HighTech Marketing Interviews

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High-Tech Marketing Interviews

• January 7, 2004

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Agenda

• Interview Preparation Tips
• Resources
• Specific company suggestions and ideas for
  preparation
• With caveat that things can always change!
• Questions and Answers

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What is it?

• High-Tech Marketing covers several different job
  functions with high-tech companies
• Product Marketing
• Product Management
• Marketing Communications
• Product Development Strategy
• Depends on the companys interpretation of what
  product marketing/management entails
• You do not need a tech background to get a
  position in high-tech marketing

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Interview Preparation

• Generally fit behavioral questions
• Looking for the usual transferable qualities
• Teamwork
• Creativity
• Leadership
• Initiative
• Analytics
• Some limited case questions (very few)
• More in later rounds
• Not like consulting cases
• More strategic in nature
• Some brain teasers, but not too prevalent

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Interview Preparation

• Case Question Examples
• Pick a product from our portfolio What would you
  do differently to market the product?
• Select one of our products tell me one strength
  and one weakness about the product.
• Your CEO for a particular technology or service
  how would you go about differentiating the
  product/service?
• Explain database to a non-techie
• Our main competitor lowers their price for a
  particular product what would you do as a
  product manager to react?
• Brain teasers
• How many ice cubes in Ann Arbor?
• How many pumpkins are grown in the U.S. each
  year?
• How many gas stations are there in the U.S.?

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Interview Preparation

• Know your story very well asked in nearly
  every interview
• Have stories and examples for each of the 5 areas
  (both good and bad examples) go to fit module!
• Know what points you want to get across before
  the interview! Shape your stories accordingly
• Other areas of consideration (basic interview
  stuff)
• Strengths and weaknesses
• Know your resume inside and out be ready to
  speak about any bullet point
• Know the industry well
• Know the company
• Context, Action, Result (CAR)
• Focus 80 of the time on the action and results

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Know the Company

• Know the companys history and place in the
  industry
• Be prepared to talk about STP and 4 Ps for 1-2
  of the companies products
• What would be your marketing recommendations?
• Know the relative standing of the company within
  its industry
• Know recent acquisitions, alliances, etc.
• Know why you want to join this company!

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Know the Industry

• Dont have to be a techie
• Should be able to understand (and speak, to a
  point) the language of the industry
• Should understand
• Economics of industry
• Major players
• Trends
• Know why you want to join this industry

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Resources

• Good Kresge industry/company sources
• Hoovers good summary but not a lot of depth
• Gartner Group Excellent industry research and
  some company analyses
• Business Company Resource Center Great source
  for analyst reports, current articles
• Factiva Good source for current articles
• Forrester Good for internet-related
  companies/industries
• Jupiter good for internet-related companies
• Standard Poors Excellent industry reports
• Investext Description of the business by Wall
  Street analysts
• Company annual reports, investor relations
  (management discussion)
• Company website know the products well!

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Resources

• Informational interviews will help you connect
  with the right people, industry jargon, etc.
• Talk to people already in the positions youre
  interviewing for
• Talk to 2nd years who have interviewed and
  especially interned with these companies
• Attend tech-related panels and conferences
  (FuturTech on Jan 15-16, 2004)
• Read tech-related magazines and/or e-mail
  newsletters
• Go to the fit/behavioral case modules!!!
• Mock interviews!!!

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High-Tech Companies

• With marketing or product management positions
• Specific interviewing strategies

Apple Computer
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Questions and Answers