All roads to high tech sales riches begin with convincing a sales manager that he or she should hire you for a job in the first place. Fortunately, many of the same skills required to be successful as a salesperson are the ones you will need in order to find a sales job in the first place. Perseverance, preparation and focus are all essential elements of an effective job search and will improve your chances of finding that great new job.
Having said that, interviewing for sales jobs and selling are not entirely the same thing and some people who are good at one are lousy at the other, and vice versa. I’ve rejected reps with good track records and impressive CV’s based on their poor interviewing skills, particularly if they lack first hand references, and I’ve taken chances on reps with less experience if they interviewed impressively.
So, what can a prospective rep do to ace the interview and increase his or her probability of being offered that job? Every hiring manager is different, but things that can improve the odds include:
-Being prepared. Doing research on the company is essential but so is understanding what they are looking for in a salesperson and why. Are they recruiting for someone to handle an existing large account or to cold call new prospects? Are they looking for an aggressive go-getter or someone a little more consultative and low key? Knowing in advance can help you position yourself properly in the interview and improve your chances of being hired.
-Frame the interview discussion around what you can do for the company, not what the company can do for you. While employers like to hear, for example, that you believe you will benefit from their company’s excellent training programs, the employer will be more impressed if you can convince him or her that you will consistently overachieve your quota.
- Be specific about how you would approach the job and what you think you can accomplish for the company. “I believe in being in front of the customer as much as possible” or “I consistently overachieve by being better prepared and out working my competitors” and “if you hire me I will beat my quota every quarter, guaranteed” are statements that are likely to make a positive impression on prospective employers.
- Do not rest on your laurels by talking too much about past accomplishments. It’s important to point out your track record of achievement, but the hiring manager is definitely more interested in what you will do for them than what you’ve done in the past. Don’t brag too much about past big wins, and remember to frame your previous success in terms of what it means for your next employer i.e. `` I beat quota every year at Company X, and I can do it for your company too”.
- When in doubt, re-iterate your commitment to helping the prospective manager achieve his or her goals. After all, that’s what they’re hiring you to do.
It can be very difficult getting a foot in the door to the world of high paying, high tech sales, so improve your chances by being prepared and knowing how to interview effectively when you get the opportunity. Remember who is doing the interviewing and why, and make sure to remember that the prospective employer is more interested in what you can do for them more than in what they can do for you.
About the Author
Eric Shefler has over 20 years experience in Technology Sales and Senior Sales management, most recently with a global leader in information infrastructure, software and security technologies as Vice President of Enterprise and Global Accounts in Europe, the Middle East and Africa, based in London, UK. Prior to that, Eric was a Vice President of Sales for a Fortune 500 networking company based in New York, NY. Born and raised in Montreal, Canada, he currently resides in Toronto where he consults with emerging technology companies on their go-to-market strategies.
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