Nail That Sales Interview With These 4 Easy Tips

A recent study conducted by Corporate Staffing Services in collaboration with the Institute of Human Resource Management (IHRM) revealed shocking details about the current job market. The survey revealed that a majority of jobs in 2017 will be found in Sales and Marketing. Employers are looking to stay competitive in the job market and as such, they are looking for sales people to sell their name out there.

Now, I know sales jobs are not a favorite with most Kenyan job seekers, and most of them try to avoid them as much as possible because many of them think that sales jobs are all about trying to convince people to take up a certain type of insurance.

This couldn’t be far from the truth. Industries from real estate to manufacturing are hiring sales people every now and then with attractive salaries and commissions. And if this survey is anything to go by, sales professionals are the new hot cakes in Kenya. That said, it’s is important to understand how you can nail a sales interview.

Related: Job Outlook Survey: Where To Find Jobs in 2017

How To Pass A Sales Interview With Ease

Ms. Carolyne Kariuki, a recruitment manager at Corporate Staffing, shared these tips on how to nail a sales interview.

1. Would you buy it?

Sales jobs are all about selling products and services to potential customers. Prior to a sales interview, Ms. Kariuki advice that you should always ask yourself if you would buy the product or service you are trying to sell. Just like in life, you can’t sell something that you don’t completely believe in.

She advises that if possible never take a sales job if you don’t fully trust the marketing structure in the company because that will only lead to frustrations when things don’t work out the way they are supposed to.

2. Are you prepared for rejections?

Finally, just like in any job search you should always be prepared for rejections especially if you are just starting out. You won’t make sales all the time and so you need to be prepared for this. There will be those moments when a customer will reject you without even listening to your pitch, that’s okay.

According to Ms. Kariuki, always take a sales job if you know you can handle the rejection. If not, then you need to start thinking of another career path. But all in all, sales is a great career path that you would enjoy trading.

3. Research the tricks of closing a deal

In any sales interview, the interviewer is looking for someone who has what is referred to as ‘consultative selling.’ This is making a sale by pinpointing the customer’s need for that particular product or service. It involves listening to the client and then making them understand why they need your product rather than trying to close the deal without listening to them.

Before you attend a sales interview, Ms. Kariuki advises that you should understand all about ‘consultative selling.’

Related: Best Sales Interview Answer. Sell Me This Pen 

4. Negotiate salary by treating the employer as your partner

The number one headache for every job seeker is the salary negotiation part. If you are not good at negotiation for a salary, Ms. Kariuki says that it’s best if you look at the employer as your partner. This will make it easier to negotiate a better salary.

Sales and marketing people are the backbones of every organization, which makes sense why employers are looking to hire more people in sales and marketing this year. You just need to know how to get past the interview stage and with these easy tips you are on your way to launching a career in sales. Have a look at latest Sales and Marketing jobs in Kenya in 2017.

Related: Sales & Marketing Job Interview Question & Answers