Job interviews are classic sales opportunities. However, every sales opportunity requires some understanding of the buyer’s motives and needs. How the seller positions himself to handle purchase objections and prepares to present the product in a way that meets the buyer’s needs generally determines the sale.
So how can you become the winning salesperson in a competitive job interview? The winner gets the job offer and everyone else is sent home.
Here are some tips to improve your sales techniques and close the sale.
1. Your customer, the potential employer, how well do you know their needs? If you can anticipate what the employer is looking for, you’ll be well on your way to making the sale.
Do all the necessary research to find out what specific skills and qualifications are required on the job. If possible, prioritize your needs.
2. Search your network and any other sources to find someone on the inside who can provide you with the required information. Maybe it’s someone who recently left the company, or a recent hire you discover on Linkedin. Nurture these sources, as they can provide you with critical information.
They can provide you with important information about the corporate culture. What positive activity is promoted and advocated? How is performance rewarded? How is information communicated, both up and down? Is the promotion system fair? Do they promote from within or are they in the habit of hiring external talent?
3. Everyone has natural talents. Don’t try to be someone else or imitate an interview technique you’ve read about if it doesn’t suit your style.
4. Dramatize the interview. Prepare compelling stories about your achievements. Keep them concise. Actively listen, participate and smile. Never say anything negative about ex-bosses or employers.
5. Think of possible objections. Do you have a gap in employment? Lost a job under questionable circumstances? Changing careers? Overqualified for the position applied for? Don’t be caught off guard with an unexpected objection. Think about how you can practice your answers until you can give them without sounding defensive or nervous.
6. Develop a series of questions to ask during the interview. All of your questions should be about information that is not easily found in your research. Your goal is to determine if you were offered a job and would be happy working for the employer.
You must recognize that there will be situations that are not worth closing. If selling isn’t good for you, it’s best to walk away and not waste possibly years of your career before you can recover.
7. Prepare a positive closing on how your skills fit with the employer’s needs.
Recognizing that a job interview is a sales call, and how you prepare and present yourself will go a long way toward making the sale.
