Technological capabilities of advertising platforms of constantly changing. How do you ensure you are aware of all the new advertising platform developments?

"The competitive landscape for advertising platforms is constantly changing, so I find it is important to remain current with new products and service offerings. On a regular basis, I set aside time to read industry-specific news where I learn about new companies entering the industry and the products they offer. In addition, I look for opportunities to attend conferences and training sessions where I learn of emerging technologies related to advertising platforms. These opportunities also allow me to network and learn from my industry peers."

Most companies competing in this industry understand the importance of professional growth with respect to product specific and technical knowledge. Outbrain would like to know that you find continued learning important as well and want to understand how you go about remaining current with competitive offerings and new technologies. This may include both formal and informal learning opportunities. Be sure to specify any proactive measures you take to continually educate yourself.

"In addition to attending industry conferences and training seminars, I also find the time to research which advertising platforms are being used by my client's competitors. If hired, I would compare the attributes of Outbrain's advertising platform to those being used by competitors of Outbrain's clients. This would allow me to keep a pulse on the new developments of competing advertising platforms. I also believe it may help Outbrain's teams generate ideas for new offerings of its own."

How do you react when your team misses a deadline?

"My team is highly efficient, and we rarely miss a deadline. When we do, it's surprising. We had a very challenging client last year who made a significant amount of changes throughout the entire project and implementation. These changes caused us to miss our deadline. I took action after that to ensure a better client onboarding process. This new process made sure we dug deeper with each client at the start which has resulted in fewer mid-project changes. I would be happy to share this process with Outbrain, should I be your successful candidate."

Missed deadlines can be critical mistakes in the software and tech industry, and can reflect poorly on you, as a leader. The interviewer would like to understand better how you react to disappointment and plans not going your way. Give an example of a time when your team missed a deadline and walk the interviewer through the action that you took. Your response will help Outbrain to better understand if your approach is the right fit for their team.

"Deadlines are reached as a team, and they are missed as a team. I truly believe that. When a deadline is missed, I look at how we could have moved better as a machine, to make the delivery happen on time. I do not react negatively to my team members, but I do use situations like this as learning and coaching opportunities. How does Outbrain react with their leaders in the event of a missed deadline or target?"

Thinking about some of the well-known advertising platforms available, how do you think Outbrain's compares?

"Google offers several of the most well-known advertising tools, including Google Ad Manager. One of the most valuable aspects of this tool is its user-friendliness. This allows analysts to get the most out of the tool when managing their company's advertising campaigns. In addition, because it offers so many capabilities, marketers and analysts do not have to toggle between different tools to manage and measure their advertising efforts. Facebook Business is also a well-known platform that has the name recognition and following that makes it an effective option for many companies' advertising efforts. It's ability to give real-time information gives marketers the ability to revise advertising efforts in a snap. Outbrain's platform has the potential to be competitive over time. It will be important to build user interfaces and analytical and reporting capabilities that are robust and easy to use. With my knowledge of platforms available in the industry, I believe I can help Outbrain reach its potential."

Your answer should reveal your knowledge of other advertising platforms available in the industry. Be sure to select a couple competing platforms that you can speak about and compare them to what you know about Outbrain's platform. Your response will also tell the hiring manager how familiar you are with Outbrain's product, and ultimately how well you prepared for your interview.

"Amazon has become one of the larger advertising platforms. It's ability to reach a large diverse group people, as well as its ability to track potential customers on their 'journey' make it a valuable option for marketers. There is also Choozle, a platform that allows marketers to manage all their advertising campaigns in one place while optimizing their advertising mix through its targeting features. As Outbrain builds up its platform, I believe there are many ways that it can remain competitive in the industry. Although the user friendliness of Outbrain's tool is comparable, based on my assessment, the targeting and data capabilities could be more robust. I think I could make valuable contributions towards those efforts."

What are important reporting and analytics capabilities an advertising platform should have?

"The reporting and analytics capabilities of an advertising platform is crucial as client companies are looking to ensure their advertising efforts are effective and are reaping the benefits of their investment. Beyond the basic measures such as click-through-rate and open rates, I believe it is important that an advertising platform has the ability to integrate a variety of data. This includes things such as geographics and demographics data for different advertising channels and data from different devices. This allows companies to better understand the customer journey. Based on my research, all of these capabilities are offered with Outbrain's advertising platform and much more including the ability to evaluate advertising channels clients may not be currently advertising with."

Reporting and analytics capabilities are easily one of the most important features of an advertising platform. Your answer to this question should show your understanding of the reporting and analytics capabilities of advertising platforms in general, and particularly with that of Outbrain.

"An important feature from an analytics and reporting perspective is the ability to customize their reports and integrate data from outside sources. The higher the level of customization offered to client companies, the better they will be able to evaluate the advertising efforts unique to their business. In addition, being able to integrate data from a source outside of the advertising platform will also allow companies to better tailor their analyses to answer their strategic questions. The advertising platform offered by Outbrain offers robust reporting and analytics capabilities that can be customized based on the client's needs. "

Tell me about a time you took charge of a project. Discuss one positive and one negative outcome from the experience.

"My employer asked me to lead the training of 15 employees on our new client management software. I was already a subject matter expert on the software so it wasn't difficult for me to plan the lesson. The challenge was making the content entertaining enough to keep the employees engaged. I created a PowerPoint presentation that included pop quiz questions throughout the training. The presentation was a success, and my employer asked me to lead a follow up meeting a few weeks later. Now, I am confident in my ability to jump in and lead software-based training for Outbrain; whether that be on the client or employee side."

Outbrain has many job opportunities, and through these, will come chances to manage projects. The interviewer would like to know that you have the confidence to lead a project successfully. Think about a time when you have taken control of a task - big or small. Begin with an overview of the project, who was involved, and what approach you took to ensure smooth execution. Next, discuss something that you feel you could have done better. You do not want to dwell on the negative, so be sure to end on why you felt the project was a success! What did you do to create a productive and positive outcome?

"In my previous software sales position, I would often collaborate with the marketing department when it came to selling strategies and new product launches. The marketing director was not the type to take control of a meeting, especially when there was a heavily technical topic at hand. So, rather than go around in circles, I stepped up to take charge of the weekly meetings we had throughout one particular project. I am certain that this contributed heavily to the successful outcome of the project, as all team members had clear directives. That particular project had the highest ROI to date; however, if I were to do that again, I would ensure tighter timelines. I look forward to delivering solid successes like this to Outbrain, should I be the successful candidate."

Tell me about the most rewarding experience you have had, working in a team environment. What made it so rewarding?

"The position I am currently in has been my first experience leading a team. We have knocked some seriously complicated projects out of the park, becoming the pacesetters for many technical product launches. It's been exciting to see everyone flourish and I am happy to see everyone succeed. It's encouraging and exhilarating."

Most of the projects you will work on for Outbrain will have a teamwork component. Whether you are collaborating with an analytics team, the IT department, or sales and product development, you will be required to have well-honed teamwork skills. The interviewer wants to hear that you enjoy, and feel accomplished through teamwork. Talk about a time when you felt fulfilled through a team setting or project collaboration. An example may be a time when you worked on a team project in University, a recent data mine collaboration, or possibly the acquisition of a substantial new client. Discuss the results of the teamwork and how you attained a positive outcome as a group.

"The most rewarding teamwork experience that I have had was in my last year of university. We had a project due, in teams of 4, which accounted for quite a large part of our grade. I believe everyone pulled more than their weight because so much was at stake. Teamwork is very rewarding when everyone has something significant to win, or lose."

Have you ever worked in a cross-functional environment?

"I have worked in a cross-functional setting for many years. Primarily with the digital security department and the engineering department. Clear communication is key when collaborating with different teams. Clarity in expectations is of huge importance."

If you work for a larger company, you may have been asked to work on a project with teams from another department. Your ability to work with cross-functional teams will be a significant asset to your potential employer, especially if they are a larger organization. Maybe you headed a project which required you to collaborate with the members of the engineering and sales teams. You may have had the opportunity to organize a volunteer activity or team building exercise, company-wide. Share any challenges that came up and what you learned from the experience.

"When I worked for a larger mobile applications agency, we collaborated across departments all the time. We had the C-suite of Marketing and Operations, then the Content and Communications department, Creative Services, and also Consumer Insights. We would meet on a weekly basis to discuss larger projects and then collaborate through the week as needed. It was a great set-up and ensured smooth progress at all project stages."

Outbrain fosters a collaborative working environment. When have you taken the time to teach an essential skill to a coworker?

"Last week our company introduced a new module in our SAP system. I could see that our contracted HR assistant was having some troubles with the new module. I was familiar with it already, so I offered to help him learn the module. We spent his lunch hour for the next three days working on it. He perfected the module and our company was so impressed with his dedication to learning that they are now trying to find room to hire him on a full time, permanent basis."

The interviewers at Outbrain want to hear that you have experience teaching or mentoring your coworkers. You may have taught a new hire all of your department's standard processes. Perhaps you explained new concepts related to AI and data migration to a more junior employee. You may have mentored an employee who was struggling to meet a project deadline. All of these scenarios are great examples to draw on. Better yet, if you have personally seen someone struggling with workplace skills or knowledge, approached them, and offered to mentor them, it is a shining example of leadership! Whatever your scenario may be, tell the interviewer what you helped the person with, while highlighting the positive outcome of their skills improvement.

"I'm proud to say that, even without any official management capacity, I often seize the opportunity to teach others at work. Not only have I helped contribute to the sales team's knowledge base of our software, but also I try to teach our clients on the added features of our software, at every opportunity. It's fun to share and teach others, especially since I am always seeking out learning opportunities for myself."

When have you been on a team project that failed? What did you learn from that experience?

"Our team was recently on a data migration project with a very tight deadline. We knew the client and their needs very well which I believe made us go into the project overconfident. Because we underestimated the work involved, we missed our deadline by three business days. Thankfully we had a great relationship with that particular client, so we were able to recover from the missed deadline. Although it was late, we worked overtime and delivered an exceptional project, in the end. This experience taught me never to underestimate a project and the potential roadblocks, especially when it comes to data. It's always better to under-promise and over-deliver, rather than the other way around."

Outbrain wants to be successful in all that they do; however, there will be times when plans fall apart, and a project flops. The interviewer would like to know how you respond to situations that do not go your way. We all experience perceived fails in our career. Failure is nothing to be embarrassed about so do not hesitate to describe a failure you've experienced in the past. The key to a great answer is to include how you learned from that failure, and how you improved your work performance after learning from the crash. Try to keep your example non-critical; for instance, avoid telling the interviewer how your team forgot to test new code, and it cost your company $150,000 due to downtime. Avoid blaming any particular person and instead, use words like 'we' and 'team' to describe the situation. Finally, be sure to tell the interviewer that, while you were very disappointed in the group's failure, you took the opportunity to learn from the experience.

"I once worked for a startup IT agency that bit off more than it could chew after acquiring a huge client. We had to learn a lot of solutions on the fly, which caused a great deal of stress amongst the team, which was primarily made up of junior engineers, and new hires. Nobody had the seniority or tenure to feel confident taking control of the situation. What I learned from this experience is that every company should have a wide range of people present, with varying levels of experience and expertise. This factor is on that attracted me to Outbrain; knowing you keep diversity in mind when making hiring decisions."

Describe your experience working with advertisers/marketers or publishers.

"From my time at a few different advertising agencies, I learned a bit about what is important to advertisers when running their digital advertising campaigns. Although in most cases the marketer's agency works through a Demand Side Platform, it is important the Advertising Marketplace offers a wide variety and volume of ads at competitive prices. In addition, it should communicate seamlessly with the Demand Side Platform. Understanding the importance of digital ad placements from a marketer's perspective has helped me understand what Advertising Marketplace attributes are important to remain competitive."

Advertising Marketplaces are platforms where marketers and publishers 'meet'. Hiring managers will find experience working with either of these groups will provide valuable perspectives as Outbrain improves its products and services. Talk about what you learned with working with either or both of these groups. If you do not have experience working with either group, share your knowledge about the groups' roles as it relates to digital advertising and Advertising Marketplaces.

"Working on digital advertising campaigns with previous employers has given me a holistic view of the digital advertising industry. Marketers are looking for ads that will provide the best means to communicate to their target audience within budget, while publishers are looking to sell their ads to the highest bidder. In addition, publishers are looking to reach their target audience of marketers. To be successful, Advertising Marketplaces need to understand both sides of the exchange."

There are several components of a robust advertising platform. Which ones do you find to be the most valuable to a company running frequent advertising campaigns?

"At times, larger clients may have several campaigns running simultaneously as they launch different targeted campaigns through different channels. Due to the high volume of campaigns, it is important to have the ability to launch, manage and track all of these campaigns seamlessly. The availability of information to make these decisions quickly will also be important, and this can be addressed through a platform's analytics capabilities. The user friendliness of the interface is also very important to execute these campaigns."

Your answer to this question should show hiring managers that you understand the needs of larger clients that may run advertising frequently. These larger clients may require an advertising platform with more product attributes than a smaller business would.

"Clients running advertising campaigns frequently would benefit from investing in a powerful advertising platform. The timeliness of reporting will be key, so any changes in advertising can be executed without delay. Availability of data, such as channel metrics, also helps clients make strategic advertising decisions."

Companies have several different advertising platforms to choose from. What skills would you bring that would help Outbrain remain a competitive option in this industry?

"With my experience working on advertising platforms, I am confident that my skills can help Outbrain remain a strong competitor in the industry. For example, my knowledge of competing advertising platforms gives me insight into the differences between Outbrain's advertising platform and that of other companies. In addition, my analytical skills will help Outbrain build more robust analytical and reporting capabilities and offer higher levels of customizations for clients."

Hiring managers would like to understand what skills you would bring to the position and if it matches the needs of their company. Be specific about your skills and experience and how you can contribute to the competitive goals of Outbrain. Highlight any experience you may have working with advertising platforms whether on the client side or the supplier side.

"For several years, I have worked with clients to meet their strategic goals. Strong communication and problem solving skills helped me successfully meet my clients' needs and I believe these skills will also help me effectively work with the various teams at Outbrain to continue to build a more competitive product for a constantly changing industry."

As an active member of Outbrain's team, what is the most valuable skill you would be able to contribute as it relates to Advertising Marketplaces?

"My experience working with a variety of digital advertising technology will be helpful in this position as it will provide different perspectives to projects. As an example, my work with Supplier Side Platforms will help me improve the connections between Outbrain's Advertising Marketplace and publishers. My background working with this technology will allow for efficient troubleshooting of issues that may arise, minimizing any unexpected downtimes."

Your response to this question will indicate to the hiring manager which skill(s) you may be most confident about. Try to be specific as to how these skills will add value to Outbrain's mission. Skills may include knowledge or experience as well as soft skills such as leadership, communication and organization.

"After years of experience working in various industries, I have developed and strengthened many valuable skills including my project management and communication skills. My project management skills will allow me to successfully oversee several tasks simultaneously. In conjunction with these skills, I have developed my communication skills which is vital when successfully managing multiple projects. Communication is key when dealing with publishers, marketers and internal team members to find solutions to problems that may arise. "

What are your primary technical competencies?

"I am a jack of many trades, when it comes to my technical competencies; however, if I had to narrow it down to a few specifics, I would say that the greatest skills I will bring to Outbrain include technical project management, product integrations, and customer support."

If you had to summarize your skills and competencies in just a few words, which would you choose? If asked this question, it is likely because you have such a broad skill set that the hiring authority would like to narrow down exactly which area you would want to be known as an expert. Share your top one to three skills, expressing that you look forward to making an impact at Outbrain through the use of these competencies.

"My primary technical competency is in Information Systems. I have my CISSP certification and am very confident in the knowledge I will bring to Outbrain regarding systems security and diagnostics."

What software development tools have you used?

"I see that you mentioned Atom and Cloud 9 in your job posting, both of which I have approximately three years' experience. I have also worked with Linx, although I am a beginner level in that particular tool."

There is a multitude of software development tools available, and they change all the time. The interviewer is looking for a better understanding of the tools that you use, and the development skills you will bring to this job. If Outbrain mentions any specifics, or preferences, when it comes to software development tools, this is a perfect time to indicate your level of experience with them.

"When it comes to software development tools, the bulk of my work has been with the NetBeans. I like this tool because it can be installed in many operating systems, making it an excellent option for projects of all kinds."

Outbrain prides itself on investing in the growth of its team members. In a constantly changing industry as ours is, how do you ensure that you continue to grow professionally?

"I fully appreciate the need for professional growth in this evolving industry. Professionally, one of my main goals is to learn a new skill each month. This skill may be technical or a soft skill. I am more driven to learn when I am pushed out of my comfort zone. In addition, on a monthly basis, I meet co-workers outside of my team or department to learn about their job responsibilities and current projects. This gives me a broader view of the company and how my role fits into the bigger picture. By meeting monthly goals such as these, I am confident that I can make valuable contribution not only to my team, but the company overall."

Outbrain is willing to invest in its employees, but employees need to be self-motivated and have the desire to expand their knowledge base and skill set. Talk about professional goals you may have for yourself, including both industry-specific and general skills. Explain how reaching these goals will help you contribute to the broader goals of Outbrain.

"Without remaining current on industry trends, I find it would be difficult to make strategic contributions to Outbrain's goals. Each day, I carve out some time to catch up on current news and developments as it relates to Advertising Marketplaces. Although my daily schedule may not allow for a large chunk of time, I have specific sites and industry news sources I refer to easily. In addition, I seek out training seminars and conferences where I can devote larger portions of the day to learning about the industry. These learning opportunities will help me contribute proactively to Outbrain's goals. I believe Outbrain's investment in its employees helps it to remain competitive."

What do you believe is more important: the system being user friendly or comprehensive but complex?

"I don't believe that you have to sacrifice either. I've worked very closely with UI/UX teams to ensure we're developing a system that is functional and has a design that makes it easy for the end user to perform their tasks. In my last role, we were adding a module to the existing system. Our team worked closely with UI/UX to ensure the new time tracking system was easy to use and had the technical functionality to prevent errors. The importance of time tracking made it even more critical that we were balancing functionality with design to help prevent user error."

Your interviewer is looking to see what you value when you're developing, modifying, or upgrading systems. Do research about Outbrain so you can also add details in your answer that are customized to what they're doing. In your answer, be sure to explain how you balance both in your work to ensure the end user has a good experience all around.

"When I'm working on a project, whether that is a new system overall, an upgrade, or modifications, I am heavily focused on its comprehensive functionality, but I also partner with UI/UX to ensure we're creating a well-rounded product that will have significant benefits for the client. As a technical specialist, I am more focused on the comprehensive functionality of the system, but I never neglect the design and that's why I feel it's so important to have a relationship with UI/UX. We implemented a new benefits module in my last role and through my effective relationship with UI/UX, we were able to create a user-friendly, comprehensive interface while still coming in under budget and on time."

How many impressions, would you estimate, an advertisement on a subway car would garner in one day?

"Can I first ask a few questions for clarification? When you say 'impressions,' are you simply referring to how many people will actually see it? Also, where is this subway car operating in? Is there only one advertisement in the car? May I assume for simplicity that the car was full emptied out at each stop? Where is it located inside the car? Based on the information I have, I'll need to calculate the % of people who would have seen this advertisement based on its location inside the subway car each time the car was full and multiply it by how many groups of people would have come in and gone. Total # of people inside the car at each stop will depend on the time of day - there will be more during rush hour. If it's really packed, many of those sitting down might not see the ad, so we may have to take that into consideration as well."

When answering riddles/brain teasers like this, always ask questions to get more information first. Then, lay out the factors in a formula. Explain the formula and all the factors in it before saying your final guestimate. Add comments about potential dependencies - factors that could change your calculation if they were known to you.

What is your experience working with either private or open Advertising Marketplaces?

"I have over five years of experience working with an open Advertising Marketplace, where I learned the differences between the two types. Open marketplaces are not restricted with regards to who can purchase and who can sell ads, while a private marketplace includes a single publisher selling their ads to selected group of marketers, giving the publisher more control. Whether either type of marketplace is better for a marketer depends on target audiences and budgets."

Although the question asks about your work experience, the main goal of this question is to gauge your knowledge of the differences between private and open Advertising Marketplaces. If you do not have any direct experience with either of these marketplace types, share what you know and include any pro's and con's of either.

"Although I do not have direct experience working with either type of Advertising Marketplace, my work with Marketing departments has allowed me to learn about both. Private Advertising Marketplaces are run by the largest publishers who are selective about which brands purchase their higher-priced ads. Therefore, limited marketing budgets and exclusive access by publishers may restrict marketers to open marketplaces. However, open marketplaces may also provide marketers access to a wider variety of publishers appropriate for their target audience, at a budget-friendly price."

Based on your knowledge and experience, what is the difference between Advertising Marketplaces and Demand Side Platforms?

"Advertising Marketplaces, also known as Ad Exchanges, is a platform where publishers can sell ads and marketers can purchase them for their campaigns. On the other hand, Demand Side Platforms are tools to connect with Advertising Marketplaces to automate the transactions making it more efficient. Based on my knowledge and research, Outbrain's Advertising Marketplace offers marketers a robust source for ads and works seamlessly with Demand Side Platforms."

While responding to this question, assure the interviewer that you know the characteristics of both and identify at least the main difference between the two. Include information you have about Outbrain's products and services as it relates to either advertising marketplaces or demand-side platforms.

"Demand Side Platforms can connect with multiple Advertising Marketplaces, allowing marketers a wide variety of options when purchasing ads for their campaigns. Therefore, although Demand Side Platforms increase competition between Advertising Marketplaces, it also gives each of them more exposure as more marketers use DSP's to manage, target and purchase ads. In many cases, Demand Side Platforms have become the bridge between the marketer and the Advertising Marketplace. Outbrain has built its reputation on being a competitive Advertising Marketplace based on its pricing and diverse ad options for marketers to purchase."

How do you prioritize multiple projects when they all seem equally important?

"I aim to be as effective and efficient as possible and make sure I can use all minutes of a day for a project. I have a few things going at once most of the time. I am the lead on some, the delegator on others, and the reviewer on another, for instance. This way, by splitting up the work to the appropriate parties, both my team and I can be the most efficient with our time."

When working for Outbrain, you will need to take on multiple projects or clients at a time. They are a busy organization and need to know that you can keep up with their pace. Prioritizing is a skill that requires practice. There are many approaches you can take. Here are some suggestions:1) Make a list. By thinking through and writing down each item that needs completion, you can better visualize your approach. 2) Mark what is urgent or essential. Take into account deadlines and meetings. If a project management tool is available to you, like Trello or Asana, utilize its features to keep yourself organized. 3) Order each task based on effort and estimated value. 4) Consider due dates and how long it will take to do each item.When answering this question, show the interviewer that you have a system in place that helps you to think through what needs to happen, and when. The better you can prioritize, the more productive you will be, making you an asset to Outbrain!

"I love to keep running lists of everything that I need to do, big or small. Mostly because I love crossing things off of the to-do list, but also because it helps me keep track of everything. Lately, I've started utilizing a free project management software that I use to make those lists, categorize the tasks, and mark them by the level of urgency. I take care of the most time-sensitive issues first and then move along to the equally important, but perhaps less time-sensitive to-dos. I also estimate how long each task will take, so if I have a few minutes in between projects, I can tackle the quick to dos and use that time effectively, rather than use it to figure out 'what's next.'"

Tell me about a time where you had to analyze a set of data and then make a recommendation.

"When doing annual reviews with my clients, I analyze the past year's ROIs, trends, and overall data. I then make recommendations for improved efficiencies for the upcoming year. I will make recommendations based on resources and pricing, but also make suggestions on new ways in which we can be creative, like consolidating resources, to save cost when possible. I managed two of the most significant accounts in the office, so my recommendations were fundamental to our bottom line, and I'm happy to report that they were consistently adopted, resulting in more business."

In the tech industry, you will often be looking at data, analyzing it, and making recommendations based on what you see. Outbrain needs to hire those who can easily take on sets of data, large or small, and make educated recommendations based on what they see. You can talk about your attention to detail and sharp focus when it comes to data and analytics.

"My current employer wanted to know the exact impact our social media campaigns were making. I gathered our Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter data for him and created a short PowerPoint presentation from the data. My recommendation was to increase our keywords in the geographical areas where our ads received the highest click-through rates. My research and recommendations certainly helped as our social reach grew exponentially in the following months."

How do you develop trust among your team in a virtual, or work-from-home, setting?

"Technology allows for so much these days. I believe you can quickly make a connection with someone, even if you are across the world from them, by embracing the right tools. I would also suggest incorporating multiple contests or team-based goals, where team members still have to collaborate, to get to the end goal."

Depending on a few factors, Outbrain may offer you the opportunity to work from a home-based office. With technology taking over, many workplaces are offering remote opportunities. The interviewer would like to know that you can handle that type of set up while still building great coworker relationships - even under the absence of face-to-face interaction.Here are a few ways that you can develop trust among your team members in a virtual setting:- Building relationships: You might share how you have everyone introduce themselves, share their professional background, personal interests, and even a little about their interests in each meeting.- FaceTime or Go-To-Meeting: Talk about how you ensure that you have video conferencing capabilities. Discuss that being able to see each other, even virtually, allows you to build camaraderie and creates trust among your team.- Creating a Transparent Culture: Tell the interviewer how you open up the door for trust with your team by being an open and transparent leader or co-worker. You might share that you have open conversations about how the group will hold each other accountable. You may also share other ideas that have worked for you such as: holding one-on-one meetings with each member of the team, providing recognition for things well done, holding fun contests, or allowing team members to understand each other better by utilizing a personality assessment.

"I have worked in remote IT teams in the past and what I found worked very well were regular video calls through Google Hangout. These calls worked so that everyone had a turn running the meeting, giving their ideas on an area in which they were considered a subject matter expert. This strategy established each team member as an influencer in their own right. The results were an incredible team environment, despite many of us never meeting each other in person."

Outbrain Interview Questions

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1. Technological capabilities of advertising platforms of constantly changing. How do you ensure you are aware of all the new advertising platform developments?
2. How do you react when your team misses a deadline?
3. Thinking about some of the well-known advertising platforms available, how do you think Outbrain's compares?
4. What are important reporting and analytics capabilities an advertising platform should have?
5. Tell me about a time you took charge of a project. Discuss one positive and one negative outcome from the experience.
6. Tell me about the most rewarding experience you have had, working in a team environment. What made it so rewarding?
7. Have you ever worked in a cross-functional environment?
8. Outbrain fosters a collaborative working environment. When have you taken the time to teach an essential skill to a coworker?
9. When have you been on a team project that failed? What did you learn from that experience?
10. Describe your experience working with advertisers/marketers or publishers.
11. There are several components of a robust advertising platform. Which ones do you find to be the most valuable to a company running frequent advertising campaigns?
12. Companies have several different advertising platforms to choose from. What skills would you bring that would help Outbrain remain a competitive option in this industry?
13. As an active member of Outbrain's team, what is the most valuable skill you would be able to contribute as it relates to Advertising Marketplaces?
14. What are your primary technical competencies?
15. What software development tools have you used?
16. Outbrain prides itself on investing in the growth of its team members. In a constantly changing industry as ours is, how do you ensure that you continue to grow professionally?
17. What do you believe is more important: the system being user friendly or comprehensive but complex?
18. How many impressions, would you estimate, an advertisement on a subway car would garner in one day?
19. What is your experience working with either private or open Advertising Marketplaces?
20. Based on your knowledge and experience, what is the difference between Advertising Marketplaces and Demand Side Platforms?
21. How do you prioritize multiple projects when they all seem equally important?
22. Tell me about a time where you had to analyze a set of data and then make a recommendation.
23. How do you develop trust among your team in a virtual, or work-from-home, setting?

Outbrain Interview Questions

1. Technological capabilities of advertising platforms of constantly changing. How do you ensure you are aware of all the new advertising platform developments?

2. How do you react when your team misses a deadline?

3. Thinking about some of the well-known advertising platforms available, how do you think Outbrain's compares?

4. What are important reporting and analytics capabilities an advertising platform should have?

5. Tell me about a time you took charge of a project. Discuss one positive and one negative outcome from the experience.

6. Tell me about the most rewarding experience you have had, working in a team environment. What made it so rewarding?

7. Have you ever worked in a cross-functional environment?

8. Outbrain fosters a collaborative working environment. When have you taken the time to teach an essential skill to a coworker?

9. When have you been on a team project that failed? What did you learn from that experience?

10. Describe your experience working with advertisers/marketers or publishers.

11. There are several components of a robust advertising platform. Which ones do you find to be the most valuable to a company running frequent advertising campaigns?

12. Companies have several different advertising platforms to choose from. What skills would you bring that would help Outbrain remain a competitive option in this industry?

13. As an active member of Outbrain's team, what is the most valuable skill you would be able to contribute as it relates to Advertising Marketplaces?

14. What are your primary technical competencies?

15. What software development tools have you used?

16. Outbrain prides itself on investing in the growth of its team members. In a constantly changing industry as ours is, how do you ensure that you continue to grow professionally?

17. What do you believe is more important: the system being user friendly or comprehensive but complex?

18. How many impressions, would you estimate, an advertisement on a subway car would garner in one day?

19. What is your experience working with either private or open Advertising Marketplaces?

20. Based on your knowledge and experience, what is the difference between Advertising Marketplaces and Demand Side Platforms?

21. How do you prioritize multiple projects when they all seem equally important?

22. Tell me about a time where you had to analyze a set of data and then make a recommendation.

23. How do you develop trust among your team in a virtual, or work-from-home, setting?