Prepared for a New Profession in Gross sales? The best way to Ace Your Gross sales Job Interview

Layoffs, vacations and cuts. You may think now is a good time to start thinking about a new career in sales – and so should you.

Could You Make It In Sales? While not everyone is suitable for a sales career, it can be – even if you need to make the transition from another career. Here’s how to successfully interview and land your first job in sales.

Think of it as your first sale

You might think that only people with sales experience will be considered for a sales position. That could be true. But your job, if you’ve never sold anything, is to sell yourself for that sales position.

Think of your interview as your first sale. You are the product. Tasks that people in other professions perform are also required in sales: the ability to work with others. Being able to communicate new information. Organization and control of activities during the working day.

Prepare for the interview

You will be assessed on how you prepare for your sales pitch. The amount of preparation you put into your interview shows your approach to the sale. Unprepared candidates will not be hired. Knowledgeable, prepared candidates are more likely to be judged as competent who can move on to successful sales.

Research everything you can to know about the company – its products, its customers, and its competition. Know whether the industry is declining or booming. When you google for information, take a deep dive and go through 10 pages of google results. Prepare your questions. Just make sure that what you’re asking is something you couldn’t have learned before the meeting.

Be able to prove that you have sales skills

One question you can ask is what skills the company is looking for in a candidate. You can hear things like flexibility, high energy, willingness to learn, a person who is a self starter. Once you know what the company wants, your work begins.

Your task now is to demonstrate how relevant experiences can be transferred to the skills they are looking for. An example could be enrolling in an online class to learn a skill that would improve your job performance at that point. Class attendance was not required, but you recognized the need for improvement and that the improved skills would make you a better worker. You also attended class at night by rearranging your schedule. Attending the class shows your high energy, self-starter, and flexibility since reorganizing your schedule. You don’t need to have sales experience to be considered for sale – you just need to be able to demonstrate that you have sales skills.

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Behave like a successful salesperson

Successful salespeople are great listeners. So show during your interview that you are a good listener. Asking for clarification on a question shows this. Don’t assume that you know what the interviewer means by certain questions. “Tell me about yourself” can be answered in many different ways. Answer with “Would you like to find out more about my business success or something else?” indicates that you want to provide a targeted response. It shows that you are listening.

Arriving for the appointment 15 minutes early can also prove that you have the skills to be a successful salesperson. Bring a folder, portfolio, or something that looks neat to include your list of questions. You can also have your questions on a tablet or mobile phone. With your list of prepared questions, you want to show that you are organized and can efficiently and effectively handle a sales call.

I also want to end every sales meeting by asking, “Was there a question I should have asked that I didn’t ask?” This is where you can sometimes find useful information. In other cases, you will hear, “No, you asked anything I can think of.” Either way, it shows that you were prepared.

Should you be on sale?

Sales is a great career. Too many people have misconceptions about sales that they don’t consider it a likely career choice. Selling is about helping customers make good buying decisions – it’s not about manipulating and forcing people. And you can prepare for a sales career. What’s stopping you now?

CONNECTED: Why More Women Should Consider Careers in Sales