sales interview tips
Top 14 job interview tips for sales career 1. Do your research If you’re a good sales person, you should be able to sell yourself. Thin...
https://salesadministratorinterviewquestions.blogspot.com/2017/11/sales-interview-tips.html
Top 14 job interview tips for sales career
1. Do your research
If you’re a good sales person, you should be able to sell yourself. Think about it from the company’s point of view – if you’re not able to sell yourself, how are you going to sell their product?
You need a good grasp of relevant retail data, trends and sales cycles. So look at the latest blogs, press articles, sector-specific magazines and official information to glean as much information as possible.
Most importantly, you need to thoroughly research the business you’re interviewing with. Gain an in-depth idea of the products they offer, what the market says about these and then – armed with this knowledge – think about how you’d sell their products.
2. Questions to prepare for
You should prepare for questions in a number of specific areas. In particular, you should be ready to be asked:
• About key sales principles and practices (e.g. handling objections, qualifying potential clients, closing the sale etc.)
• Your thoughts on customer service – crucial to success in sales
• Competency-based questions exploring your adaptability, persuasion, negotiation and presentation skills
Specific questions you are likely to be asked include:
• Have you always met your targets?
• What has been your biggest career challenge to date? And how did you overcome it?
• What sale are you most proud of and why?
• What would you do if you were not getting a response from one of your clients?
3. Dress for Success
Plan out a wardrobe that fits the organization and its culture, striving for the most professional appearance you can accomplish. Remember that it’s always better to be overdressed than under” and to wear clothing that fits and is clean and pressed. Keep accessories and jewelry to a minimum. Try not to smoke or eat right before the interview” and if possible, brush your teeth or use mouthwash.
4. Arrive on Time, Relaxed and Prepared for the Interview
There is no excuse ever for arriving late to an interview. Short of a disaster, strive to arrive about 15 minutes before your scheduled interview to complete additional paperwork and allow yourself time to get settled. Arriving a bit early is also a chance to observe the dynamics of the workplace.
The day before the interview, pack up extra copies of your resume or CV and reference list. If you have a portfolio or samples of your work, bring those along too. Finally, remember to pack several pens and a pad of paper to jot notes. Finally, as you get to the offices, shut off your cell phone. (And if you were chewing gum, get rid of it.)
5. Take evidence of your achievements
Any sales person who’s interviewed will wax lyrical about their career achievements. But not everyone will take evidence of this to the interview. Although you’ll want to be careful not to take any information along that is confidential to your existing or previous employers (as this implies carelessness), you could take along sales league tables, references, P60s or payslips if they’re appropriate.
6. Would you buy it?
Prior to interviewing for a sales job, always ask yourself if you would buy the product or service. In sales just as in life, you can't sell something that you don't believe in. Also, never take a sales job if you don't believe in the marketing department (if applicable) or the current marketing structure. A poorly written, poorly programmed website makes for a hard sale… especially if your competitors have new ones.
7. Make Good First Impressions
A cardinal rule of interviewing is to be polite and offer warm greetings to everyone you meet” from the parking attendant to the receptionist to the hiring manager. Employers often are curious how job applicants treat staff members” and your job offer could easily be derailed if you’re rude or arrogant to any of the staff. When it’s time for the interview, keep in mind that first impressions” the impression interviewers get in the first few seconds of meeting you” can make or break an interview. Make a strong first impression by dressing well (see #3), arriving early (see #4), and when greeting your interviewer, stand, smile, make eye contact, and offer a firm“ but not bone-crushing“ handshake. Remember that having a positive attitude and expressing enthusiasm for the job and employer are vital in the initial stages of the interview; studies show that hiring managers make critical decisions about job applicants in the first 20 minutes of the interview.
8. Be prepared for rejection
Understand that in sales, just like in job searching there is going to be rejection. This point is especially aimed at the younger employment seeker who is thinking about a career in sales. If you want to do sales, do it. Once you get past your first few rejections and your first few botched cold-calls, it becomes second nature.
When younger, I was exceedingly sensitive and would often get down on myself when I made an ill-fated sales call. Don’t let shyness or fear of rejection stop you from entering the field. It’s an amazing way to begin your career.
9. Take your contact book
A book of contacts is crucial to success in sales. This proves your ability to build long-term relationships with clients that can generate revenue. The ability to bring these with you to a new job is a huge advantage.
10. Have a list of questions ready
When the interview is coming to a close and you’re asked if you have any questions, don’t just say “no”. Thoughtful questions indicate to the interviewer two things: 1) your interest in the company and the role and 2) your ability to listen to what you’ve been told during the interview (they’re not going to want to hire a sales person who only talks about the product they’re selling and doesn’t listen to what they’re being told).
To avoid getting stuck, it’s safe to go in with a list of questions that you can pull out on request. Some examples include:
• What qualities do the most successful sales people at your company possess?
• What percentage of your sales force hit their targets?
• How much flexibility do sales people have to negotiate deals?
• What are the main barriers to success for your sales team?
• How big is your sales team and how is it structured?
• What’s the best thing about working in sales at the business?
12. The employer is your partner
Salary negotiation is the #1 most difficult aspect of the job search for many applicants in the sales and marketing arena. If you are not trained at negotiation, use what I refer to as the "work with" method. This means having the mentality that the employer is your partner, not your adversary and, together your job is to work towards a solution that will have you employed by the firm.
13. Always be closing
Remember that sales employers always want somebody who has what is most commonly referred to as a "consultative selling" approach. More or less, the term refers to a sales style that aims to uncover the client's needs as opposed to the infamous sales style portrayed in the film Glengarry Glen Ross which most famously known for the mentality that, regardless of what the client wants or is best for them, close the deal. To express this unethical sales methodology in both an entertaining and theatrical manner, playwright David Mamet scripted the infamous "A.B.C." or always be closing" line.
14. Thank Interviewer(s) in Person, by Email, or Postal Mail.
Common courtesy and politeness go far in interviewing; thus, the importance of thanking each person who interviews you should come as no surprise. Start the process while at the interview, thanking each person who interviewed you before you leave. Writing thank-you emails and notes shortly after the interview will not get you the job offer, but doing so will certainly give you an edge over any of the other finalists who didn’t bother to send thank-you notes. For more tips on writing thank-you notes, read this article: 10 Tips for Writing a Job-Search Interview Thank-You Letter. You can also check out these job interview thank-you letter samples.
If you’re a good sales person, you should be able to sell yourself. Think about it from the company’s point of view – if you’re not able to sell yourself, how are you going to sell their product?
You need a good grasp of relevant retail data, trends and sales cycles. So look at the latest blogs, press articles, sector-specific magazines and official information to glean as much information as possible.
Most importantly, you need to thoroughly research the business you’re interviewing with. Gain an in-depth idea of the products they offer, what the market says about these and then – armed with this knowledge – think about how you’d sell their products.
2. Questions to prepare for
You should prepare for questions in a number of specific areas. In particular, you should be ready to be asked:
• About key sales principles and practices (e.g. handling objections, qualifying potential clients, closing the sale etc.)
• Your thoughts on customer service – crucial to success in sales
• Competency-based questions exploring your adaptability, persuasion, negotiation and presentation skills
Specific questions you are likely to be asked include:
• Have you always met your targets?
• What has been your biggest career challenge to date? And how did you overcome it?
• What sale are you most proud of and why?
• What would you do if you were not getting a response from one of your clients?
3. Dress for Success
Plan out a wardrobe that fits the organization and its culture, striving for the most professional appearance you can accomplish. Remember that it’s always better to be overdressed than under” and to wear clothing that fits and is clean and pressed. Keep accessories and jewelry to a minimum. Try not to smoke or eat right before the interview” and if possible, brush your teeth or use mouthwash.
4. Arrive on Time, Relaxed and Prepared for the Interview
There is no excuse ever for arriving late to an interview. Short of a disaster, strive to arrive about 15 minutes before your scheduled interview to complete additional paperwork and allow yourself time to get settled. Arriving a bit early is also a chance to observe the dynamics of the workplace.
The day before the interview, pack up extra copies of your resume or CV and reference list. If you have a portfolio or samples of your work, bring those along too. Finally, remember to pack several pens and a pad of paper to jot notes. Finally, as you get to the offices, shut off your cell phone. (And if you were chewing gum, get rid of it.)
5. Take evidence of your achievements
Any sales person who’s interviewed will wax lyrical about their career achievements. But not everyone will take evidence of this to the interview. Although you’ll want to be careful not to take any information along that is confidential to your existing or previous employers (as this implies carelessness), you could take along sales league tables, references, P60s or payslips if they’re appropriate.
6. Would you buy it?
Prior to interviewing for a sales job, always ask yourself if you would buy the product or service. In sales just as in life, you can't sell something that you don't believe in. Also, never take a sales job if you don't believe in the marketing department (if applicable) or the current marketing structure. A poorly written, poorly programmed website makes for a hard sale… especially if your competitors have new ones.
7. Make Good First Impressions
A cardinal rule of interviewing is to be polite and offer warm greetings to everyone you meet” from the parking attendant to the receptionist to the hiring manager. Employers often are curious how job applicants treat staff members” and your job offer could easily be derailed if you’re rude or arrogant to any of the staff. When it’s time for the interview, keep in mind that first impressions” the impression interviewers get in the first few seconds of meeting you” can make or break an interview. Make a strong first impression by dressing well (see #3), arriving early (see #4), and when greeting your interviewer, stand, smile, make eye contact, and offer a firm“ but not bone-crushing“ handshake. Remember that having a positive attitude and expressing enthusiasm for the job and employer are vital in the initial stages of the interview; studies show that hiring managers make critical decisions about job applicants in the first 20 minutes of the interview.
8. Be prepared for rejection
Understand that in sales, just like in job searching there is going to be rejection. This point is especially aimed at the younger employment seeker who is thinking about a career in sales. If you want to do sales, do it. Once you get past your first few rejections and your first few botched cold-calls, it becomes second nature.
When younger, I was exceedingly sensitive and would often get down on myself when I made an ill-fated sales call. Don’t let shyness or fear of rejection stop you from entering the field. It’s an amazing way to begin your career.
9. Take your contact book
A book of contacts is crucial to success in sales. This proves your ability to build long-term relationships with clients that can generate revenue. The ability to bring these with you to a new job is a huge advantage.
10. Have a list of questions ready
When the interview is coming to a close and you’re asked if you have any questions, don’t just say “no”. Thoughtful questions indicate to the interviewer two things: 1) your interest in the company and the role and 2) your ability to listen to what you’ve been told during the interview (they’re not going to want to hire a sales person who only talks about the product they’re selling and doesn’t listen to what they’re being told).
To avoid getting stuck, it’s safe to go in with a list of questions that you can pull out on request. Some examples include:
• What qualities do the most successful sales people at your company possess?
• What percentage of your sales force hit their targets?
• How much flexibility do sales people have to negotiate deals?
• What are the main barriers to success for your sales team?
• How big is your sales team and how is it structured?
• What’s the best thing about working in sales at the business?
11. Remember the Importance of Body Language
While the content of your interview responses is paramount, poor body language can be a distraction at best” or a reason not to hire you at worst. Effective forms of body language include smiling, eye contact, solid posture, active listening, and nodding. Detrimental forms of body language include slouching, looking off in the distance, playing with a pen, fidgeting in a chair, brushing back your hair, touching your face, chewing gum, or mumbling. Read more about perfecting your body language in our article, The Unspoken Secrets of Job Interviewing: How Your Nonverbal Presentation and Behaviors Impact the Impression You Make.
Salary negotiation is the #1 most difficult aspect of the job search for many applicants in the sales and marketing arena. If you are not trained at negotiation, use what I refer to as the "work with" method. This means having the mentality that the employer is your partner, not your adversary and, together your job is to work towards a solution that will have you employed by the firm.
13. Always be closing
Remember that sales employers always want somebody who has what is most commonly referred to as a "consultative selling" approach. More or less, the term refers to a sales style that aims to uncover the client's needs as opposed to the infamous sales style portrayed in the film Glengarry Glen Ross which most famously known for the mentality that, regardless of what the client wants or is best for them, close the deal. To express this unethical sales methodology in both an entertaining and theatrical manner, playwright David Mamet scripted the infamous "A.B.C." or always be closing" line.
14. Thank Interviewer(s) in Person, by Email, or Postal Mail.
Common courtesy and politeness go far in interviewing; thus, the importance of thanking each person who interviews you should come as no surprise. Start the process while at the interview, thanking each person who interviewed you before you leave. Writing thank-you emails and notes shortly after the interview will not get you the job offer, but doing so will certainly give you an edge over any of the other finalists who didn’t bother to send thank-you notes. For more tips on writing thank-you notes, read this article: 10 Tips for Writing a Job-Search Interview Thank-You Letter. You can also check out these job interview thank-you letter samples.
