Looking to kickstart your career in sales and want to ace your interview? Look no further!
Being interviewed for a sales position can be difficult; we’ve formulated what the ideal interview looks like for us below, to aid you in this situation.
During an interview for a sales job, your abilities will be on full display.
Hiring managers and interviewers will be looking at how confident you are in selling yourself, as well as looking for evidence that you possess strong sales skills. Recruiters also want to get a sense of your familiarity with the company’s products or services.
Here are a few tips to help you nail your interview with us
1. Approach it as a sales meeting
2. Do your research
3. Be prepared to sell yourself
4. Share your skills and achievements
5. Have your questions prepared
6. Close the deal – (Getting hired)
Approach it as a sales meeting
Think about a time when you purchased, (or where influenced to purchase something), due to a good salesperson. How was that sales agent successful at their job?
You want to be able create the same experience during your interview, and in turn be that successful sales person.
Be presentable – even when you are interviewing from home, make sure that your appearance is presentable and professional, and always have a clear background. First impressions are really important.
Be presentable. First impressions are really important.
Kitti Toth – Head of Talent Acquisition – Operatix
Do your research
Most importantly, you need to thoroughly research the business you’re interviewing with.
Gain an in-depth idea of the products they offer, who is the CEO, when they have been established, who are their customers etc. Check out their website, blog posts, podcast and their social media pages. Find out as much as you can.
It is also crucial you have done the research on your interviewers – check how long they have been with the company, you could even send them a Linkedin connection request, prior to your meeting.
Be prepared to sell yourself
If you’re a good sales person, you should be able to sell yourself. Confidence is key.
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?
If you get a rejection during the interview, be confident and challenge the rejection, remember to use your skills and prove to the recruiters that you are the right fit for this role.
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?
Kitti Toth – Head of Talent Acquisition – Operatix
Share your skills and achievements
It is important to note that the interviewer wants concrete evidence that you can do this. The more you draw attention to the numbers you’ve posted throughout your career, the better.
I’m talking about results and quantifiable contributions. If you don’t have experience in sales, talk about your educational achievements.
The key is here to be able to showcase to the employer that you have got what it takes, and that you can also back it up with evidence.
Have your questions prepared
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 two things to the interviewer:
1. Your genuine interest in the company and the role you are applying for.
2. Your ability in listening to what you’ve been told during the interview.
Hiring managers ask you questions during an interview in order to make sure you’re the right fit for the position they’re recruiting.
It is just as important to ensure you’re asking the recruiters questions, as this helps to determine if the job is the right fit for you!
Close the deal – Getting hired
As you would with any sales meeting, make sure you close the interview appropriately.
If you feel it’s gone well, ask the interviewer if he or she has any objections or requires any further information from you.
Always make sure you ask for specifics on the next steps in the recruitment process, and question when you can expect to hear back from them in regards to how the interview went, as this conveys enthusiasm for the role.
Want to put it to good practice? We are always on the lookout for new talent here at Operatix. If you’re interested, check out our opportunities on our careers page.
