Interview Strategy?

Question

I have an interview in one week for a good opportunity with a better company. I really want this job~~I have been recommended from within by a friend who is upper management; I've had a phone interview and made a good impression; I have a great suit with some good accessories. NOW ALL I NEED IS A STRATEGY FOR THE INTERVIEW!

The position is a sales job, telesales for a niche market. I would be selling additional product to existing clients, plus contacting new and existing leads for on-site sales calls for the sales manager.

The sales manager already interviewed me via phone. He asked me about my organizational skills, my telephone experience, why I want to work for the company, what my career goals are, why I feel I'm the best for the position. Not in that order, but you get the idea.

Does anyone have any practical experience with a sales job interview? Interviewers, what ?'s have you asked, and Interviewees, what do you recall...and did you get the job?

THANKS!!!

Answer 1

Strategy: Show them how interested you are in the company and this job. Demonstrate that interest by doing a lot of research, and then referencing that research in your interview. Show them that you are not a "lazy applicant."

Find out all you can about this company's products and services. Your inside contact can be a big help telling you about the products and services - get the sales collateral if you don't already have it, and read it word-for-word.

Visit the company Website to see what you can discover. Look for management profiles, financial reports, press releases, company history, job postings, etc.

[I've had recruiters tell me that they disqualified every applicant who hadn't visited the company Website!]

Search the Web and on-line news to find out what is published about the company.

Ask your inside contact who the biggest competitor/s is/are? Who is the one they are the most worried about? What products and services does the competitor(s) have? How does the competitor sell products? What is the competitor(s) margin on product sales? How healthy are they financially?

Go to Indeed.com and see if you can find job postings for the competitor - what jobs do they have open? what departments? what functions? What can you figure out from that?

Check out the financials on this potential employer with Hoovers or Yahoo Finance. How healthy is this potential employer?

Good luck!!

Answer 2

You are already well on your way to getting this job.
You've past a number of hurdles.
The main thing to keep in mind for the interview is:
BALANCE.
They want to see a confident person, but not over-confidant.
They want to see a go-getter, but not an arrogant person.
They want to see a person who takes initiative, but not a bully.
The interviewer will like your eagerness toward the clients, but will also be thinking about how you fit in with the others on staff.

Answer 3

You're probably already in because of the connect. Not like most people who don't have that, the interviewer is looking at you a little more harshly. Read 'Help Wanted...Desperately' by Ariel Horn.

Make sure you ask plenty of questions, this in and of itself establishes your interest. Sell your self on what you can contribute, not how badly you want the job.