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Get that Sales Job |
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First published in the in the November 2006 Inside View Newsletter. |
The grass always appears greener on the other side of the fence. Had the goats in the fairy tale understood this, they might have avoided facing the troll altogether. As a sales manager, when recruiting I would discard CV’s that had more than two short hops, back to back. A ‘short hop’ meant two years or less with three or more companies consecutively. The implication is that the person can’t succeed in the role, has bad judgement, or is unreliable. I don’t intend this to be an incitement for people to up sticks and seek pastures new unless now is the right time. A good reason for changing employer is that you have run out of things to learn. Another is when goals are miss-aligned and neither party is willing to compromise. If you are changing jobs for better remuneration, make sure you know what will be expected of you. Whatever your reason, if you observe the rules below, you will be much more likely to get the job you want. Rule No. 1 Decide whom you want to work for If no obvious answer leaps to mind, write down the characteristics of the type of company you want to work for. What industry or markets do they operate in? How big are they? Do you want to work in a fast paced, fast growth environment or are you interested in a little stability? What size is your ideal employer? How successful are they in terms of profit? What are your cultural preferences? Do you need to work in a disciplined environment or do you prefer the freedom to do it your way? Create a profile of your ideal employer but keep it grounded in reality. Your profile needs to be sufficiently similar to real companies so as not to exclude everyone. Now that you have a profile, use your network of contacts and some time using your favourite internet search engine to identify a short list of candidates. You don’t need more than two or three companies who match your profile. Rule No. 2 Do your homework What is the Company’s goal and objectives for the next twelve months and what are their aims for the next several years? How is the Company funded and who makes the decisions about goals and objectives? What are the names of the executives and what are their records of achievement. Rule No. 3 Decide how you can help them reach their goals or objectives Write down what you could do for them in terms of new market penetration and new business. If your skills are in account management and your aim is to have this type of role, explain how you can protect and develop existing business. Write down what you would actually do, step-by-step. Then explain why you will succeed in delivering the results you can promise. Rule No. 4 Plan your approach Some organisations prefer to recruit through a particular agency and some would not consider candidates put forward in this way. Find out your target employer’s recruitment preferences. Your approach is unsolicited so it may be ignored or rebuffed. Plan a series of contacts over a period. Nothing impresses like persistence. Begin with a letter addressed to the right person. Do this even if the Company usually uses an agency to filter applicants. Use your knowledge of the Company’s goals and objectives together with your work on what you would do for them, to write a compelling sales letter. If you get no response within three days, telephone the person you wrote to. If you have difficulty getting through, email him or her. Leave it for a week or two and write a new letter, including different ideas or proposals. Follow up by email or telephone. If you are referred to an agency, focus your campaign on them. Switch back to the company if you fail to make progress with the agency. If you keep this up, you will either be granted an interview or be told to stop bothering them. Eight times out of ten, your persistence will lead to success. Rule No. 5 Prepare for the interview The interviewer’s task is to eliminate candidates. Many fail to do this. Instead, they use their instincts to make up their minds. Be ready to use your communication skills to adapt for the interviewer and create rapport. Look for opportunities to demonstrate your understanding of the Company’s purpose, people, and culture by asking intelligent questions or explaining how you found the information. Make yourself easy to interview and hard to turn down. Quote verifiable facts about your performance record and abilities. Provide proof that you know how to fulfil the promises presented in your communications by explaining how you fulfilled similar promises in the past. Using facts and evidence to support your proposal will raise your credibility and diminish interviewer scepticism. Proving sales competence is notoriously difficult. Answering the question, 'What is the definition of sales competence?', invites a thousand different answers. We are often asked, “Which of the Sales Exam competencies are most identified with top performers”? Results support the view that no common set of abilities distinguish successful sales people. Instead, those producing the best sales figures achieve outstanding scores in diverse aspects of sales competence. You may be able to discern your strengths from the list of competencies below. Those who take the Sales Exam are equipped with measured results, independent verification, insightful feedback, and specific practical development instructions. Sharing Sales Exam results with an interviewer would provide empirical evidence of strengths, demonstrate an enthusiasm for selling, and show a willingness to be held accountable.
Answering common customer questions If you are already out of a job, you may be arguing that you don’t have the luxury of choice. Pretend that you do. Desperation is the pre cursor to many a mistake. Rules 2 through 5 are just as applicable, even if you are not in a position to choose your employer.
The ability of interviewers and the techniques they use to
assess candidates, vary enormously. Often, too much depends on first
impressions and chemistry. One thing is certain. When you face an
interviewer, it is too late to prepare. Everything rests on the abilities
and knowledge you have brought with you. Article by Clive Miller
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