Client Partner, Emerging & Scaled (Swedish and Dutch Fluency) - Spotify Interview Insights

I recently went through the interview process for the Client Partner, Emerging & Scaled (Swedish and Dutch Fluency) role at Spotify. This position is part of Spotify’s Ad Sales organization, specifically focusing on developing and managing relationships with clients across diverse verticals while leveraging Spotify’s ad solutions. Here’s a detailed breakdown of my experience, including interview stages, questions, and preparation tips.

Interview Process Breakdown

1. Recruiter Screening Call

The process began with a call from a recruiter who wanted to understand my background, why I was interested in Spotify, and how my previous experiences aligned with the role. During this initial conversation, the recruiter outlined the position’s responsibilities, including consultative selling and business development across Spotify’s advertising products.

Key Focus Areas:

• Your understanding of Spotify’s advertising solutions, including podcasts, audio, and display ads.
• Your experience with digital media and how you’ve worked with clients to drive revenue.
• Language proficiency in Swedish, Dutch, and English.

Example Questions:

• “Why do you want to work at Spotify and how does your experience in digital media prepare you for this role?”
• “Tell me about your experience working with clients in a consultative selling environment.”

Tip: Demonstrate your enthusiasm for Spotify’s platform and be ready to showcase how your past experience in sales, particularly in digital or audio advertising, can bring value to the role.

2. First Round Interview with Hiring Manager

The first real interview was with the hiring manager and focused on deeper questions regarding my sales strategy and ability to manage a pipeline. Spotify was particularly interested in my approach to consultative selling, client relationship management, and how I’ve exceeded sales targets in previous roles.

Key Focus Areas:

• How you create and execute sales strategies that align with client needs.
• Managing a sales pipeline and using data-driven insights to improve performance.
• Experience with cross-functional collaboration across teams (Product, Marketing, Data).

Example Questions:

• “Tell me about a time you developed a sales strategy for a new product. What was your approach and what were the results?”
• “How do you prioritize competing client needs in a fast-paced sales environment?”

Tip: Prepare detailed examples where you drove sales growth, especially using data and insights to make decisions. Highlight any experience working with complex, high-stakes client relationships.

3. Case Study/Presentation

During the case study round, I was asked to present a mock sales pitch tailored to a hypothetical client. This pitch involved creating a strategy to drive advertising revenue using Spotify’s podcast and audio ad products.

Example Scenario:

You’re pitching Spotify’s podcast advertising to a major retail brand in the Netherlands. How would you demonstrate the platform’s value and tailor the pitch to meet their KPIs (key performance indicators)?

Tip: Focus on Spotify’s unique strengths in podcast and audio advertising. Understand how Spotify’s data can drive engagement and measure results for clients. Structure your pitch with clear, actionable insights that align with the client’s objectives.

4. Behavioral Interview (Culture Fit)

Spotify places high value on cultural fit, and this stage focused on how I work in teams and handle challenges. They were looking for someone who is adaptable, a strong communicator, and able to thrive in a fast-paced environment. Questions were designed to assess how I handled past work situations that required teamwork, overcoming obstacles, or achieving difficult targets.

Example Questions:

• “Describe a time when you had to manage a difficult client. How did you handle it and what was the outcome?”
• “Can you give an example of a cross-functional project you led or contributed to?”

Tip: Spotify values collaboration, so highlight times when you’ve worked effectively with different teams (e.g., Product, Marketing) to deliver results.

5. Final Interview (Senior Leadership and Cultural Fit)

The final stage typically involves meeting senior leadership to assess overall alignment with Spotify’s mission and values. During this round, they evaluate both your strategic thinking and ability to handle complex client relationships.

Example Questions:

• “How would you expand Spotify’s presence with a client already using a competitor’s platform?”
• “How do you stay motivated and keep a positive mindset when dealing with setbacks?”

Tip: Show your strategic thinking and ability to innovate when overcoming challenges. Spotify looks for candidates who are driven and can adapt to change while maintaining focus on long-term goals.

Key Skills and Qualities They Look For:

• Client Strategy & Consultative Selling: The ability to build trust with clients by understanding their needs and providing tailored advertising solutions.
• Digital Media Expertise: Experience with audio, digital, and podcast advertising is essential. Familiarity with programmatic advertising is a bonus.
• Pipeline & Sales Management: Experience managing a sales pipeline, forecasting, and exceeding revenue goals.
• Fluent in Swedish, Dutch, and English: Fluency in all three languages is essential, as the role involves managing relationships with clients across markets in Europe.
• Data-Driven Insights: Comfort with using data and analytics to inform decisions and improve campaign performance.

Example Interview Questions:

Behavioral:

• “Tell me about a time when you handled a challenging situation with a client. How did you resolve it?”
• “How do you manage a high volume of client conversations while maintaining quality interactions?”

Sales Strategy:

• “Describe your approach to selling audio advertising solutions to a new client. How do you craft your pitch?”
• “How do you prioritize your sales pipeline and ensure that you’re working on the highest-value opportunities?”

Cultural Fit:

• “How do you approach collaboration with other teams, such as Product or Data, to meet client needs?”
• “Spotify thrives on creativity. Can you share an example where you introduced a creative solution to a sales challenge?”

Final Tips:

• Know Spotify’s Advertising Products: Be familiar with Spotify’s full range of ad products, especially podcasting, audio, and display ads. Understand how these products can be leveraged to meet client KPIs.
• Showcase Your Multilingual Abilities: Since the role requires fluency in Swedish, Dutch, and English, be sure to emphasize your comfort and proficiency in all three languages during the interview process.
• Prepare for Strategic Discussions: Be ready to discuss how you would approach sales challenges, such as expanding Spotify’s footprint with existing or new clients, and handling client objections creatively.
• Exceeding Sales Targets: Prepare examples where you’ve consistently exceeded your sales goals. Use data to back up your achievements and demonstrate a results-driven mindset.