It’s a gut-sinking moment and however great a sales executive you are, you’ve probably felt it yourself. You’re in an interview, desperate to make the right impression, and you say or do something that you’ll probably cringe over for the rest of your career. The rigorous nature of sales interviews means that if you’re going to make a mistake you’re going to do it when being watched by a potential boss. You can at least, though, take comfort from the fact that you are not alone.
“I have seen lots of mistakes in sales interviews,” says Adam Field, head of office relationship management for Octopus Investments “I’ve met candidates who haven’t dressed properly for the interview, who are under-prepared, who don’t answer the questions properly, who haven’t done their homework, who have slated previous employees and who haven’t even prepared any questions to ask us. OK, there could be reasons for the mistakes such as nervousness or that you’ve been given the wrong steer by whoever has referred you for the job. The answer to all of this, though, is in the preparation.”
Performance at interview is crucial and never more than when applying for a sales position. After all, it goes with the territory. Interviews are all about selling yourself, the product that you know and understand better than any other, and if you fall at this hurdle, then it doesn’t bode well when it comes to selling anything else, whether it’s a hot new product, service or business development.
It’s not just candidates who are new to sales who fall prey to the pitfalls, though. Even seasoned sales executives can struggle to impress. Aaron Taylor is business development director and recently attended presentations by experienced sales executives. Here’s what he saw:
“Even though some of these people had 10 to 20 years’ of experience I was surprised at how many of them didn’t shake the hands of the interviewers, didn’t make eye contact, didn’t show any passion for their work or simply spoke in monotone voices. I saw some real humdingers. The result was that I didn’t buy into them so why on earth would a client?”
It’s a surprise, not least because sales interviews commonly include presentations. And even though they can be nerve-wracking, they are also the basics of securing a sales position. Brushing up on these skills is key which is why Salestarget.co.uk also contains advice on how to tackle interview tasks and presentations.
For Taylor, there are certain aspects of an interview to which candidates should pay close attention, all of which demonstrate their understanding of the business. These include gathering information about the company beyond what appears on its website, doing adequate competitor analysis, understanding the market and being able to relate what is on their CV to the information they’ve gathered. And that’s just for starters. He also expects seasoned sales professionals to demonstrate great client relationships, accolades and repeat business.
It’s all about the preparation. Success in sales is about understanding products, clients and markets, and the interview stage is no different. Yes, you may be thrown into surprise situations as part of the interview process, but there are still plenty of chances to show that you’ve done your homework.
Nowhere is this more important than at the end of the interview when you’re asked if you have any questions. It’s your chance to show that you’re inquisitive and creative. Taylor recalls one interview candidate who, when asked for her questions, responded by asking, “Where are you going on your holiday?”. That’s not just a wasted opportunity to show your sales ability, but it’s also wasting the chance to interview the interviewer. Asking about commission and bonuses, values, sales techniques, internal structures and prospects for promotion all show that you are a committed sales executive who wants to find a company in which you can be successful.
What to do if you make a gaffe
Don’t panic if you do find yourself knee-deep in a mistake though. How you react to your gaffe could demonstrate that you are right for the job after all. If you feel nervous, an option is to admit it. It’s better to say something like “You’ll have to excuse me. I’m a little nervous. I have great respect for your company and want to do well in my interview” after you make a mistake, than to make a mistake and pretend like nothing wrong happened.
Most of all, though, remember that interviewers are also human. They’ve sat in your seat and faced the same challenges and questions. Octopus’ Adam Field agrees:
“The people interviewing you are often willing you to be good at the interview,” he says. “They want you to be perfect for the job, because they want to see great candidates. They aren’t there to be cold but to understand you and are on your side from the moment you shake their hand to the moment you close your presentation."
Also, a key aspect of sales is tenacity and determination which is why Taylor suggests giving yourself a second chance at an interview. He’s known great candidates mess up at interview only for them to contact the interviewer afterwards to request a further meeting in the hope that they’ll reconsider. The result is that they’ve gotten the job, one even going on to be a top performer.
“Just make sure that you are prepared, flexible and ready to demonstrate that you’re the sales executive that you say you are. If you want to sell anything at all, you have to start with yourself.”
