Onus must be taken by the hiring recruiter for failing to match my skill set with the job opening. I was originally interviewing for a Sr. PM position but was told the job had "changed slightly" to Technology Analyst. A vast difference from managing a team and campaign lifecycle to data gathering. I am currently the Sr. Marketing Director for a software firm yet received, via email post-interview from the hiring recruiter at Ansira, that my qualifications best aligned with a Content Marketer. So, from the interview feedback I went from an experienced Marketing Director (15+ years) to a Content Marketer? I had mentioned to the AVP/Technology Strategist that I had submitted a lengthy document I wrote on Content Marketing to a LI group where I am a mentor around CM/SEO/SEM. That was the ONLY time CM was even mentioned. How they pivoted experience as a PM/AM and Marketing Director to a Content Marketer is quite egregious. The other Technology Strategist had downloaded my skill set from LI and asked me to check 6 from the lengthy list of those that I would consider my strengths . A list! Inefficient and reveals nothing. Ask the questions! Dive deep into someone's background and process. Checking a downloaded list is a sophomoric way to truly attain one's value. There was no mention of agile and Scrum methodology. No discussion of campaign process. No questions around concept specs, revenue cycle, marketing initiatives, RFPs, creative briefs, I/A, UX, UI. This was not the position I should have been interviewing for. It was awkward and a waste of everyones time.
My background includes managing projects for Microsoft and Fortune 500 companies. My background was not part of the interview but data-centric relative to the responsibilities of the Technology Analyst, while an integral part of campaign concept for projects at Microsoft, however, data gathering was performed by vendors. The marketing managers are trained to identify any issues and then problem solve based on that data. Therefore, the hiring recruiter should have known I was set-up for failure going into the interview. The on-site interviews were with 8 staffers across multiple groups. The most difficult would be the AVP/Technology Strategist who looked across the conference table with furred brows through the entire conversation. The interview with the AVP/Technology Strategist was borderline aggressive to interrogation. The remaining interviewees were pleasant yet more conversational rather than discussing experience and process.
Ansira, had they arranged for an interview for a PM/AM, it would have been entirely different and where I would bring the greatest value to the agency. However, the position that I was brought in to interview for was an ill-fit. I take immense pride in my career, staying on top of trends, being a mentor, actively involved in LI groups around marketing/SEO/SEM (which I am certified) and an avid Quora contributor. I left the interview defeated and that should have never happened. Not with my experience. I was a creative in the beginning of my career, hard-coding and producing graphic design and illustration. I received my MBA and transitioned to marketing management. Microsoft hired me the day I was interviewed (in Seattle). I would say that speaks volumes about my experience and knowledge in the marketing industry and I have the references, campaign success stories, client relationships, proven ROI and the chops to successfully manage a team. This was a colossal fail.