| Job interview preparation can be the difference | | | | weakest areas. Remember you will still have to |
| between success and failure at sales job interviews. | | | | answer questions on areas where you have no, or |
| These job interview tips come to you from an | | | | little, evidence to offer. You still need to present your |
| experienced manager of interviews and assessment | | | | answers confidently and communicate well. Don't just |
| days. They will help you to prepare the evidence of | | | | say you haven't done that, or you have no experience |
| your experience and skills to match the job you are | | | | in this area. Put a positive spin on your answer and tell |
| applying for. Follow these tips and you will match your | | | | them how you could quickly pick up any training you |
| answers to predicted interview questions and avoid | | | | are given, and then use a similar experience of learning |
| common mistakes that many job candidates make. | | | | as an example of your capability to learn new skills. |
| Candidates are going to a meeting that may | | | | When you have covered all the job skills and |
| dramatically increase their income and give them a | | | | experience requirements start looking at the attitudes |
| greater lifestyle. They could gain the benefits of job | | | | and personality traits the interviewer could be looking |
| satisfaction, and actually be happy at work. And yet I | | | | for. For example: A sales job interview with a |
| see so many candidates that obviously haven't | | | | company that build its business on customer service |
| prepared. It starts to impact on their chances of | | | | will be looking for a different type of person than a |
| success in the first few minutes and shows that they | | | | business that makes one off sales and is sales target |
| haven't invested in effective job interview preparation. | | | | driven. Look for the indicators in the job description of |
| What I don't want to see in an interview is a candidate | | | | where the company sits on the scale between |
| struggling to answer basic questions that they should | | | | customer service and sales is all that matters. You can |
| have expected and prepared for. They will not know | | | | get an idea of the company focus from their adverts. |
| the exact wording of every interview questions they | | | | Are they price driven with continuous sales and |
| will be asked. But they can predict 90% of the topics | | | | reductions, or do they focus on quality and service. |
| of the interview questions. They can also prepare how | | | | Now picture what type of person an employer with a |
| they will present their interview answers and their | | | | high focus on sales will be looking for compared to a |
| evidence that they match the role on offer. A basic | | | | company that advertises quality and service. With a |
| job interview tip that every applicant should use is to | | | | clear picture of these differences in your mind, assess |
| gather all the information they can about the job, the | | | | the company you are going for an interview with and |
| company, and the industry and market place. This | | | | what they will be looking for in you. Then look at your |
| information can come from the job description, the | | | | experiences, both personal and work related, and |
| vacancy advert, the Internet, people that already work | | | | choose the ones that you want to present that will |
| there, and don't be afraid of contacting their publicity | | | | match the image you have of the ideal candidate. |
| department. | | | | These should be experiences and examples of how |
| Once you have all the information you can write a list | | | | you meet the personality type, and have the attitudes |
| of all the question topics that may be asked in the job | | | | the employer is looking for. |
| interviews. Pay special attention to all the information | | | | Remember this important job interview tip: You cannot |
| you have about the job role. They are looking for | | | | be all things to an employer. You cannot use a shotgun |
| someone that can present evidence of their skills and | | | | approach and project an image that portrays you as |
| experience to fill this role. So write your list of interview | | | | both a caring, customer service focused account |
| questions that could be asked to discover if | | | | manager, and a hard-nosed, sales means everything, |
| candidates have what the role requires. Once you | | | | high achiever, all at the same time. Only by investing in |
| have your list you can match your skills and | | | | the right job interview preparation and giving yourself |
| experience to the predicted questions. Start with the | | | | the information to be successful can you score highly |
| areas of the role that you are strongest in. These will | | | | in a sales job interview. |
| be the easiest to answer. Then work through to the | | | | |