Looking to score a job in sales? Unless your pappy is the CEO of the company, you’re going to have to ace your interview.
Don’t worry, it might not be as tough as it sounds.
In this article, we share seven tips on how to prepare for a sales interview and make sure it goes smoothly. With these sales interview tips, you’ll know exactly how to get a sales job and will be in the best position to secure the position you want.
We’ve divided the seven tips below into three different sections: before your interview, during your interview, and after your interview. That way you know exactly when to apply each one.
You’ve applied for a sales job and the company has agreed to meet with you. Congratulations! Here’s how to prepare for your interview to give yourself the best chance of landing the gig.
The first step when it comes to sales interview preparation is researching the company you’re interviewing with.
What industry is it in? What products or services does it sell? What vibe does the company give off? The more you know about this organization before your interview starts, the better.
Have you researched the company and its industry? Good, now dig deeper…
Research the specific person you’ll interview with, too. This will probably be the company’s sales manager, but you might be dealing with a recruiter or some other professional instead. Regardless, find out as much information about this individual as you can.
Search the interwebs for their LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram profiles and study their posts on these networks. Then read through any articles they’ve posted online.
Yes, doing all of this will take time and effort—but it’s important! The more you know about the company, the more prepared you’ll be to answer questions like, “My reps have had some trouble communicating the benefits of XYZ product. How would you go about it?”
And the more you know about your interviewer, the easier it will be to establish a rapport with them. For example, you might discover that your interviewer is a Dallas Cowboys fan. You can use this information to start a conversation with them and build a genuine relationship.
Next, make sure you have a handle on your work history.
The interviewer will undoubtedly ask you basic questions like, “Have you ever sold before?” and “What have you sold?” and “Which clients did you work with?” You need to be able to answer these questions quickly and confidently so that you appear professional.
You should also think of a few instances in your sales career that you’re really proud of. That way you can share them with the interviewer in a clear, succinct way.
Here are a couple of examples:
“In my previous job, I was able to hit quota 90% of the time, which was much higher than the rest of my colleagues, who only did so 75% of the time.”
“When I worked for ABC Company, I had an average close rate of 35.6%, which I’m really proud of since the standard close rate in that industry is 28.4%.”
Basically, go back through your work history and pinpoint the highlights. Then be prepared to talk about them during your sales interview.
The big day is here! Here are a few tips to make sure your sales interview goes well.
Your first impression matters—especially when interviewing for a sales job. Why? Because it signals to interviewers that you have what it takes to earn a prospect’s business.
Here are three proven ways to help you make a great first impression:
Follow this step-by-step outbound campaign template to get on your contacts’ radars before you start dialing.
Sales interviews aren’t rocket science. There are standard questions that most interviewers ask. Your job is to give amazing answers if/when they come up so you can nail your sales interview.
To help you do that, we’ve listed a few of the most popular sales interview questions here, as well as baller answers you can modify to fit your unique situation:
Yes, you’re the one being interviewed. But that doesn’t mean you can’t ask questions.
In fact, some interviewers get suspicious when their interviewees don’t ask them anything. It makes them wonder if the interviewee really cares about the job.
So make sure you find out a few key pieces of information before the interview concludes:
These are just suggestions, of course. If there are specific things you want to know about the company interviewing you, make sure you ask them. This is your chance to ensure this sales job is the right fit for you and your career goals. Take it!
You gave it your best shot and now your interview is over. What’s next? Although you’re done with the main event, there are still a few things you can do while waiting to hear back. Here’s what we suggest.
Sending a follow-up email after your interview shows that you’re interested and keeps you top-of-mind. It’s also a chance to show off your sales skills since follow-ups are an important part of the sales process.
Email is typically the best medium for an interview follow-up, but if your interviewer indicated they prefer phone calls, you can pick up the phone too.
When writing your emails, ensure that they’re concise and have a positive, confident, and professional tone.
A smart strategy is to send a follow-up email thanking the interviewer for their time and reiterating your interest in the job a day or two after the interview.
The ideal timing of your second email depends on the timeline the company gave you for their hiring process. If they said you should hear back in a week, for example, send your second email once that week is up. If you’re not sure what the timeline is, reaching out one to two weeks after the interview is a good bet.
The majority of people do not get hired after they interview for a position. Rejection is part of the game. As such, always hope for the best, but prepare for the worst.
If you don’t get the job, don’t get discouraged. Use it as a learning experience. Review your experience and use what you’ve learned to adjust your approach for the next interview.
Then apply for another sales position—and another, and another. Don’t stop applying until you lock down a job that you’re excited to do every day. Your persistence will be rewarded!
If you can ace your interview, you’ll get the sales job you want. Fortunately, with a little preparation and the sales interview tips we shared in this article, you should have no problem impressing your interviewer and securing a position in their sales department. Good luck!
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