If you want an edge in your sales interview, here it is: today's video covers closing the interview. When to close, what to say, and how to deal with objections or non-answers.
The most important thing to remember about closing is to do it. No hiring sales manager is going to hire someone who can't navigate a closing process. The thinking is, if you can't close on something as important as your job, which is in your own direct self-interest, you aren't going to be able to close a sale for the company. But really, everyone has to do it. If you're interviewing for a job, it's the biggest sales call of your life. Close the deal.
How do you close?
The most direct way is to ask for the job: "I appreciate your time today, and I am so excited about what I have learned about this job. Based on our discussion, I see this job as the perfect opportunity. Do you see me as a productive member of this team?" If that's not your style, go for the Assumptive Close. Assume they want to hire you and say something like, "What's the next step?" Or, "What will my training be like?"
One of the most important reasons to take this step is to uncover any objections they have to hiring you. Get them out into the open so you can deal with them NOW, while you still have a chance to speak up in your own defense. If they have a specific concern about your background, you can ask, for instance, if they've ever hired anyone with your same experience, or, what are the qualifications of your best salesperson? Maybe they have the same qualifications as you, and then you can uncover the "real" reason. Or maybe they'll rethink their position.
Remember, you are pushing for an answer now. That may feel uncomfortable for you, but it's better to get an answer you can deal with now. If you push and the answer is "no," ask why. I've had candidates get a "no" and once they found out why, dealt with the objection and wound up with the job.
If they are on the fence about you, you can ask for another conversation in a few days. I will be telling you how to ask, and what to plan for during that second conversation.
Ask for advice...if you get it, that's a "buying signal," which is a good sign for you.
Knowing how to close will not only help you in interviews, but also (obviously) in sales processes, project management, and any negotiations. Watch the video. It's 10 minutes long, but it's packed with the best advice I have for closing, including exactly what to say in a variety of situations.
To prepare for a job interview, you have to make sure you're ready to answer both common and tough interview questions, and know how to frame your answers to highlight what you're going to bring to the company (a great way to do that is to structure your answers in the form of stories that spotlight your skills). You also have to have some interview questions of your own ready--after all, you're interviewing them, too. You want to know if that company's a good fit for you, and is going to be a place where you can succeed. But there's one question you should absolutely remember to ask before the interview ends.
It's "Do you see any reason why you wouldn't hire me for this job?"
I know...there are many who would disparage that question, finding it too canned and predictable. So ask it another way, then. But ask it.
Uncover the hiring manager's objections.
Why? The interview is your best shot at securing a job offer. You don't want to leave any doubts in the hiring manager's mind about hiring you. You need to uncover those doubts and objections while you have a chance to address them. And many legitimate objections can be addressed simply by giving the interviewer a different perspective on whatever it is that's bothering them. Or maybe you've forgotten to highlight some experience in your job history. The answer to that question will show you the weak spots in your interview, and give you another chance to shore them up.
Although this advice applies to any job interview in any industry, it's especially true for sales. If you can't even close the deal during your interview, what's going to make the hiring manager think you can close the sale when you're on the job?
If you have any doubts about your ability to ask this question in the interview, PLEASE consider hiring aninterview coach to role-play interview questions with you. Practicing asking that question with a coach will make it easier and more natural for you to ask it in an interview. You deserve to know the answer.
And getting it could make the difference in whether or not you get the job offer.
There are so many details involved in a successful job interview, and every one of them is more critical than the last. Hiring you is a big, expensive risk for the company. (If they put in the money to train you, pay you, and give you health care benefits, are you going to make it worthwhile for them?) It's up to you to take care of every single detail to put their minds at ease and be excited to hire you. But if you boil down those details to the 3 most basic parts that make up a successful health care sales interview, you're going to get to (1) preparation, (2) interview techniques, and (3) follow up.
1. Prepare, prepare, prepare.Interview preparation is so critical, I can't emphasize it enough. The more you do, the better. The closer you appear to being able to walk right in and hit the ground running, the more they'll be able to see you in the job--which brings them one step closer to hiring you. Google the company, check out their corporate website, read the company's LinkedIn page as well as the pages of high-level executives there, and then scope out their place in the market. What are their biggest challenges and goals?
Then, research the job. If you're transitioning in or are a new graduate, consider job shadowing for a day to get a better grip on the details. Think about what you've done in your background that will lend itself to your success at this job. Pick out stories in your job history that illustrate the qualities they're looking for.
All of this preparation should go into the development of your 30/60/90-day plan. This plan is a written outline for what you intend to do your first 3 months on the job--from how you'll learn the ropes to how you'll begin to stand on your own two feet and make your own contributions to the company. It does take significant effort to create this plan, but hiring managers are so impressed by them, the results are worth it.
2. Sharpen your interview skills by hiring an interview coach. It's the fastest, most efficient way to find out how you're coming across to a potential employer. Get the coach to role-play interview questions with you and evaluate your answers. Get a critique on how you're dressed, your body language, your overall style and general job interview etiquette. You'll almost certainly be surprised at something you're doing that you shouldn't be; or at some small thing you can improve that will lead you to exponentially greater results.
3. Follow up. Don't underestimate the power of the follow up. You can do more than just send a thank you note, although you'll already stand out if you do because most people don't. Revamp your 30/60/90-day plan with the input you got from the interview, and resend it with your note (that mentions points you missed or need to expand on). You'll communicate that you can take constructive criticism, that you're adaptable and flexible, that you can think strategically, and that you are really interested in this job. Check out these additional job interview follow up tips.
Don't get me wrong...there are many questions you must ask the interviewer in order to land the job. Asking questions in the interview demonstrates your intelligence, drive, enthusiasm, and preparation for the job. It turns the interview into a conversation between professionals, putting you in a better psychological position, interview-wise. You'll also find out if you really want to work there. You'll find out, for instance, if the environment is a good fit, if you can work with this manager, and if it's a place where you can advance your career. All in all, having questions of your own to ask in the interview is a great thing.
But....
What's the most important interview question?
What's the one question you can't afford to forget? It's the one question that can make or break your interview.
It's "What are you looking for?"
Or you could ask it in a different way: "Can you describe your top performer in this role? What are his or her characteristics?"
Why would you ask this question? Because it sets up the interview...tone, structure, focus, etc. Maybe you think it's obvious from the job description, or otherwise self-explanatory. By asking this question, you're going to get at the heart of what the employer's looking for, and it's going to give you major guidance for how to formulate the rest of your answers--especially if you're asked any behavioral event interview questions. You can choose the stories that are going to really tilt the interview in your favor.
Health care sales managers are going to have a "formula" in their heads for what makes a great medical sales rep. It will vary depending on the industry, the individual company, and the products or services they sell. If you can uncover what that formula is, then you have a much better shot at showing the hiring manager why you fit.
The interview is pretty precious real estate in your job search. You don't want to waste time addressing what you THINK the employer wants. Just ask. Make every minute count, and make every answer give the hiring manager one more reason to offer you the job.
If you're in the job search for a medical device sales job, you know how tough it is. Even if you have the right background in science and technology plus sales experience, there's some intense competition for these fantastic positions. What can you do to prepare for your medical device interview so that you're the one who walks away with the job offer?
To land a job these days, you're going to have to work at it: research, preparation, and going the extra mile to make a great impression.
I preach all the time about how you should treat your job search like it's the most important sales call of your life--among other things, you should be over-prepared, bring a 30/60/90-day plan, and be sure to ask for the job. Here's a real-life example of someone who took that advice and landed the job:
Thank you for your support and offering all the tools you do to help others find a career. I was on one of your webinars and invested in your 30/60/90 plan program. It along with my previous investment to have my resume professionally written and partner for career coaching support were the best investments I made in this search. The 30/60/90 plan and the extensive information and advice you offer on interviewing, networking and negotiating were all instrumental in me being offered this position. Your advice to be 'bold' helped me turn around an interview with the hiring manager that would have otherwise had me passed over and would have kept me searching. The 30/60/90 plan being offered at the end of that call was well received as it was a tool the hiring manager said he has used with his teams in previous positions. It helped me stand out and show excitement and preparedness to want to join their team. Your networking suggestions and information helped me learn more about the kinds of efforts to take in connecting with others to find positions. In fact, this position was found through a message posted on Linkedin by a recruiter. This was even an IT recruiter who helped me in a sales role. I connected with another person whom knew a senior person at the hiring company and gave me a recommendation. That too, helped me stand out in a pile of candidates.
Bottom line, treat your career search like a career that is 100% commission and look for valued-added ways to stand out and promote your value and how it will make a difference to that company.
Peggy, Thank you! I wish you and your team the best of success and will surely recommend you and your programs to others.
J.H.
This candidate made great use out of what he learned at my training webinar on How to Get a Better Job Faster and from the tools and support available. Specificially, he utilized LinkedIn to find the position, he made connections that got him recommendations, he brought a 30/60/90-day plan to the interview, and he uncovered the hiring manager's objectionswhile he was there to answer them. And it worked.
I hope you'll join me in congratulating him on a job well done.
I was recently asked this question by a candidate: "If bringing a 30/60/90-day plan to the interview is so impressive, would a 1-year plan be even better?"
Now that's a go-getter!
But, my answer is:
Maybe, but probably not.
I can see where there's a possibility that someone with tremendous amounts of experience who's going for a very high-level executive position might want to extend the plan out for a year, in the same way that someone who's starting their own business would do--it's a big deal.
A well-written 30/60/90-day plan is very impressive to hiring managers for a lot of reasons, and one of them is that not many people take the time to create one. So you're already ahead of the game if you do. When you add in the advantages of your careful and thoughtful analysis for exactly how you're going to be successful at this job (and make your new boss look great!) and the way it helps you turn the interview into a professional conversation rather than a question-and-answer session, you become a job-winning candidate.
I think the answer is that for most people, a 90-day plan is going to be as far out as you need to go. You're showing the manager how you're going to transition into being a contributing, productive member of the team, and by 3 months in, you should be sailing along pretty well. And you'll have additional goals given to you from your boss and your boss's boss that you can't predict right now--so there's no point.
A career coach can be a job seeker's best friend. Just as a coach trains an athlete to improve and achieve more, a career coach can help a professional focus and hone skills that will help him or her reach a higher level of success. A targeted approach to career coaching involves taking a candidate and setting him up for success in the job search--either as a transition into a new career area, an entry-level candidate, or to give a good candidate a powerful leg up in a very competitive job market.
As a career coach, I often get questions about it like:
"What's my best strategy for getting a job in this economy?"
"I've been downsized. What do I do?"
"I am currently in pharma sales, but used to work for XYZ Company selling radiology equipment. I would like to get back into medical sales or medical device sales, but nobody wants to hire someone from pharma. How can I make the transition?"
"I would like a professional to review my resume and cover letter. "
Most people only need about an hour, so it's not a big commitment.
How can it help you? Basically, I have years of experience in sales, building successful sales territories from the bottom up, sales managment and recruiting, and I use all that experience to offer you an objective, informed opinion on your personal situation. It can be as broad as a personal branding strategy, or as focused as a resume review. It's effective, and it's efficient. You can learn:
How to write your resume so that it highlights YOUR best qualifications
How to ace your interview--I can ask you questions and give you immediate feedback on your answers and style
What you should include on your brag book and 30/60/90-day plan--with specific ideas for your own situation
Which job offer you should take--discuss pros and cons with someone who knows the industry and has no agenda
How to negotiate salary--everyone is afraid of this one, but it's not that hard
Which follow-up techniques to use to make a great impression
How to build your personal brand so that you get farther faster
Figure out why you're not getting offers even though you're qualified
How to get an interview if you're having trouble--how can you contact that sales manager?
Anything you need to know about sales career success!
Want to know what others say about how I've helped them? See my LinkedIn page.
It's tough in the job market right now, and you need every advantage you can get. I would love to help you. Click here for more information.
This webinar is the result of over 15 years of experience in sales, management, and recruiting, involving thousands of successful job seekers.
This training will teach you about:
The ONE tool guaranteed to get you a job offer in your next interview --if you use it correctly.
The single most important factor in your job search success
The FOUR critical things you must convey to EVERY interviewer.
How to be so memorable the hiring manager will forget everyone else.
Here's what two job seekers had to say about it:
"I am a 19 year veteran of the pharmaceutical industry that recently got caught in [the industry] downsizing. Having been employed for so long, I have to admit that my job interview skills are more than rusty. Your seminar and the sales plan help remind me that I am the product now and I have to sell my self, handle objections and close for the job. I immediately purchased the 30-60-90-day sales plan. The tools I found there are amazing. I believe that the podcasts which I listened to that night helped prepare me for a very important interview I was scheduled for on the next day. I went into the interview better prepared, more confident and with a closer mentality. Guess what? The sales manager is moving me to the next level in the interview process. I would not have been as prepared, confident and focused for this interview, had it not been for the Sales Plan. Thank you so much for inviting me to the seminar and keep your fingers crossed as I move to the next level and GET THE JOB!!!!!"
"Great webinar last night. I only wish I had heard it 21 days ago prior to going into my 4th interview.... I felt going in that I was a lock and an offer was forthcoming. Needless to say I got "spanked", as one guy put it, and the offer went to what they said a "candidate with more experience." Your tips would have helped immensely. Anyway, glad we connected and thanks again for your time last night. Hard work is the difference even if something looks or comes easy to us."
Don't miss this unique opportunity. Go in to your next job interview knowing you've done everything you can to set yourself apart from the rest of the pack...be the best-prepared, most-confident, job-winning candidate.
Remember, it's free, but you must sign up to participate--and it's first-come, first-served. Sign up now.
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