Recruiters have been coaching and training candidates on how to prep for interviews for quite some time. I’m just the next in line to offer my opinion, but from a slightly different perspective. We at A Sales Guy look at recruiting and interviewing a little differently. We look at everything through the eyes of a salesperson. As a salesperson, you are not just interviewing for a job, you are demonstrating firsthand the salesperson that you are. You are selling YOURSELF! Here are the top 10 things “A” talent sales people do in an interview. 1. Know who you are interviewing with: Websites like www.charlieapp.com and www.LinkedIn.com offer a wealth of knowledge on people. Search them out and find out everything you can. Do you have any friends in common? Do you have the same mentors? Find something that you have in common. This can help break the ice. 2. Do due diligence on the company: There is obviously no better place to find information on a company than their own website. Read everything and every page. Know about their values and company culture. Read recent press releases. Websites like www.crunchbase.com and www.hoovers.com provide a great deal of external information about companies, such as investors, financial reports, and board members. Google the company and see what comes up besides their own website. 3. Know the job: Study the job description and match it up against your resume. How do you stack up? Be able to speak of similar accomplishments and how they relate to this new position. 4. Know the company’s competition: Research the company ‘s competition and see what the differences might be. Www.crunchbase.com and www.hoovers.com are very helpful researching competition. 5. Know in detail the company’s product or service: Be able to pitch one or more of their products. Incorporate what you think makes them stand out above the competition. 6. Dress for success: This doesn’t always mean a suit and tie. Know what the company culture is and dress accordingly. It is not always appropriate to wear a suit and tie any longer. It is never a bad call to actually ask what the company culture is before your face to face interview. 7. Be on time: Don’t be late and don’t be too early. Five minutes early is perfect. 8. Update your Linkedin Profile. Make sure your profile is up to date and reflects who you are today. Ask for recommendations from co-workers and customers. Some companies and recruiters (NOT ASG) use LinkedIn as a sole source for selecting candidates. This is often your first impression. Watch what picture you use as well. This is for your BUSINESS profile, and shouldn’t be a selfie for Facebook. 9. Know yourself and be confident. Do not go into an interview sounding desperate. No one wants to hire a weak salesperson. Be secure in who you are and what you want to accomplish in this new job. Confidence comes from knowledge and by following the eight previous recommendations. 10. Have 5 questions ready. If you are a salesperson, you should have the following five questions ready to ask throughout or at the end of your interview. How will you measure my success over the first 30/60/90 days? How will you know you have a good hire after my first year? Who is your top salesperson and why do you think they are so successful? When do you plan on making a decision? Also, choose a few closing questions. How do you feel about me joining the team? How do I compare to my interview competitors? Is there anything else you would like to know about me or my past to help ensure I am the next salesperson added to your team? Never assume that a phone interview is any less important than a face to face interview at the company. You will never get to a face to face interview if you can’t pass the phone interview. Do your research and get prepared. Sell yourself and close the deal.
Don’t Blow Your Interview…….10 Things to do to Succeed.
