How to Prepare for Sales Job Interviews

Sales jobs represent some of the most lucrative careers for those with good people skills and a strong sales personality. Sales jobs give you commission that can earn you several times what you would make in a standard office job, making them some of the most sought after jobs by individuals looking to make a quick fortune.

Like with all job interviews, sales job interviews require some considerable preparation. Below are several tips for preparing for the sales interview.

Sales Interview Preparation Tips

• Research the Company and Product

This is true for all job interviews, but it is especially important for sales jobs. It is going to be very difficult to show the interviewer you can sell a product if you do not know anything about the product or the company. Research it like your job depended on it, because it does.

• Study the Target Market

Now that you know what the company does, it is a good idea to research the target market of the company, so you can adjust your sales strategy. If the target market is your average, everyday consumer, then you need to know how to sell to the everyday consumer. If the target market are CEOs of major enterprises, then you need to know how to sell to them too. Knowing the market can help you a great deal in proving you have the sales skills necessary.

• Read Up on Sales Techniques

Whether you have worked in sales before or you are just breaking into the career field, it is a good idea to brush up on the latest sales tips, tricks, and psychology. Interviewers will be impressed that you know a lot about the current sales market, and it will only help improve your chances of showing the interviewer you know what you are doing.

• Prepare to Be Put on the Spot

You cannot go to a sales interview not expecting to have to prove you know how to sell. Some interviews will make you come up with a business plan. Other interviewers may ask you to sell the interviewer on a product. Make sure you are ready to prove that you know how to handle every aspect of the sales process.

• Review Common Sales Interview Questions

Sales interviews have several sales specific questions that you are going to be faced with during the interview. Study these questions and come up with clever answers so that you can wow the interviewer with your knowledge and abilities.

Sales interviews have a variety of ways to prepare. Do your best to follow the strategies above if you hope to get the job and beat out the competition.

Take Away Interview Tips

• Prepare for your sales interview.
• Review the company, products and questions.
• Be ready to prove you have knowledge of sales.

Should You Get a Commission Sales Job?

As you break into the corporate world, you need to figure out how you are going to make your fortune. One of the most reliable forms of income is simply starting out at an entry level job and working your way towards CEO of the company. The path is slow, and by no means certain, by it is one of the most reliable ways to earn an income.

Not everyone likes to take this slow path. Some people like to go a more direct route – through the use of commission based sales jobs. Commission sales jobs are a huge risk, and one that is fraught with scams, pitfalls and difficulties, but if you can find a good commission sales job – one that utilizes your skills with less risk and with a trustworthy company, you have the potential to be earning a much higher income.

5 Types of Commission Sales Jobs

These days, commission based sales jobs are becoming increasingly scarce. There is a great deal of oversight over many of the companies that used to offer commission sales jobs (for example, these days it is harder for car dealerships to rip off customers, causing less profit), and other jobs have been replaced by the Internet.

The best commission sales jobs are with the sales departments of any major company. For example, commission at an enterprise level technology company can be as much as 25% of the cost of the software, which may be as high as $50,000. These jobs also have base salaries. Ideally, these are the types of sales jobs you should accept. Still, if you must work in more risky commission sales, you have several choices:

• Car Dealerships – No longer high paying, but the work is somewhat reliable and some companies pay a base salary with decent commission.
• Real Estate – Real estate is easily the best type of commission work. A real estate agent only needs to sell a few properties to have enough to live for a year.
• Direct Sales – Some companies offer direct sales campaigns. These jobs can be very profitable, provided they are not the type of jobs that require you to purchase the items yourself before you sell them.
• Electronics – Companies like Circuit City used to offer amazing commission. Recently they are no longer able to offer nearly as much in order to complete with other electronics companies, but there are some good similar commissions jobs here and there.
• Medical Equipment/Medicine Sales – Medical equipment sales jobs and pharmaceutical sales are extremely high risk, as you can easily earn no income at all, but the commissions on these items are incredible. If you are going to get a job in this field however, research the company thoroughly beforehand and do not spend any of your own money to get started.

Beware of Scams

Commission sales jobs are loaded with scams. If you are good at your job, you can still earn a great income, but it is not uncommon for those that work in high risk commission jobs. If you would like to take that risk, and believe you have the sales skills necessary to earn a healthy income:

• Don’t spend any of your own money.
• Make sure you don’t have any financial responsibilities that depend on you earning a living.
• Check to make sure the business is not a scam.

Provided you take all of these precautions, it may be worth a shot. Just be sure you work extremely hard and leave the position quickly if it appears you are not earning a healthy income.

Take Away Tips

• Commission sales jobs are extremely high risk.
• Only jobs in major corporations with a base pay are lower risk, and still risky.
• Take precautions before taking a commission sales job.

Interviewing for Sales Jobs is About Selling Yourself

Job interviews are designed to sell yourself to the company. You are constantly trying to focus on the benefits that you will bring to the company while avoiding or minimizing discussions about your negative. You are trying to sell the employer on a “solution,” and that solution is you taking your rightful place in the company.

Job interviews for sales jobs represent the best example of the importance of selling yourself. For most sales jobs you will be interviewed by a sales lead, and these sales leads are going to be individuals with years of sales experience. Your role is to consider yourself the product and convince the sales lead that their life will be vastly improved if they make the purchase.

Ways to Sell Yourself

Every job interview requires you to sell yourself to the company, so these interview tips can benefit everyone during their job interview. However there is no doubt that these personality traits and methods of presenting yourself are vital for anyone interviewing for a sales job.

• Smile, Talk Loud, Stay Positive

Think of the stereotypical salesman. He or she will have a huge smile on their face, eyes looking directly at you with an energy that can be intimidating if you are not expecting it. You should be the first person to introduce yourself to anyone you meet and be ready to engage all of them in conversation. You should be ready to laugh at their jokes even when they are not funny and speak using words that are 100% positive, like “Absolutely” and “Definitely.”

• Laugh Away the Negatives

True salesmen are able to downplay any flaws with the product. If your job interviewer says something that may harm your candidacy, such as “I’m worried about your experience in sales” you should retain a huge smile and say something along the lines of “Of course! That’s why I’m here to answer your questions and ease any concerns.”

• Use Terminology and Show Knowledge

You are trying to show the employer why you are right for the job. Rather than simply tell the employer that you are knowledgeable in the area, you should show the employer by dropping your knowledge throughout the interview. If you use terminology and display knowledge of the field, your employer will pick up on that without realizing it and see you as a solution for their need.

Be the Salesperson That Want You to Be

Sales is about solutions. You need to be that solution. The best way to show the employer that you meet their needs is to be the solution to that needs during your job interview. Experience in the field is great, but displaying what you learned throughout those experiences is more important for sales jobs, and possibly for all types of jobs.

Take Away Interview Tips

• Be Happy, Positive and Outgoing
• Downplay Any Negatives
• Show the Employer You Are Perfect for the Role

Additional Links

• Sales Job Interview Tips