When I was writing Lean B2B, I put together a list of all the questions that business owners need to ask during the problem interview phase of early B2B customer discovery.
Have a plan and stick to an interview script so that you get the same information from all of your prospects. You can learn more about the code of conduct for customer interviews here.
You can figure out which problems are the most important by asking about the problems, the people who own the problems, the people who make decisions (the jury), and the buying processes. The most important problems should be dealt with first because they’re the ones that make or break the deal.
Getting a job at Discovery Inc can be highly competitive given the company’s reputation as a global leader in real-life entertainment Standing out requires thorough preparation and insight into their interview process.
In this guide I’ll share the top Discovery interview questions frequently asked across various roles along with tips to ace your interview. With over 15 years of experience in the media industry I understand what recruiters look for in potential candidates.
Whether you are interviewing for a creative role like a producer or a more corporate position, this inside look at Discovery’s interview practices will help you land your dream job. Let’s get started!
Overview of Discovery Inc
First, some background on the company itself. The company Discovery Inc. owns well-known factual entertainment channels like Animal Planet, HGTV, Food Network, and TLC. They make shows that teach and inspire people all over the world and reach more than 88 million homes in the US.
Some key facts about Discovery:
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Founded in 1985 and headquartered in New York.
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Employs around 9,000 people globally.
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Operates over 200 international networks.
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Categories span home, food, travel, animals, science, natural history.
This context will help frame your responses drawing parallels to Discovery’s business operations and programming.
Most Frequently Asked Interview Questions
Now let’s look at the typical questions asked across Discovery interviews and how to approach them:
1. Why do you want to work at Discovery?
Highlight your passion for Discovery’s mission and content. Share how you’ve been inspired by specific shows and personalities on their networks. Talk about how you align with their values of curiosity, authenticity, and creativity.
2. What do you know about Discovery’s businesses and brands?
Demonstrate you’ve researched their portfolio in depth naming popular channels like Discovery, HGTV, Food Network, and TLC. Mention growth areas like Discovery+ streaming. Use stats to showcase knowledge.
3. How would you describe Discovery’s programming style and tone?
Explain their knack for creating real-life content that educates and entertains through compelling stories and characters. Reference how their shows balance information with humor and heart.
4. Why do you want this specific role at Discovery?
Outline how your skills directly match the role’s requirements. Share relevant experiences that prepared you for the responsibilities involved. Convey your enthusiasm for the role and team you’d work with.
5. What challenges does the media industry face today?
Discuss shifts like cord-cutting, fragmentation across platforms, and increased competition from streaming players. Demonstrate you stay updated on market trends.
Role-Specific Interview Questions
Let’s look at some key interview questions tailored to different Discovery roles:
For Producers:
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Walk me through how you’d develop a show from concept to final delivery.
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How would you shoot interviews to draw natural reactions from subjects?
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What editing techniques do you use to craft compelling scenes?
For Marketers:
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How would you promote a new show across Discovery’s brands and platforms?
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What metrics would you track to measure marketing success?
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How should Discovery adapt their advertising approach for streaming?
For Corporate Roles:
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How would you evaluate the ROI of a new Discovery+ original series?
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What steps would you take to reduce production costs without sacrificing quality?
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How should Discovery expand their presence across different international markets?
Tips to Ace Your Discovery Interview
Here are some top tips to shine in your Discovery interview:
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Research extensively – Learn all about their brands, shows, personalities, and distribution platforms.
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Convey your passion – Share inspiring stories on how Discovery content has touched your life.
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Prepare stories – Have compelling anecdotes ready demonstrating desired skills.
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Ask smart questions – Inquire about company culture, career growth, industry trends.
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Be authentic – Exude the curiosity, creativity and authenticity Discovery shows champion.
Now you have a comprehensive guide to Discovery’s interview practices. Use these insights to craft winning responses showcasing how you perfectly suit the role. Stay confident and let your passion shine through. Wishing you the very best in landing your dream job bringing Discovery’s mission to life!
How to Use the B2B Customer Discovery Questions
Because there is so much information to gather in B2B, it’s often best to talk to each prospect just once before going into more detail with the most open ones.
You shouldn’t put a limit on the number of meetings you can have with prospects. As a general rule, it takes more interviews in B2B than in B2C.
There are many ways to conduct customer discovery interviews and you ultimately must find your own style.
A good meeting typically has the following steps:
- Greetings (two minutes): This is where you say hello to the prospect and make them feel at ease by sharing information about yourself (e.g. g. How’s the weather in _____?).
- During the three-minute qualification, you ask questions to learn about the prospect’s job and situation.
- Questions with no right or wrong answers (20 minutes): This is where most of the interview time is spent. To reach your goal, you need to understand and rank your prospects’ problems.
- In the last five minutes, you try to close a prospect on another meeting so that the relationship can move forward.
- Review your notes for ten minutes after the meeting, when you’re not with the prospect. This will help you make sure you don’t forget anything and help you respond quickly to the feedback.
B2B Customer Discovery Questions
I’ve been using this customer discovery question list as a starting point when planning problem interviews for years. It worked really well for me; I hope you’ll find it as useful as I have.
| TOPIC | SAMPLE QUESTIONS | WHAT IT TELLS YOU |
|---|---|---|
| Demographics |
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Demographics help you recognize patterns between prospects. What roles or behaviors do they share? The answers to these interview questions can be useful for marketing. |
| Business drivers |
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Business drivers help you understand objectives and spending priorities. Where will budgets be spent this year? Understanding your prospect’s customers can help you find new opportunities. |
| Problem priorities |
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Problem priorities help you create an emotional connection with your potential customers. Real problems are the only ones that matter. What do they care about? |
| Problem drilldown |
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Problem drilldown allow you to build empathy and understand the pain from your prospects’ perspective. You can collect information on the evolution of the problem to see if changes are forthcoming. What is the root cause of these problems? |
| Intensity of pain |
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Questions around the intensity of the pain allow you to understand the buyer mode, the impact and the perceived value. Why should you invest in product development to solve this problem? |
| Problem ownership |
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Questions to understand the User buyer. Who will benefit most from your solution? Product managers, developers, sales, other? |
| Decision-making power |
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These questions help you understand if your prospect could be a buyer? Could he/she purchase your startup’s solution? |
| Buying process |
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Buying process questions give you insights on the internal processes and stakeholders. Who do you need to speak with? |
| Business processes |
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Business process questions give you clues as to how the company works. These are convergent questions you can ask when you know which problem you’re taking on. |
| Technology landscape |
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Technology landscape questions tell you about the competition for budgets and expected payment models. What would suit them best? |
| Whole product definition |
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These questions tell you about the whole product. What do you need to do to close this prospect? |
| Influencers |
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Influencers tell you how you can reach and influence these companies in the market. Who do they take advice from? |
| Calculation of Return on Investment |
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Questions meant to help you create your ROI story and value proposition. How much savings or impact can you expect? |
