken, results achieved, and lessons learned. Avoid hypothetical scenarios and focus on past experiences, particularly those related to data-driven decision making, creative problem-solving, and cross-functional collaboration.

Directions to Share with Candidate

"I'll be asking you about specific experiences from your past that relate to key competencies for this Demand Generation Specialist role. Please provide detailed examples, including the situation, your actions, the outcomes, and what you learned. Take a moment to think before answering if needed."

Interview Questions

Tell me about a time when you used data to significantly improve the performance of a marketing campaign. What was your approach, and what were the results? (Data-Driven Decision Making, Results Orientation)

Areas to Cover:

Initial campaign performance and data available
Process for analyzing data and identifying improvement opportunities
Implementation of data-driven changes
Measurable impact on campaign performance
Lessons learned and application to future campaigns

Possible Follow-up Questions:

How did you determine which metrics were most important to focus on?
What tools or technologies did you use to analyze the data?
How did you communicate your findings and recommendations to stakeholders?
Can you give an example of a counterintuitive insight you discovered through this process?

Describe a situation where you had to develop a creative solution to a challenging marketing problem. How did you approach this? (Creative Problem-Solving, Adaptability)

Areas to Cover:

Nature of the marketing challenge
Process for generating and evaluating creative ideas
Implementation of the chosen solution
Obstacles encountered and how they were overcome
Results achieved and lessons learned

Possible Follow-up Questions:

How did you balance creativity with practical constraints like budget or timeline?
Can you walk me through your brainstorming process?
How did you get buy-in from stakeholders for your unconventional approach?
What would you do differently if faced with a similar challenge in the future?

Give me an example of a time when you successfully collaborated with sales or other departments to improve the effectiveness of a demand generation campaign. What was your role, and how did you ensure alignment? (Cross-Functional Collaboration, Relationship Building)

Areas to Cover:

Context of the collaboration and departments involved
Your specific role and responsibilities
Strategies for aligning goals and expectations across teams
Communication methods used to maintain collaboration
Outcomes of the collaborative effort
Lessons learned about effective cross-functional teamwork

Possible Follow-up Questions:

How did you handle any conflicts or misalignments that arose during the collaboration?
What techniques did you use to ensure all team members felt heard and valued?
How did this experience change your approach to cross-functional projects?
Can you give an example of how you translated marketing jargon for non-marketing team members?

Interview Scorecard

Data-Driven Decision Making

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Rarely uses data to inform marketing decisions
2: Uses basic data to guide some marketing processes
3: Regularly incorporates data analysis into marketing strategies
4: Leads with a sophisticated, data-driven approach that significantly improves marketing outcomes

Creative Problem-Solving

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Struggles to develop creative solutions to marketing challenges
2: Can generate some creative ideas but may have difficulty implementing them
3: Consistently develops and implements creative solutions to marketing problems
4: Exceptional at generating innovative, effective solutions to complex marketing challenges

Cross-Functional Collaboration

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Difficulty working effectively with other departments
2: Can collaborate with other teams when given clear direction
3: Proactively builds strong working relationships across departments
4: Excels at fostering collaboration and driving results through cross-functional partnerships

Adaptability

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Struggles to adapt to changes in marketing landscape or project requirements
2: Can adapt when given clear guidance and support
3: Demonstrates good ability to adapt to changing situations independently
4: Thrives in dynamic environments, proactively adjusting strategies for optimal results

Results Orientation

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Focuses more on activities than outcomes
2: Generally works towards goals but may miss targets
3: Consistently meets or exceeds performance targets
4: Demonstrates exceptional drive, consistently surpassing expectations and driving significant results

Goal: Increase marketing-qualified leads (MQLs) by 25% quarter-over-quarter through the implementation of targeted, multi-channel campaigns.

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to achieve significant MQL growth
2: May achieve some MQL growth, but likely below 25%
3: Likely to achieve 25% MQL growth target
4: Likely to exceed 25% MQL growth target

Goal: Improve campaign conversion rates by 15% through continuous A/B testing and optimization of email, landing pages, and ad copy.

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to achieve meaningful conversion rate improvements
2: May achieve some improvement, but likely below 15%
3: Likely to achieve 15% conversion rate improvement
4: Likely to exceed 15% conversion rate improvement

Goal: Develop and execute at least two new experimental campaign concepts per quarter, with at least one showing potential for scaling.

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to develop innovative campaign concepts
2: May develop new concepts, but questionable scalability
3: Likely to meet goal of two new concepts with one scalable
4: Likely to exceed goal with multiple scalable concepts

Goal: Reduce cost per lead by 10% while maintaining or improving lead quality through efficient budget allocation and campaign optimization.

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to reduce cost per lead without sacrificing quality
2: May achieve some cost reduction, but likely below 10%
3: Likely to achieve 10% cost reduction while maintaining quality
4: Likely to exceed 10% cost reduction while improving quality

Overall Recommendation

1: Strong No Hire
2: No Hire
3: Hire
4: Strong Hire

👨‍💼 Executive Interview

Directions for the Interviewer

This interview further assesses the candidate's behavioral competencies from an executive perspective, focusing on strategic thinking and leadership in demand generation. Ask all candidates the same questions, probing for specific examples and details about the situation, actions taken, results achieved, and lessons learned. Avoid hypothetical scenarios and focus on past experiences that demonstrate the candidate's ability to operate at a strategic level in complex marketing environments.

Directions to Share with Candidate

"I'll be asking you about specific experiences from your past that relate to key competencies for this Demand Generation Specialist role, with a focus on strategic thinking and leadership in complex marketing environments. Please provide detailed examples, including the situation, your actions, the outcomes, and what you learned. Take a moment to think before answering if needed."

Interview Questions

Tell me about a time when you had to develop a long-term demand generation strategy that aligned with broader business objectives. How did you approach this challenge? (Strategic Thinking, Results Orientation)

Areas to Cover:

Understanding of business objectives and market trends
Process for developing the demand generation strategy
Alignment with sales and other department goals
Implementation and stakeholder management
Measurable impact on business outcomes

Possible Follow-up Questions:

How did you gain buy-in from leadership for your strategy?
What challenges did you face in implementing this long-term strategy?
How have you continued to evolve this strategy over time?
Can you give an example of how you balanced short-term demands with long-term strategic goals?

Describe a situation where you had to lead a significant change in demand generation processes or technologies. How did you manage this transition? (Adaptability, Cross-Functional Collaboration)

Areas to Cover:

Reasons for the change and expected benefits
Your role in planning and executing the change
Strategies for managing resistance and gaining buy-in
Training and support provided to team members
Results achieved and lessons learned

Possible Follow-up Questions:

How did you communicate the need for change to various stakeholders?
What obstacles did you encounter during the transition and how did you overcome them?
How did you measure the success of the change?
Can you give an example of how you supported team members who struggled with the transition?

Give me an example of a time when you identified an innovative opportunity to significantly improve demand generation results. What was your approach, and what was the outcome? (Creative Problem-Solving, Data-Driven Decision Making)

Areas to Cover:

Process for identifying the innovative opportunity
Data and insights used to support the idea
Development and testing of the new approach
Implementation and scaling of the innovation
Measurable impact on demand generation results

Possible Follow-up Questions:

How did you balance risk and potential reward when proposing this innovation?
What resistance did you face when introducing this new idea, and how did you overcome it?
How have you applied lessons from this experience to subsequent innovation efforts?
Can you walk me through your process for evaluating the success of this innovation?

Interview Scorecard

Strategic Thinking

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Focuses primarily on short-term, tactical execution
2: Demonstrates some longer-term planning for demand generation
3: Develops comprehensive strategies aligned with business goals
4: Creates innovative, market-leading strategic approaches for demand generation

Results Orientation

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Struggles to connect demand generation efforts to business outcomes
2: Generally works towards goals but may miss key performance indicators
3: Consistently achieves or exceeds demand generation targets
4: Drives exceptional results, significantly impacting business growth

Adaptability

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Resists change in demand generation processes or technologies
2: Can adapt to changes when given clear direction and support
3: Embraces change and effectively leads others through transitions
4: Proactively drives positive change, turning challenges into opportunities

Cross-Functional Collaboration

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Works in isolation with limited interaction with other departments
2: Collaborates with other teams when required
3: Proactively builds strong relationships across departments
4: Excels at fostering collaboration, driving alignment across the organization

Creative Problem-Solving

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Relies on conventional solutions to demand generation challenges
2: Occasionally generates creative ideas but may struggle with implementation
3: Regularly develops and implements innovative solutions
4: Consistently pioneers groundbreaking approaches that drive significant results

Data-Driven Decision Making

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Rarely uses data to inform demand generation strategies
2: Uses basic data to guide some decision-making
3: Regularly incorporates data analysis into strategic planning
4: Leads with a sophisticated, data-driven approach that transforms demand generation effectiveness

Goal: Increase marketing-qualified leads (MQLs) by 25% quarter-over-quarter through the implementation of targeted, multi-channel campaigns.

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to achieve significant MQL growth
2: May achieve some MQL growth, but likely below 25%
3: Likely to achieve 25% MQL growth target
4: Likely to exceed 25% MQL growth target

Goal: Improve campaign conversion rates by 15% through continuous A/B testing and optimization of email, landing pages, and ad copy.

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to achieve meaningful conversion rate improvements
2: May achieve some improvement, but likely below 15%
3: Likely to achieve 15% conversion rate improvement
4: Likely to exceed 15% conversion rate improvement

Goal: Develop and execute at least two new experimental campaign concepts per quarter, with at least one showing potential for scaling.

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to develop innovative campaign concepts
2: May develop new concepts, but questionable scalability
3: Likely to meet goal of two new concepts with one scalable
4: Likely to exceed goal with multiple scalable concepts

Goal: Reduce cost per lead by 10% while maintaining or improving lead quality through efficient budget allocation and campaign optimization.

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to reduce cost per lead without sacrificing quality
2: May achieve some cost reduction, but likely below 10%
3: Likely to achieve 10% cost reduction while maintaining quality
4: Likely to exceed 10% cost reduction while improving quality

Overall Recommendation

1: Strong No Hire
2: No Hire
3: Hire
4: Strong Hire

Debrief Meeting

Directions for Conducting the Debrief Meeting

The Debrief Meeting is an open discussion for the hiring team members to share the information learned during the candidate interviews. Use the questions below to guide the discussion.

Start the meeting by reviewing the requirements for the Demand Generation Specialist role and the key competencies and goals to succeed.

The meeting leader should strive to create an environment where it is okay to express opinions about the candidate that differ from the consensus or the leadership's opinions.

Scores and interview notes are important data points but should not be the sole factor in making the final decision.

Any hiring team member should feel free to change their recommendation as they learn new information and reflect on what they've learned.

Questions to Guide the Debrief Meeting

Does anyone have any questions for the other interviewers about the candidate?

Guidance: The meeting facilitator should initially present themselves as neutral and try not to sway the conversation before others have a chance to speak up.

Are there any additional comments about the Candidate?

Guidance: This is an opportunity for all the interviewers to share anything they learned that is important for the other interviewers to know.

Based on the candidate's past performance and interview responses, how likely are they to increase marketing-qualified leads (MQLs) by 25% quarter-over-quarter through targeted, multi-channel campaigns?

Guidance: Discuss specific examples from the candidate's past performance that indicate their ability to meet or exceed this goal. Consider their track record in similar roles and their strategies for campaign optimization.

How well-equipped is the candidate to improve campaign conversion rates by 15% through continuous A/B testing and optimization of email, landing pages, and ad copy?

Guidance: Consider the candidate's demonstrated skills in data analysis, experimentation, and their past success in improving campaign performance.

Is there anything further we need to investigate before making a decision?

Guidance: Based on this discussion, you may decide to probe further on certain issues with the candidate or explore specific issues in the reference calls.

Has anyone changed their hire/no-hire recommendation?

Guidance: This is an opportunity for the interviewers to change their recommendation from the new information they learned in this meeting.

If the consensus is no hire, should the candidate be considered for other roles? If so, what roles?

Guidance: Discuss whether engaging with the candidate about a different role would be worthwhile.

What are the next steps?

Guidance: If there is no consensus, follow the process for that situation (e.g., it is the hiring manager's decision). Further investigation may be needed before making the decision. If there is a consensus on hiring, reference checks could be the next step.

Reference Checks

Directions for Conducting Reference Checks

When conducting reference checks, aim to speak with former managers and colleagues who have directly worked with the candidate in a demand generation or marketing capacity. Explain that their feedback will be kept confidential and used to help make a hiring decision. Ask the same core questions to each reference for consistency, but feel free to ask follow-up questions based on their responses.

Questions for Reference Checks

In what capacity did you work with [Candidate Name], and for how long?

Guidance:

Establish the context of the professional relationship
Determine the reference's ability to speak to the candidate's demand generation skills

Possible Follow-up Questions:

How closely did you work together on demand generation campaigns?
Were you directly involved in overseeing their performance?

Can you describe [Candidate Name]'s primary responsibilities in their demand generation role?

Guidance:

Verify the candidate's claims about their previous role
Understand the scope and complexity of their demand generation experience

Possible Follow-up Questions:

What types of campaigns were they responsible for?
How many channels did they typically manage simultaneously?

How would you rate [Candidate Name]'s demand generation performance compared to their peers?

Guidance:

Get specific metrics or rankings if possible
Understand their ability to meet or exceed targets

Possible Follow-up Questions:

What was their average increase in MQLs quarter-over-quarter?
How did they rank in terms of campaign conversion rates?

Can you give an example of how [Candidate Name] used data analysis to improve campaign performance?

Guidance:

Assess the candidate's analytical skills
Understand their ability to derive actionable insights from data

Possible Follow-up Questions:

What tools or methods did they use for data analysis?
How did they communicate their findings to stakeholders?

How would you describe [Candidate Name]'s approach to designing and executing multi-channel demand generation campaigns?

Guidance:

Evaluate the candidate's strategic thinking and execution skills
Understand their ability to manage complex, integrated campaigns

Possible Follow-up Questions:

Can you provide an example of a particularly successful campaign they designed?
How did they handle unexpected challenges during campaign execution?

What can you tell me about [Candidate Name]'s content creation abilities?

Guidance:

Assess the candidate's skills in creating various types of marketing content
Understand their ability to tailor messaging to different audiences and channels

Possible Follow-up Questions:

What types of content were they most proficient at creating?
How did they ensure content was aligned with campaign objectives?

How proficient was [Candidate Name] with marketing automation and CRM platforms?

Guidance:

Understand the candidate's technical skills
Assess their ability to leverage technology for campaign optimization

Possible Follow-up Questions:

Which specific platforms did they use most frequently?
Can you give an example of how they used these tools to improve campaign performance?

On a scale of 1-10, how likely would you be to hire [Candidate Name] again if you had an appropriate demand generation role available? Why?

Guidance:

Get a clear, quantifiable measure of the reference's overall impression
Understand the reasoning behind their rating

Possible Follow-up Questions:

What would make you rate them higher?
In what type of marketing environment do you think they would thrive most?

Reference Check Scorecard

Verification of Role and Responsibilities

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Significant discrepancies with candidate's claims
2: Some minor discrepancies
3: Mostly aligns with candidate's claims
4: Fully verifies and expands on candidate's claims

Demand Generation Performance

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Consistently underperformed against targets
2: Occasionally met targets
3: Consistently met or exceeded targets
4: Top performer, significantly exceeding targets

Data Analysis and Insights

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Limited ability to analyze data or generate insights
2: Basic data analysis skills with some insight generation
3: Strong data analysis skills with clear, actionable insights
4: Expert-level analysis skills, consistently delivering high-impact insights

Campaign Design and Execution

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Struggled with campaign design and execution
2: Capable of designing and executing basic campaigns
3: Skilled at designing and executing complex, multi-channel campaigns
4: Exceptional strategist, consistently delivering innovative and high-performing campaigns

Content Creation Abilities

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Limited content creation skills
2: Adequate content creation across some formats
3: Strong content creation skills across multiple formats
4: Exceptional content creator, consistently producing high-impact materials

Marketing Automation/CRM Proficiency

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Basic familiarity with one or two platforms
2: Proficient with common platforms
3: Advanced skills in multiple platforms
4: Expert-level proficiency, can optimize and integrate complex systems

Adaptability and Problem-Solving

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Struggled to adapt to changes or solve complex problems
2: Adapted to changes with guidance
3: Demonstrated good adaptability and problem-solving skills
4: Excelled at adapting to changes and solving complex marketing challenges

Cross-Functional Collaboration

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Difficulty working effectively with other departments
2: Collaborated with other teams when required
3: Proactively built strong working relationships across departments
4: Excelled at fostering collaboration and driving results through cross-functional partnerships

Overall Recommendation from Reference

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Would not rehire (1-3 on scale)
2: Might rehire (4-6 on scale)
3: Would likely rehire (7-8 on scale)
4: Would definitely rehire (9-10 on scale)

Goal: Increase marketing-qualified leads (MQLs) by 25% quarter-over-quarter through targeted, multi-channel campaigns

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to achieve significant MQL growth
2: May achieve some MQL growth, but likely below 25%
3: Likely to achieve 25% MQL growth target
4: Likely to exceed 25% MQL growth target

Goal: Improve campaign conversion rates by 15% through continuous A/B testing and optimization

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to achieve meaningful conversion rate improvements
2: May achieve some improvement, but likely below 15%
3: Likely to achieve 15% conversion rate improvement
4: Likely to exceed 15% conversion rate improvement

Goal: Develop and execute at least two new experimental campaign concepts per quarter

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to develop innovative campaign concepts
2: May develop new concepts, but questionable effectiveness
3: Likely to meet goal of two new concepts with potential for success
4: Likely to exceed goal with multiple innovative, high-potential concepts

Goal: Reduce cost per lead by 10% while maintaining or improving lead quality

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to reduce cost per lead without sacrificing quality
2: May achieve some cost reduction, but likely below 10%
3: Likely to achieve 10% cost reduction while maintaining quality
4: Likely to exceed 10% cost reduction while improving quality

Frequently Asked Questions

How can I effectively assess a candidate's data analysis skills?

Look for specific examples of how the candidate has used data to drive marketing decisions and improve campaign performance. Ask them to walk you through their process for analyzing campaign metrics and deriving actionable insights. Our blog post on data-driven decision making offers valuable insights that can be applied to assessing analytical skills in marketing candidates.

What's the best way to evaluate creative problem-solving abilities?

Use behavioral interview questions that ask candidates to describe specific situations where they've developed innovative campaign concepts or solved complex marketing challenges. Follow up with questions about their thought process and the results of their actions. The work sample exercise is also an excellent opportunity to assess creative problem-solving in a practical context.

How do I gauge a candidate's cross-functional collaboration skills?

Ask for examples of how they've worked effectively with sales teams, content creators, and other departments to achieve marketing goals. Look for evidence of their ability to communicate across functions, manage stakeholder expectations, and drive alignment. Our article on finding and hiring for grit among sales candidates includes insights on assessing collaborative skills that can be applied to marketing roles.

What strategies can I use to assess adaptability in demand generation candidates?

Look for examples of how candidates have handled unexpected changes or challenges in their marketing campaigns. Ask about times they've had to pivot their approach mid-campaign or adapt to new market conditions or technologies. Our guide on interviewing sellers for adaptability offers strategies that can be adapted for demand generation roles.

How can I determine if a candidate can meet aggressive marketing goals?

Review their past performance metrics carefully, asking for specific examples of how they've achieved or exceeded KPIs in previous roles. Look for evidence of their results orientation, ability to optimize campaigns, and track record of improving key metrics over time. The article on asking the right questions to understand the truth about a sales candidate's past performance can be adapted for assessing marketing performance.

What's the most effective way to conduct the work sample exercise?

Provide clear instructions and background information to the candidate in advance. During the exercise, pay attention to their strategic thinking, creativity, data-driven approach, and ability to align marketing efforts with business goals. Use the scorecard to evaluate their performance objectively. Our guide on mastering role-playing interviews offers tips that can be applied to conducting effective marketing simulations.

How should I evaluate a candidate's content creation abilities?

Ask for examples of content they've created for various marketing channels. Look for their ability to tailor messaging to different audiences and campaign objectives. Consider asking them to briefly outline a content strategy for a hypothetical campaign during the interview. Pay attention to their writing skills and creativity throughout the interview process.

What red flags should I look out for during the interview process?

Be cautious of candidates who can't provide specific examples of campaign successes, struggle to articulate their analytical process, or show a lack of preparation for the interview. Also, watch for signs of inflexibility, poor collaboration skills, or an inability to balance creativity with data-driven decision making.

How can I use this guide to compare candidates consistently?

Use the scorecards provided for each interview stage to evaluate all candidates against the same criteria. Take detailed notes and complete the scorecards immediately after each interview. During the debrief meeting, focus on comparing candidates' scores and specific examples rather than general impressions. Our article on why you should use structured interviews when hiring provides additional guidance on maintaining consistency.

What should I do if a candidate doesn't have direct demand generation experience?

Focus on transferable skills such as data analysis, creativity, project management, and adaptability. Look for evidence of success in related marketing roles and the ability to learn quickly. Consider their potential for growth and how their unique background might bring fresh perspectives to the role. Our blog post on how to raise the talent bar in your organization includes insights on hiring for potential.