4 Tips to Help You Nail Your Next Sales Job Interview

While sales jobs are (as always) aplenty, the competition for the most sought-after roles is typically fierce. The opportunity for a solid base with sky-high OTE is every salesperson’s dream, so it’s no surprise there are plenty of candidates eager to land the sales role of their dreams, leading to intense competition among those looking to update their LinkedIn profile.

So how can a salesperson get an edge in such a competitive environment? And is it possible to land your next sales role without knowing someone or getting a bit lucky?

The good news is that you can certainly give yourself a competitive edge, though it’s no guarantee that you’ll receive an offer letter. Doing the following four things will help to ensure that you’re taken seriously, and will help you get to the front of the line for your next sales job:

1. Crank up the enthusiasm 

There’s nothing worse than a sales rep with low energy, and nothing better than one whose boundless enthusiasm is infectious, raising the energy of everyone they come in contact with. Before your next job interview, get yourself as excited as possible, even if it takes doing some jumping jacks in the bathroom stall. Given two equal candidates, the more enthusiastic one is more likely to get hired, and there’s no doubt that sometimes genuine enthusiasm can make up for a lack of relevant experience. Be eager and excited, and you just might make it to the next round.

2. Research and understand the competitive landscape 

While a cursory glance at the company’s website might feel like it’s enough, you’re much more likely to impress your potential new management team if you take it a step further and learn about the landscape of their industry. Find out how the company got its start, how they make most of their money, and who they compete against. Not only will this knowledge impress the hiring manager, but it’s likely to give you a better understanding of the role itself, and help you to decide whether or not it’s a good fit.

3. Show (and tell) 

While it’s good to be prepared to talk about your previous successes, being able to document them with hard numbers can put you over the top and impresses your interviewers. You don’t need to print out your commission reports and bring them with you, but taking the highlights and putting them in an easy-to-understand slide can be incredibly helpful not only to you, but for those in the hiring seat as well. Sales is a numbers-driven role, though interpersonal relationships oftentimes trump hard data. But those who are willing to be transparent with their past performance can give themselves an edge, especially if they come across as solid everywhere else.

4. Ask for the job 

If you’re interviewing for a sales role, showing that you’re prepared to ask for the business can be extremely important, and the getting-hired equivalent is to ask for the job. Make sure, of course, that you’ve gone through the interview process — that is, don’t ask for the job before you’ve presented yourself in a compelling and comprehensive way. But don’t even think about ending the process before explicitly asking for the next step every single time, otherwise, you risk coming off as half-hearted, and if there’s one thing you can’t be in sales, it’s passive.

p.s. — Want to help us kill CRM? We’re hiring at Spiro.