Sales professionals find Job search not a fun task, especially in a turbulent economy all around the world. But, sales professionals are in demand right now to help businesses sell products and services. If you’re an unemployed sales professional, looking to get ahead of your competition here’s a few tips to help you have a competitive advantage.
1. Research
In order to be prepared for a sales job interview, you should research and learn everything you can find about the company. They expect you to know what they sell and who they are selling it to. You’re sales professional, treat your sales job interview as a sale. Research your “prospect” to close the sale and get a competitive advantage towards thousands of sales job applicants like you.
- The internet is one of the best ways to search for information and most companies have their own websites. Study the content of the company’s website; know their background, goals, and information about the executives.
- Google the company and/or senior executives, you could also obtain news and additional information about the progress of the company, past projects and issues, and organizations to which the company belongs.
- Review the stock market chart of the company. Since majority of shares are publicly traded, you could examine the recent stock price and learn the difficulties of its market over the past years. Knowing the strengths and weaknesses of the company will help you during the interview.
- Study competitors too. When you read articles about the industry, you will find out who the leader is and you can find out the company’s competitors. Having this knowledge could help you during the interview since you could be able to justify how the company is better than its present competitors are. And even how you can help take company to a new level beating competition, usually for smaller companies. employers like you more when you show that you know how to read their competition and know how to create in your sales pitch the competitive advantage they need to win.
2. Attitude
Having the right attitude towards the interviewer and the sales job interview itself would ensure the position is yours.
- Majority of successful sales professionals have a unique energy that you can feel. They command a presence and hold the attention of everyone. Be energetic about the job and interview.
- Be enthusiastic. Since you have done your research about the company and its competitors, the interviewers will appreciate your enthusiasm and interest about the position.
- As a sales professional, use your persuasion skills to command the sales jon interview and help you “sell” yourself to the interview. Show them your competitive advantage.
3. Preparation
The position you desire could be yours as long as you show up prepared.Prior to the sales job interview:
- Create a presentation by researching the products and services of the company. Be prepared to speak directly and intelligently about the company and the industry.insert in your presentation a clear competitive advantage they have against their competition.
- The fact about sales is its all about numbers. If you are asked about your numbers, simply provide them with production reports, past employment lists or a W-2 form of your yearly earnings.
Before you go, remember, you’re a sales professional. Sell yourself to your interviewer, he’s just another prospect you need to sell yourself to. Handle objections and rejections as if you’re handling a prospect. Many interviewers want to see how well you can handle tough conversations, objections, rejections, and your overall performance.
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