Interactions, relationships, and communications of an organization with its business environment hold a lot of relevance. The companies who are able to engage in effective communications with their surroundings are more successful and are able to retain the customers for a longer period of time.
A communications manager is responsible for appropriately channelizing the different types of communications along with developing effective communication campaigns.
This role requires a lot of critical thinking ability wherein a communication manager would be required to form reasonable judgments at work. Prepare for your upcoming interview session by reading the frequently asked interview questions mentioned below:
21 Best Interview Questions To Study
1. What Is The Relevance Of Establishing An Effective Flow Of Communication?
Communications managers are required to establish the flow of communications in an organization through establishing proper channels. Hence, always prepare for such questions.
Sample Answer
Sir, an effective and organized flow of communication has several benefits, which are:
- The employees are able to understand their tasks and duties with precision
- Enhances the productivity of the employees, as it leads to minimal wastage of time and reduces idle time
- Creates a conducive workplace that is healthy and is responsive to the demands of the employees
- Improves employee satisfaction levels
2. What Is Your Understanding Of The Process Of Storyboarding In The Process Of Marketing?
Storyboarding is a critical process that helps the management to improve the overall quality of the marketing videos. Communications managers are required to storyboard a lot, in order to maximize the potential of the company’s marketing efforts.
Sample Answer
Sir, storyboarding can be referred to as a rough outlay of how the intended marketing video would appear, once it is finalized. In this process, several boxes are drawn and every shot of a marketing video is visually represented in a rough manner. The stick figures drawn in the process of storyboarding, help the marketers to innovate and improvise their scripts and other lines of action.
3. How Do You Write A Newsletter? Which Type Of Marketing Strategy Does It Fall Into?
A communications manager is responsible for writing and preparing the periodical newsletters for the company. Prepare for this topic in-depth as this is one of your primary responsibilities.
Sample Answer
Sir, a newsletter is a form of marketing strategy using which a company is able to promote itself and make its customers aware of the latest developments. A typical newsletter is written on the basis of the following tips:
- The content is audience-friendly. This means that the recipients of the newsletters must be hooked onto the literary piece and are able to get something of value
- The newsletter has excellent, catchy, and attractive subject lines, which compels the readers to open them
- I always create the content of a newsletter in a simple and easy to read language that helps the readers to just glide through it
4. Establish A Relationship Between The Company Values and Its Various Communications.
This question tests your understanding of the relationship between the values of the company and the various communications forwarded by it to the public.
Sample Answer
Sir, all the communications of a company are based upon its values, ethics, objectives, missions, and vision statements. While drafting business communications, like website content, white papers, flyers, brochures, etc. nothing goes beyond them as everything is influenced by it.
5. How Do You Manage The Inferiority Complex At The Workplace?
Not everyone gets successful, but some certainly do. This creates a sense of inferiority, wherein an employee feels himself to be a failure. This impacts his performance negatively and ultimately the employer is the victim. Hence, an interviewer is always interested in knowing the various strategies using which you can manage your inferiority complex.
Sample Answer
Sir, it is all in the ability of humans to feel and react to their surroundings. The “urge to win” is ingrained into our minds since our childhood days which slowly becomes an obsession as we grow up. I never feel like that, this is because I always concentrate upon my own achievements, performances, and results. I never indulge in peer comparisons rather strive for ways to improve my personal performance.
6. Rate Your Communication Skills On A Scale Of One To Five.
Communications managers are required to represent the company in various events, conferences, and gatherings. Hence, having the ability to generate impeccable speech is inherent in this job role.
Sample Answer
Sir, I am a seasoned employee and have worked with several business organizations. Besides this, considering the need to produce effective speeches at various press conferences, corporate events, and social gatherings, I have also undertaken a six-month advance diploma in Public speaking. Hence, considering all these facts, I can certainly say that I am a very good speaker and would rate myself with a 4.8
7. Assume A Situation In Which There Were Several Protests Related To The Communications Pushed By The Company In The Public Domain. How Will You React?
This is a situation reaction test in which you are required to handle the situation in a calm and composed manner by answering logically.
Sample Answer
Sir, as a communications manager, I perform a lot of due diligence before pushing any communication in the public domain, especially when there are chances that the communication can hurt a few sentiments. In all possibilities, this situation would not occur, however, if still, due to some unexpected lapses this happens, then I will take a stand and will certainly assume responsibility. I will calm everything down by accepting the mistake and issuing an apology.
8. Share The Three Most Common Duties Of A Communications Manager Using Least Number Of Words.
This question checks how much you understand your job role.
Sample Answer
Sure, sir, These are:
- Develop robust communication channels
- Engage in product marketing and
- Write different business communications (newsletters, press releases, etc.)
9. Decsribe About A Time When You Took Initiative At Your Workplace and Showed Dedication.
This is a personality evaluating question, wherein you are required to narrate any real-time event through which you show how you took an initiative and contributed to the cause by exhibiting dedication.
Sample Answer
Sir, there are always times in the “corporate careers” when the employees are required to cross their limits and show their commitment towards their employers. I remember an instance when I stayed back in my office for about 15 long days so as to develop effective channels of communication.
10. What Are Some Of The Best Digital Assets To Market The Company Products? Also, State Some Latest Marketing Methods.
A communications manager is responsible to communicate with the outside world of an organization, which includes the customers of the company. Hence, you can always expect some questions related to digital marketing and its various branches.
Sample Answer
Sir, digital marketing refers to the use of the power of the internet and various digital assets to promote the products of an organization and establish the overall brand image. The various digital assets are:
- Established free websites having good web traffic
- Social media sites, such as, Instagram, Facebook and Twitter
- Digital brochures, banners, and flyers
With rapid technological developments, there are several techniques to perform digital marketing. In my opinion, influencer marketing wherein several prominent influencers (having a large number of followers) are communicated to promote the products of the company is one of the best methods.
11. What Are The Three Best Qualities That Every Communications Manager Must Possess?
This question checks your understanding of the job role of a communications manager.
Sample Answer
Sure, sir, These are:
- Excellent drafting skills, wherein a communications manager is able to develop fact rich communications
- Good knowledge of customer behaviour, and inclination towards the customers
- Persevering, hard-working and committed individual, who always achieves the targets
12. It Is True That Communications Manager Is A Middle Level Business Position and You Will Certainly Be Having Several Sub-ordinates Under You. But, Your Performance Will Always Be Assessed. How Do You Handle Feedbacks and Criticisms, Especially Those Received From Your Juniors?
This is a tricky interview question wherein an interviewer requires you to share your viewpoints upon negative feedback and criticisms.
Sample Answer
Sir, I completely understand the relevance of this interview question. In my opinion, no matter in what position you are working, you will always be put under scrutiny and your performance will be analyzed. This will lead to several criticisms that a communications manager will receive from both juniors and seniors.
I have a very open mindset in regards to negative feedback, and always see them as a means to improve my work performance. Hence, be assured that I will never feel offended or feel bad after this.
13. We Follow The Policy Of Implementing Some Of The Best Software In Our Organization. Can You Name The Three Best Customer Communication Management Software That Are Widely Used In The Industry?
This question checks your understanding of the various software, which are running in your industry.
Sample Answer
Sure, sir, These are:
- Zendesk
- Zoho Desk
- Birtrix24
14. What is Your Understnding Of A Press Release? State Its Primary Constituents.
Being a communications manager you will certainly be required to prepare several press releases for the company. Hence, there are high chances that you will be asked this question in your interview session.
Sample Answer
Sir, a press release represents a significant piece of information that is associated with the business organization. It is related to some critical news items that pertain to the company or the launch of any new product. Thus, the ultimate goal of issuing a press release is to keep the media apprised about the latest developments related to the company. The various constituents of a press release are:
- Appropriate timing to maximize its effectiveness
- A catchy, interactive and compelling title
- Paragraphs that are full of accurate information
- Relevant quotes to make the information look more attractive and engaging
- A clear, concise and short conclusion that sums up everything
15. We Are Operating In This Field For The Past Three Decades. Our Legacy Is Solely Built By Hardworking, Charismatic and Intelligent Employees. Hence, Can You Tell Us, What Can You Offer Us That Someone Else Cannot?
The interviewers are upgrading their level of questions pretty fast, primarily due to the rising job applications. This question represents an advanced version of the traditional interview question “What are your strengths?”. Considering its relevance, a candidate must offer a perfect answer to this question by following the below-mentioned steps:
- Read out the job description and note down all the relevant details, requirements, and attributes of the job
- Identify the strengths that would align with these requirements/ attributes
- Share the strengths that are closest to you and align with the attributes identified above
16. We Follow A Team Mode Of Working. What Is Your Ethical Team Culture?
Most business organizations nowadays follow a team mode of working, in which the different employees of the organization are grouped into separate teams on the basis of their skills, designation, knowledge, and experience. Thus, while working as a communications manager you will also be a part of the team.
Hence, through this question, an interviewer wants to know about the various attributes that you wish your team members to possess. To give a perfect reply, just share some corporate-friendly words, such as hard-working, persevering, encouraging, serious, supportive, etc., and form a structured answer.
17. It Is Quite Evident From Your Resume That You Have Worked With Several Business Organizations. Can You Describe Your Best Boss and Worst Boss?
This is a personality evaluating question which requires you to make a distinction between your best senior/ reporting manager/ boss and the worst one. Usually, a boss is termed as “bad” by an employee, if he or she is not supportive, always discourages, mocks, scolds, or hurts the employee’s sentiments in any inappropriate manner. Being an open-ended personal question you can always share whatever your reasons are for making such a distinction.
18. Communications Managers Are Busy People and In Our Organization They Are Involved Into Executing Several Business Tasks. How Do You Prioritize Your Work?
The communications manager is a middle-level job position and has to guide, supervise, and regulate several subordinates along with completing the daily or routine tasks. This makes them busy and they are required to execute several tasks in a single working day.
This is possible only when they have a proper prioritization technique, using which the various tasks for the day are arranged in a specific order. Commonly, ordering the tasks on the basis of their urgency level is the most common approach. However, you can always share your personal technique.
19. What Are Your Salary Expectations?
It is common for the interviewers to ask about your salary expectations during the interview session itself. This helps the interviewers to identify that both you and the organization are on the same page.
The best way to answer this question is by analyzing the industry and finding out the salaries offered to the different communications managers. Post this, calculate an average salary, and base your answer upon it. Further, if you have rich work experience or superior academic qualifications, you can certainly deviate positively from the mean salary.
20. This Job Profile Involves A Lot Of Emotional Intelligence, Communications, and Interactions. When Done Frequently On A Longer Basis It Can Lead To Stress, Anxiety and Nervousness. How Do You Manage It?
A corporate job is like a roller-coaster ride. There are always periods of some extremely tough phases, which are followed by periods of comfort and tranquility. However, most employees are not able to sustain the tough phases and become victims to stress, anxiety, and other negative emotions.
It is an established fact that a stressed employee always lags and is not able to complete his or her targets. Thus, an interviewer expects you to manage your stress levels, using some of the best techniques and strategies, which are requested through this question.
21. Do You Have Any Questions For Us?
So, this is the end!! Every interview session is wrapped up with this question, through which an interviewer wants to know what are the various doubts and apprehensions that you might be having in regards to the company.
Three to four relevant counter-questions related to the interviewer will form an appropriate response to this question. Readout our sample questions mentioned below for a better understanding.
Sample Questions
- Please share all the incentives that are offered to the communications manager upon completion of the assigned targets.
- What are the different work timings or shifts that are followed by the company ?
- Can you share a list of all the paid leaves that are offered by the company to its employees?
Download the list of questions in .PDF format, to practice with them later, or to use them on your interview template (For Communications Manager interview):
References
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1053482220300620
- https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/gwao.12684
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