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Advertising Account Executive interview questions and answers

This Advertising Account Executive interview profile provides a balanced sample of suitable interview questions. These interview questions for should be modified to fit your company’s advertising goals and requirements.

Christine Del Castillo
Christine Del Castillo

Former Community Manager at Workable specialized in employee experience, talent brands and our event series, Workable Ideas.

advertising account executive interview questions

 Additionally, you can use this advertising account executive job description on your careers page and job boards to find the most qualified candidates.

10 good advertising account executive interview questions

  1. What brands inspire you? Why do you think their campaigns are effective?
  2. How do current trends in the advertising industry inform your work?
  3. Which of our clients would you like to work with? Why?
  4. What sets us apart from our competitors?
  5. Describe the clients you’re working with now. Are they B2B? B2C?
  6. Describe a time you had to sell something.
  7. What would you consider your most creative work in this field?
  8. How do you prioritize your workload with multiple clients?
  9. Describe a time your client disagreed with the marketing strategy. How did you handle it?
  10. What systems have you used to stay on budget with your projects?

Here are 10 essential interview questions and sample answers to help identify the best candidates for this role.

1. What brands inspire you? Why do you think their campaigns are effective?

This question helps to understand the candidate’s awareness of the advertising landscape and what they consider effective branding.

Sample Answer:

“I’m really inspired by Nike’s ‘Just Do It’ campaign. It’s effective because it resonates emotionally with consumers and is adaptable across various media.”

2. How do current trends in the advertising industry inform your work?

This question gauges the candidate’s ability to stay updated with industry trends and how they apply this knowledge.

Sample Answer:

“I always keep an eye on emerging technologies and consumer behavior. For example, the rise of video content has led me to focus more on video advertising.”

3. Which of our clients would you like to work with? Why?

This question assesses the candidate’s familiarity with your client portfolio and their preferences.

Sample Answer:

“I would love to work with [Client X] because their product is innovative, and I see a lot of potential for creative advertising.”

4. What sets us apart from our competitors?

This question evaluates the candidate’s understanding of your agency’s unique selling points.

Sample Answer:

“Your agency stands out for its focus on data-driven strategies and creative storytelling, which is a rare combination.”

5. Describe the clients you’re working with now. Are they B2B? B2C?

This question provides insight into the candidate’s current client base and their experience in different sectors.

Sample Answer:

“Currently, I’m working with both B2B and B2C clients, ranging from tech startups to consumer goods companies.”

6. Describe a time you had to sell something.

This question tests the candidate’s sales skills and their ability to persuade.

Sample Answer:

“I had to sell an unconventional advertising strategy to a conservative client. I used data and case studies to persuade them, and the campaign was a success.”

7. What would you consider your most creative work in this field?

This question aims to understand the candidate’s creative capabilities.

Sample Answer:

“My most creative work was a multi-channel campaign for a fashion brand, which included social media, print, and experiential marketing.”

8. How do you prioritize your workload with multiple clients?

This question assesses the candidate’s organizational skills.

Sample Answer:

“I use project management tools and set clear deadlines to ensure that all client projects are handled efficiently.”

9. Describe a time your client disagreed with the marketing strategy. How did you handle it?

This question tests the candidate’s conflict resolution skills.

Sample Answer:

“When a client disagreed with the strategy, I arranged a meeting to discuss their concerns and adjusted the plan to better align with their objectives.”

10. What systems have you used to stay on budget with your projects?

This question evaluates the candidate’s budget management skills.

Sample Answer:

“I use budget tracking software and regularly update the client to ensure we stay on budget.”

What Does a Good Advertising Account Executive Candidate Look Like?

A good Advertising Account Executive candidate should have excellent communication skills, a creative mindset, and the ability to manage multiple projects efficiently. They should also be adaptable and have a strong understanding of industry trends.

Red flags

Be cautious of candidates who lack industry knowledge, have poor communication skills, or do not show a willingness to adapt and learn.



Advertising Account Manager Interview Questions

The Advertising Account Manager role is above all, a creative role, and in these interviews you’ll be looking for what can’t be trained. The best account executives are creative, curious, and thrive on hustle. Listen for situations where they went above and beyond to meet a deadline or please a client. Listen to how they describe their own campaigns. This is what will help you find the spark you need for your team.

The responsibilities for this position will differ from agency to agency. In some firms, this is an entry level role. Other firms will want candidates with lots of hands-on experience and a solid grasp of marketing and advertising techniques. The following advertising and sales questions assume that you need the latter. Because some industry knowledge can be feigned, these questions are designed to help you reveal the extent of their practical experience. Previous customer-facing experience is especially desirable. The field of advertising is increasingly technical, so if knowledge of CRMs or marketing automation is a huge plus for you, be sure to add some questions about that.

Finally, listen closely to the questions your candidates ask. Great candidates will have done their homework and will be familiar with your brand, competitors, and customers. Prepared questions are good, but spontaneous questions are even better.

For a role more focused on business development, see our Account Executive interview questions.

Let’s summarize some of the questions and add a few more divided into specific types.

Role-specific questions

  • What brands inspire you? Why do you think their campaigns are effective?
  • How do current trends in the advertising industry inform your work?
  • Which of our clients would you like to work with? Why?
  • What sets us apart from our competitors?
  • Describe the clients you’re working with now. Are they B2B? B2C?
  • Describe a time you had to sell something.
  • What would you consider your most creative work in this field?
  • How do you prioritize your workload with multiple clients?
  • Describe a time your client disagreed with the marketing strategy. How did you handle it?
  • What systems have you used to stay on budget with your projects?
  • How would you rate yourself on meeting deadlines?
  • How does your current team handle reporting and analytics?
  • Talk about some integrated campaigns you’ve worked on. Which channels did you use and why?
  • What is your experience with offline channels? How have you integrated them with online channels?
  • Describe a time you worked with a team towards a shared goal.

 

Frequently asked questions

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