By Gary Johnson

Gary has a passion for building, managing and leading successful sales teams in the B2B space. Trained well by the likes of the U.S. Navy and AT&T, he looks to share his many years of sucess and experience selling and building teams via his blog: www.sellingwisdom.blogspot.com.  

Here is a question near and dear to my heart: “As a sales leader, would you hire from the new-college-graduate ranks for your B2B sales role?”

The answer to this question really depends on a variety of factors. But I would argue, never dismiss this potential pool of candidates for any B2B sales role you are looking to fill. We all want 3-10+ years of experience of sales experience selling a similar product into similar industries, market segments etc. But I would ask, do you want 5 years of experience selling your same product to the same industry, when the experience and success has been mediocre to poor, even though during your hiring process they convinced you it was stellar, or do you want a potential pure sales pro, who will learn your sales process, product and industry quickly and go on to become a superstar? I know what my answer will be!

The BEST sales person I ever hired came directly out of college. He has now gone onto several much larger sales management roles in a very large company selling and managing to very large accounts, with much success. At the time, I was managing a B2B effort in the SMB space for a large company. Our stringent requirements were 3+ years of sales success in the B2B space, but management was open-minded and encouraged all sorts of recruiting channels. I went after the colleges, and naturally, departing military officers!

When I found “Bob”, he was graduating after having sold condo’s for two years during his summers. He absolutely loved it. I know of another college grad who found his way directly into a successful sales career after having sold cemetery plots in college! “Bob” was smart, well-educated and hungry for a career in sales. He was after money and recognition. I brought him into our company hiring process and he quickly impressed.

“Bob” quickly impressed me out in the field, too. Extremely hard worker. Incredible ethics. Learned quickly. Despite his youthfulness, his energy, enthusiasm, persistence and newly-found sales skills were used to overcome almost all of his competitors. When other sales pro’s in his group, years older and more “experienced”, were having poor months, “Bob” was always there to deliver. Time and time again.

So I learned a lesson – don’t dismiss the new-grad hiring pool. While doing so, keep in mind the following:

• Very few of us went through college aspiring to be a sales pro. When you find one, get him/her into your recruiting process!
• Be sure that your hiring process is exhaustive and demanding. My interviews for sales positions out of the military often included large-scale role plays and panel interviews.
• Look for schools and a transcript that has taught business acumen. The GPA does not matter. The best sales pro I know, who I didn’t hire, left school with a 2.5 GPA, but his school is known for teaching incredible business acumen. He just likes to party a little, not a bad thing for a sales pro!
• If s/he is hired, be prepared to devote significant coaching time to this new-hire.

You may read this and suggest, “This is fine in the SMB sector, but I’ve got large accounts.” Or, “Our sales process is too sophisticated.” In these B2B segments, we’ll often employ team-based selling. Give her/him a very junior role. S/he may lift the team to new heights!

What is better? Five years of mediocre experience selling your same product into the same industry or bringing on a potentially pure sales pro who will know nothing but success for themselves and you? Every one of us started somewhere, for someone who decided to take a chance!

One of the most misunderstood parts of a job seeker’s career search involves meeting with an agency recruiter.  Many times I walk out of a meeting with a candidate and think, “That is a great candidate.”  Your goal as a candidate is to get whoever you meet with to think the same thing.  As a recruiter, my thought process after wrapping up an interview is to think about how I think a candidate is going to represent me, my company, and him/herself.  Why are the first two things me and my company? – Because, I have to protect my reputation and our brand with the hiring managers that we work with on a daily basis.  If they start to think that the candidates that I send are consistently not the right fit then a hiring manager is of course going to look into other avenues to find the candidates that are the right fit. 

As a candidate what you should be thinking of is treating the interview with a recruiter as important as an interview with a potential employer.  Why?  When your recruiter has to put their reputation on the line to speak to your abilities and candidacy – you want your recruiter to be emotionally invested in selling you.  As a flip side to this I recently had an interview with a candidate who told me in no uncertain terms that she wanted to make more of a base salary, work less, and that she didn’t really like to work that hard at all.  The last part she told me twice. And the topper was that her sales accomplishments were less than impressive.  But, I wanted to find her a job and thought there might be a chance with one of our clients.  Until, I got one question. 

What was the killer question? – The sales manager for our client who I have built a relationship with called me and asked, “Brian, would you hire this candidate for your team?”  I hemmed and hawed to come out with some type of explanation as to why I felt she could succeed.  My lack of positive feedback spoke more volumes than anything and in the end, ruined any chance of setting up an interview.  I am sure some of you reading this will think, “Why didn’t you just lie?”  The answer is based on my interview with the candidate I had no confidence that she would not walk into an interview and tell a manager that she didn’t like to work that hard.  Also, there are times when you need to put your neck on the line for your candidates and you can’t burn your reputation as a recruiter for someone who didn’t want to impress you. 

On the positive side I have a candidate who was referred to me.  The candidate was aggressive about getting me on the phone and then when he came in to meet with me he was all positive energy, engaged, and looked the part of a salesperson.  He was successful in sales and was asked in his previous company to move into a non-sales role.  When his company downsized him the challenge was getting back into a sales role.  But, because of his presentation I was willing to put my neck out with my clients as I knew that if he had the chance to meet with a sales manager they would be impressed.  He started last week in his new sales role.  Morale of the story; do your best to impress your recruiter and we will work hard to have doors opened for you.

1.  The Negative Sell:

1.  
   • “You are probably overqualified for this position”
   • “This position, is almost 100% New Business Development, all you will do all day is make cold calls.”
   • “There are other positions open in Marketing or Account Management that you might be more interested in, would you like me to get you in touch with those hiring managers?”

One of the most common traps is the “Negative Sell.”  The negative sell can come in many different forms, but most commonly hiring managers will bait you with other positions internally that may or may not be open to try to get to the bottom of your primal interest.  You may be telling the interviewer that you are willing to hunt for new business but would much rather work as an Account Manager?  Are you unemployed and getting desperate, thus willing to take a role that you are overqualified for?  Are you an experienced Sales Person, tiring of the rat race, and thus looking for ways to get out of sales all together, (i.e: a Product Marketing, training, or something else).  Or are you an entry level sales person that ended up in sales purely out of default, still under the assumption that marketing, advertising or PR, would be the “sexier” career choice? 

In the market that we are currently in, where interviews are hard to come by, the key to overcoming this trap and ensure a positive interview you must have the following:  Tact and Focus.   

Be tactful and show focus to the job you are interviewing for:

(Example Reponses)

 “Everything I’ve learned about your organization leads me to believe this is certainly a company I want to be a part of.  I am here today to focus on learning more about the Account Executive Role.  I feel strongly, that based on my experience I could be both happy as well as highly successful in the role.  Do you have any questions or concerns that would lead you to believe I was not a good fit for this role, and is that the reason you are suggesting other avenues to take?”

There certainly are instances when you go into a company, interviewing for one role, and ultimately end up getting an offer for a different role.  The above response would allow for that while not disqualifying you for the role in which you initially applied. 

2.  The Bad Cop

Another very common trap in sales interviews is what we like to call Bad Cop.  You have had one or two interviews and great rapport with all the people you’ve met with until…..THE BAD COP.  Right off the bat, this interviewer is confrontational.  You show up on time, and they say you are late.  You answer their question and they always have a rebuttal.  No matter what you say, you just don’t seem to say the right things.  They object to everything you say, and purposely don’t answer your questions…they may even get up and leave the room while you are mid-sentence.  At the end of the interview, they may flat out tell you that you are not a fit. 

If this hasn’t happened to you yet, then consider yourself lucky.  This tactic is used by hiring managers and many times by outsourced consulting firms who are hired by the hiring company to simulate a challenging prospect you may encounter while in an actual sale.  This can commonly look like a terrible interview but it is in fact a trap the interviewer is trying to get you to fall into.

The key to this is to anticipate what might be coming and remember it is not a personal attack, this is an interview trap.  Just like in sales, you have your awesome prospects, and those that…well… are not so awesome.  Great Sales People find a way to win over any audience.  So keep your cool and remember their challenging personality could simply be a trap to gauge how you would handle yourself.  Take your time overcoming their objections in a non-defensive way.  Ignore their blatant disrespect by spinning conversation back to positive aspects of your background whenever possible.  Of course, no one wants to work for a jerk, however, get through the interview by treating it like a sales call, don’t let your feathers get ruffled and then later in the process probe and qualify who this person is and in what capacity would you work together. 

3.  The Comfort Zone:

Oh, the comfort zone…how easy it is to sink right into the casual conversations about your weekend activities, how much you hated your last boss, or the fact that you are really looking for a sales role that pays the most money but requires the least amount of work.   The Comfort Zone might as well be a hole full of quick sand because when you fall into The Comfort Zone there is no talking yourself back out.  You’re done.

At first read, you may say, “I know better than to do this,” however it is easier trap to fall into than you may think.  The more experienced your interviewer, the more artful they are in creating, “The Comfort Zone”.   Even with all of today’s technology, sales is still about people and ultimately, people buy from people they like and trust…they also hire people they like and trust.  Thus, within that conquest to relate to the hiring manager, to get him/her to like you, it is one’s natural inclination to walk down the same conversation paths as the hiring manager. 

The key to this isn’t unlike any of my other advice….it is all about preparation.   Be cognoscente that these traps exist, so you are on your toes, looking out for them and tactfully sidestepping them.   Definitely relate to your interviewer, but avoid all potential topics of controversy or inappropriate nature.  You can have a very dynamic conversation, full of positive affirmations, head nods, laugher and eye contact without saying anything damaging!!!! 

After all, “failure to prepare is preparing to fail.”  Think of a mouse trap….it only works if it catches the mouse off guard.  Once the mouse knows that it is there, the mouse can easily take a different path to bypass the trap.  Some mice even get skilled enough to take the cheese out of the trap without it closing on them.  These Mice go happily on their way with a belly full of cheese.  So, next time you’re gearing up for your next interview, put some time into anticipating these common traps and others. 

Interviewing is a skill.  With a little preparation, you will soon find yourself facing interview traps with confidence and leaving interviews not overcome, but leaving with offers!!

Every once in a while you hear horror stories about the old “bait and switch” tactic: someone buys something with the expectation that they’ll get what they were promised but once they money has been exchanged, they realize they’ve been duped. Sometimes the same scenario can happen with a job search. What should you do when you find an opening, interview for it, get an offer, accept it and when you come on board – you realize that this role is not at all what you were told it was? What now? There is no handbook to this situation or proper protocol that you should follow. This can be a frustrating situation so I will share with you some scenarios that might give some insight if you ever find yourself in this pickle:

• Take emotion out of it. It is easy to get frustrated and feel betrayed – but this is business and those who get emotional will always fail. I had a candidate that was hired on to be a Director of Field Sales and when he came on board, he was informed that the company laid off the entire field sales team. Now he has no one to manage and he has to build the team from scratch. Instead of rising to the challenge or exploring other avenues, this candidate took it personally and left the company within a month. Now, he has no income, no referrals and a red flag on his resume all because he did not keep his cool.

• Seek information internally – go to HR or your hiring manager. Do not talk to them with the intention of cracking skulls or complaining but go with the intention of finding some direction and get a gauge on what is happening within your company. I once had a candidate that was hired on as a Business Development Specialist and after being in the role for a month, the company is having her focus on an Account Management role, up selling current accounts. She, in turn, went to her manager and presented an idea to split her time between new business and current accounts. If your company is reorganizing then they most likely will want to hear new ideas – especially if it is going to prove profitable.

• Don’t beat a dead horse. I had a candidate that got a role as an inside sales rep and after being in the role for 6 months, he was fully ramped up with a strong pipeline, he started getting handed administrative projects. He is a team player so he took care of them but they just kept on bringing the projects to him. He went to his manager and discussed the fact that he is being spread too thin and cannot focus on his sales. The manager heard him out but told him that there would be no change. The company needs him to sell and complete the administrative projects and that is that. My candidate was cool, calm and collected – told his manager that he can be relied upon. Then he immediately called me with an updated resume to start his search for a new role. If there is no flexibility and you are stuck – then start looking while you work. You are always more marketable if you’re still in a job.

Once you recognize what the situation is, then you can make up your mind and decide not to be a victim. These things happen to everyone but it is what you do in response that matters.

In a market where national unemployment is around 9.4% and so many talented professionals out on the market, it’s no wonder why it’s a buyers market for potential employers.  Across the nation, job descriptions have become more specific, hiring managers are conducting harder interviews and they are becoming less forgiving on the flaws of potential employees.  It may seem like hiring companies are in a phenomenal position and they are being picky because they can, but the real reason that companies are scrutinizing new hires is because they can’t afford to make a mistake.  Whether you like it or not, hiring the wrong candidate comes at a huge cost. 

Think about the time it takes and money it costs to ramp up a new hire.  A base salary is a liability and a mark on the “loss” column of the spreadsheet before it has the opportunity to be a “gain”.  Therefore, employers are proceeding in this market with a “buyer beware” type of attitude, especially when it comes to sales professionals. We all know that sales professionals have a history of exaggerating or packaging things in a glamorous light, therefore, hiring managers have put practices in place that will bring the truth to the surface and ensure them that they are getting the best candidate possible.  Two of these tactics are credit checks and W2 requests.

Although both of these reports pertain to your financial history, they are requested for very different reasons.  Employers request credit checks to gain a better understanding of your personal history and your allocation on your own personal finances.  If you have a shaky credit history with a potential bankruptcy claim, why would an employer trust an expense account to you?  Also, if you run your own personal finances into the ground, what will you do with their business?  When it comes to sales, you’re main objective is to make money for your company and ultimately, yourself.  So the best way an employer can get to know how you run a business is to look at your credit report.

W2s, on the other hand, are requested at the end of an interview process to ensure that employers aren’t being taken to the cleaners by their potential employee.  At the end of the day, we all want to make as much money as possible and if we can get a nice base salary that will cushion all of our expenses, of course we’ll take it.  However, a company asks you what you’re currently making and what you need to make to ensure that they are getting their money’s worth in a candidate.  One of the biggest mistakes you can make as a candidate is exaggerate your current base salary and W2.  Being a recruiter for several years, I have seen candidates grossly over exaggerate their wages in hopes that they’ll land a job with a $20-40K raise on the base.  Not only did it bite them in the end and force them to lose an offer, it ruined their reputation with both the client and the recruiter (see Burning Bridges).  Let’s face it, the best way to get a raise in pay is to prove to the employer that the juice is worth the squeeze.  If you tell them that you’re currently making more than what is stated on your W2 you better pray they don’t ask for documentation.  Once they see the report, they’ll see that you blatantly lied to them and you’ll lose the offer.  Lying is no way to start a relationship.  Raises are earned, not conned. 

So before you ruin your credit and then attempt to pay it off by requesting too much money on a base salary, think about what those implications can lead to.  This job market is hard enough, don’t make it harder for yourself.

Okay, so you have spent the time to craft a well constructed resume that highlights your successes.   You have identified a company that is hiring and a job that you feel fits your background…. Now what do you do?   

Step One: PIPELINE

FIND TEN MORE.  Seriously, maybe twenty more.  This blog will discuss doing all you can to get in front of the interviewer; however don’t focus on just one job, no matter how perfect it sounds to you.  Just as in you sales careers, your pipeline needs to be consistently full.  As you move forward in the interview processes with companies, you will find that many will prove to not fit what you’re looking for or will disqualify you from the interview process.  Don’t over analyze the opportunities, just apply.  Apply to jobs despite the fact that they may not be perfect.  You can only learn a small amount of information from a job description – your perfect job could be hidden in a poorly written and vague job description.   

Step Two: DIRECT CONTACT

Don’t submit your resume blindly to a company’s website portal.  Find the name of the HR manager or Sales Manager and submit your resume directly.  If you cannot find those individuals, you can still apply to the website, but if you do, you might as well wad it up in a ball and tell your dog to carefully deliver it to the decision maker.  Instead, use one of the many online names databases like LinkedIN, Jigsaw and ZoomINfo to find the name and in some cases the contact information of a Sales Manager, VP of Sales, Director of HR, or Director of Sales. 

Step Three: PROFESSIONAL FOLLOW-UP

Now….go back to the basics and get yourself noticed by not one, but many different individuals in the organization.  You are marketing yourself, creating a buzz.  This process is identical to the steps you would take in order to secure a meeting to sell your product.  Repeat after me, your product is now yourself.  It is not personal, this is business.   

Email to EVERYONE that could be potentially involved in the hiring process.  Use an Email Cover Letter and attach your resume. 

Quick Tips For an Email Cover Letter:

Lose the fluff.  Tell them what they want to hear and only what they want to hear.  Read the job description and highlight all the pieces of the requirements that you have in short bullets.  Short!  Always include:

1. The types of companies you sell to; whom within these companies you talk to
2. Your average size deals
3. Your quota numbers for your last five years.  Percentage towards quota and sales team ranking. THIS IS MOST IMPORTANT
4. Any special awards, notable client wins, large deals.

Step Four: PHONE FOLLOW-UP

Using the direct phone numbers you have gathered from Jigsaw or traditional sales prospecting; call each potential decision maker to let them know you have recently sent your resume.  Make sure that you are brief and to the point.  A Sales Manager’s #1 priority is driving revenue.  If you have helped a Sales Manager achieve that goal before, sing to your successes; VERY BREIFLY.

(example)

“My name is Kimberly Collins and I’ve recently sent my resume for your consideration.  I have 6 years of experience in sales recruiting and have consistently ranked number 1 in my company and averaged over 200% of goal.  I would love the opportunity to speak with you about your open role.  You can reach me at (xxx) xxx-xxxx.”  

Articulate your contact information slowly and clearly. 

Step Five: CONTINUED FOLLOW-UP

This is the stage of the process when follow-up becomes an art.  You have to feel it out carefully and conduct yourself differently to almost every prospect. 

The goal: Creatively Stay in Front of Your Prospect

• After three days, email the exact same email again.  Follow up on the phone.
• Few days – find a Press Release or article on the company; email it to your prospect with a comment.  Attach your resume follow up with a phone call.
• Phone call again, zero out to operator, POLITELY (this is key) ask to have your prospect located.  Are they in the office?  At a meeting, when can they be reached?
• Send a hand written note
• Use social media
• Does your prospect have a blog?  Make a comment
• Does your prospect have a LinkedIN/Facebook/Twitter site – send a connection request

Gone are the days of submitting your resume, sitting back and waiting for the interested parties to start contacting you.  Just like in sales you need to work to get in front of these hiring managers.  Your actions during this “courting” process will also display who you really are as a sales person.

GOOD LUCK!

After being in the recruiting industry and having met many people through my career, I can sincerely attest that it is a small world, people talk and word travels fast.  When that word is about you,  you want it to be a positive one.  You want people to respond to your name positively and hopefully send business and referrals your way.  Having a poor reputation will surely ruin your chances of success.  When it comes to building your reputation, the one rule of thumb is “Don’t burn any bridges”.   In all situations, especially in business, be respectful of people and their time.  But most importantly, be honest.

Let me share a story with you:

A candidate, that I will refer to as Johnny, called me to help him in his job search.  After running a particular job by him, Johnny asked that I try to get him an interview.  After submitting his resume, my client responded by saying that she thought his name sounded familiar but would like to meet with him.  I scheduled him in to meet with my client and on the day of the interview, Johnny was a no-show.  I promptly called Johnny and he made an excuse as to why he didn’t make it and wanted to reschedule.  Not only does blowing off an interview soil the reputation of a candidate, but it also turns out that Johnny had met with my client for several interviews 8 months ago.  They made him an offer and then Johnny went missing – he never called them back to accept or deny the offer.  Therefore my client passed on his candidacy on the spot and red flagged his name for future consideration. 

In this case, Johnny burnt the bridge between a potential job and also stained his reputation with me.  Since this incident my client has moved on to a new company as their hiring manager. Therefore, what Johnny did not realize that because he has burned that bridge he not only shot himself in the foot with not one company, but two.

The moral of the story is be honest and do not play games.  Treat everyone with the respect that you would want to be treated with.  It’s a small world and karma exists.

It is forever the goal of every type of professional to grow and advance your career. In this economy, those desires are still present but the challenges of doing so are great. Professionals are now considering drastic ways to advance their careers such as relocation. However, before you pack your bags and uproot your existing life, consider the risks and the real implications of moving.

First, let’s establish the greatest reason to relocate: you relocate because you want to move to a specific geographic region for the environment, climate, family, etc.; you have no ties or plans to move back from where you are coming; you truly love the new destination and plan to establish a long lasting life and career there. If this is the motivation behind making a move then relocating is the right decision for you and your family. Pack up the U-Haul and enjoy the excitement and thrill of moving to a new state, city and town. Congratulations on your new venture and I wish you the best of luck.

However, for those of you considering relocation based on job opportunity, please consider some serious draw backs. I have experienced all of this not personally but through years of consultation with many great professionals.

When relocating for a new opportunity or a promotion with your existing company, the logistics of relocation are easy. Companies intentionally make it that way because once you leave the life you’re used to, you are trapped. Let use Boston as a location for example. If you are currently a professional residing in Boston and have a wonderful opportunity to advance your career but the advancement requires relocation, take into account some major factors: your family, extended family, friends, house, kid’s friends, classmates, etc. are in and around Boston. Now think about the opportunity for advancement and where it will lead you both professionally and geographically. Are you going to be moving to a place you like? If the answer is “no” and your main goal is to eventually land a better opportunity in Boston after a couple of years of experience you should strongly reconsider your relocation.

When you get the new promotion that requires you to move, there is typically a relocation package and emotionally it is all very exciting. Everything is in order to expand your career and your financial horizons. Your company helps sell your home, move your belongings and find a new house to purchase. All very exciting and once the wheels are moving you are gone. You say goodbye to your home and look forward to coming back in a few years with a promotion.

What unfortunately happens after the dust settles is not always what you may have dreamed of. A myriad of different unknowns pop up. You realize the job isn’t exactly what you thought it would be. Perhaps there is a personality conflict with your new boss or the division you moved to is struggling and you may loose your job. Also, if you have a family, you may discover that after uprooting them, your spouse and children are having a difficult time adapting to the new environment, the new school system or the general way of life. You may find that your support system was taken for granted or that building new relationships and finding dear friends takes many many years to establish. There are thousands of unknowns and many of these challenges way heavily on you and the family unit.

So what happens next? You tough it out and make it work. Even though the division you moved to had layoffs and no security, you make it through. Your two year plan to gain more experience is a success and you have advanced your career. You now have the experience you needed and can finally move back home to Boston to land the dream job you’ve been waiting for. You have a lengthy discussion with your family and it is unanimous. You are moving back home!

The problem is the next step in your career is not available. The position within your company that you are aiming for is currently filled by a competent executive and already has a future replacement being groomed for the role. So you start to search for a new opportunity. You find a handful of opportunities in Boston but get no calls back. There are no calls because all hiring managers will look at the candidates in their location first and then consider people who have to relocate. They do this because of the burden and challenges that comes with a move.

The good news is that your credentials are worth an interview with one of the companies. The hiring manager is doing interviews next Monday. You charge the flight on your credit card, take the day off, and fly to Boston. The interview is a success and the feedback is great. You make the cut. Second interviews will be held on the following Tuesday. You take the day off, charge the flight and again a huge success. You have now made the short list. The hiring authority asks you back the following Wednesday. You take the day off, charge the flight and make the shortlist to visit corporate the following Thursday. They are flying you and one other to corporate. This time the interviewing company pays for the flight. What a relief, but when you go to take another day off your boss gets suspicious. You are worried because now your current job could be in jeopardy. You have no choice but to move forward and start to think about what needs to get down to make this a success.

You start to set expectations with your spouse, you start thinking about putting the house on the market, hoping you make money on the sale and hoping it will not take too long to sell. You are mid way through the school year and need to figure out if you are going to take the kids out of school or keep them in school and move to Boston without your family. You start to think about buying a home in Boston and paying two mortgages until your current home sells and realize very quickly that moving back is going to take some serious sacrifice, some large financial concessions and many geographic challenges. All of which were not present when your company relocated you the first time. You decide it can be done, so you go on the final interview and things go very well. The hiring authority qualifies you and mentions that you will need to start in one and a half weeks. You agree on the start date, and to move without your family. You find out that a decision will be made within two days. Two days go by and you get the call. The company has decided to move forward with the other candidate that currently resides in Boston. You were the second runner up. You are thanked for going through the process and it is over.

To some degree you are thankful because you realize that you were not ready to make the move and you need time to get your ducks in a row. So you are faced with starting the process all over again. You think about the cost just to interview, the time off it will take to get a new job, selling your current house, finding a new house, the prospect of starting your new job in Boston without your family, etc. The list goes on and on. Finally you realize that if you are going to advance your career it is best to be where you are. That is when you realize that moving back is not an option. You and your family debate some really harsh realities and wonder if you will ever make it back. Therefore, when considering relocation for an advancement in your career, look at all the angles. It may be an extremely exciting prospect at this point in time, but what are your ultimate goals?

If you are setting your expectations that this role is temporary, I would reassess your thought process and consider your priorities. Remember: your career is not a sprint, it’s a marathon. Don’t just think about the immediate situation, consider the journey ahead. Good luck!

Today’s landscape for job seekers has been anything but a walk in the park. Typically, hiring companies have created standard interview processes which can range from 2 to 7 steps, including phone screens, several meetings with company executives and sometimes a “day in the life” or a field ride. A “day in the life” is fairly standard within an outside sales role, but this trend has recently been adopted for inside sales roles. These “shadow” days can range from a few hours to an entire day depending on the hiring company and are tools to asses your ability to listen, ask questions and catch on to their day to day routine. However, “shadow” days are not only for the employer, it’s also a great opportunity for you, as a candidate, to find out if it is the right job for you. The day in the life can be very informative so make sure you take advantage of it! It’s a great way to meet a representative that has first hand experience in the role as well as important insight as to what it’s like to work for the company. You will hear about the success stories and of course all the hardships that one has to go through to make a sale. This step in the interview process can either reinforce your desire to work for the company or send you running for the hills. As an executive recruiter, I have seen it all. With that said, let me share a few tips (and stories of what not to do!), but also keep you in check on why it is extremely important to have the same positive attitude as meeting the hiring manager.

• GET SOME REST!

A day in the life can be several hours out on the road shadowing or on the inside listening to phone calls. Often times you are the observing party and you are there to watch, listen and ask questions regarding what you witnessed. As a sales professional, this can be draining so make sure you get some sleep and eat an energy filled breakfast. You do not want to be the one who falls asleep on the ride back or zone out during a phone call.

• BE PREPARED

You are going to be a representative of the company you are interviewing with for the duration of the shadow day, you must act like it and it all starts with your dress. Regardless as to whether the company’s dress policy is casual, put on your best suit and don’t forget to shine your shoes ( see Interview Tips). Make sure you also do your homework. You may be observing for the day but ask if you can jump in on a few calls utilizing the research that you’ve done regarding the company and their product/service. This is your chance to show them that you can do this!

• YOU’RE A PASSENGER, NOT THE DRIVER.

The day in the life is an observation, so never get involved with any type of sale unless specifically asked to. Building rapport and formal introductions are always recommended, but if an employee is in any part of the sale your best move is to sit back and take mental notes for later questions about the call. Never, under any circumstances, interrupt the sale or attempt to involve yourself. Every call is a potential deal, therefore if you cause a rep to lose a deal by your involvement, you can guarantee the fact that you will not be asked back for another interview.

• ASK QUESTIONS AT APPROPRIATE TIMES.

As an observer, wait until you and the representative are in a private place to ask questions and give feedback regarding a sale. I once had a candidate make a inappropriate comment regarding an executive’s “personality” in the elevator after a sales call, only to have another executive from the same firm in the elevator with them. Long story short, it was not a great situation and needless to say the candidate did not get the job.

• BE INQUISITIVE!

This will be your opportunity to ask any questions that you want. I would stay away from personal, but anything that pertains to the company, the position and the representative should be asked. This is valuable time and should not be wasted.

• CLOSE EVERY REP YOU SHADOW

It’s a MUST! They may not be the final decision maker but they will report back about their experience with you and your ability to do this job. Ask him/her if they have any questions or hesitation about you or your background and more importantly, ask them for their recommendation. Their part of the interview process is a key piece as to whether you’ll be moved forward or not.

A “day in the life” may seem like a significant commitment of your time but in the grand scheme of an interview process, it’s the pivotal point which will make or break your opportunity with the hiring company. Prepare yourself for every minute of that day and make sure you’re on top of your game. Take notes, make observations and get ready to take a backstage look at your potential career. Good luck!

By Kimberly Collins

How many of you job seekers would love to be a fly on the wall, listening in on a group of Sales Managers and Vice President’s while they discuss their favorite interview questions?  Which question is their “go-to” question, which questions they save to the end of the interview to hopefully knock you off your game?  Consider your wish granted….the following is a list derived from a Sales Manager Networking group where the topic was “The Ten Favorite Interview Questions You Ask”!

1) “You are going to go home and talk to your family and significant other about your interview today. They are going to ask you about our company….what you are going to tell them?”
The manager who listed this question uses it to determine a candidate’s true listening skills, can they listen and articulate back a message. 

2) ”If I asked your last Boss what you could improve in order to sell more, what would he say?”

This is a creative way of asking about your weaknesses. 

3) “What questions do you have for me?”

This manager has been taught to score the interviews with prospective employees.  They award five points if the candidates asks  a) how they did/if they have concerns,  b) will they hire them and/or recommend them,  c) what is the next step and d) can we set it up.  This manager (and every manager) wants a salesperson that can demonstrate in an interview, that they are capable of moving the sales process forward.  If they can’t do it in an interview, then they won’t be able to do it in front of a client. 

4) “I’d like to give you a choice. You can tell me about your background or, I can tell you about the position and then you can tell me about your background. What would you prefer?”

Asking this question, allows the manager to determine if their candidate leads with feature/benefits or first determines the prospects needs and then aligns the products capabilities with those specific needs.

5) “How do you overcome price as an objection?”

Asking this question allows the manager to see if you understand how to lay the groundwork for value and differentiation.  If you are an order taker, you probably will not be able to answer this question….UNLESS YOU ARE PREPARED!!!

6) “Tell me what you know about my company.”

This manager wants to see if you can tell him/her something more than the basics.   It shows they have prepared for the meeting by researching your firm and are taking this seriously. 

7) ”Tell me about a sales situation with a customer that shows why people buy from you.” 

The details of this story allow this manager to understand your selling style.  

8) ”A piece of paper is passed across the table.  It has a name and a phone number on it.  The manager asks the candidate to call the number and make an appointment.”  

This manager wants to see if you have the confidence to take on the challenge – not necessarily if you say the right “pitch” and get the appointment. 

9)  What have been times in your career when you have struggled as a professional and how have you handled them? 

This manager wants to determine your tolerance for adversity.  If you have yet to experience a set back there is no way of knowing how you will react to one when it comes.  In addition if your idea of setback is a “normal” day at their company this will show them you are not the right fit. 

10)   “Why do you like sales?”

This manager looks for very competitive, money motivated sales professionals.  If you don’t say “money” as a main reason you are in sales, he is not interested in you. 

Some of these aren’t shocking, pretty basic if you say the least.  But the more you understand about whom you are talking to and why they are asking these questions, the better you can prepare.  What are some of the questions that you have been asked recently or in the past that have knocked you off your game?  And….if you are a manager….what is your favorite question to ask and why do you ask it???