Sales consultant interview advice

[topless_mx5]

Hey guys, was after a bit of advice for an interview I have in a couple of days. I have just finished my computer science degree and am now looking at a job in sales.

There are some possible questions that I am slightly unsure about. What should I say if they ask why I did computer science instead of something like business studies? The real reason is that computer science still allows you to keep your options open after finishing the degree and go into a wide range of jobs, and computing is something I was good at at school. Sales is something I very much enjoy though and want to do as a career.

Another one that normally gets me is, where do you see yourself in 3 years? I always just say move up in the company into a more senior role with more responsiblity. Anything else I could add to that?

Any other bits of advice?

[anonymous-user]

Some personnel ideas..

3 years..Working for a progressive company who will offer me career progression for an ambious individual like myself. . From my research on ‘‘Insert Company'' I will be offered this at your company. Striving to achieve and exceed goals is very important to myself, again something, ''insert company'' does..and also shown by my award at university, gaining a 2.1 in difficult circumstances..(Insert problem..Like death in family_

Why you choose the competing course..

It appealed to you..
Business is taught in a very static field. The best business practices are learnt on the job as shown my the many business theorists..i found the computing side more challenging to test my own personnel development

Computer Science taught me that honing my skills in this area would allow me to have an edge other job seekers in this current information and computer age, where being computer literate is necessary to succeed in the current business environemnt.

As it is sales, paly up you 'building relationships with customers and enjoying the challenge of meeting targets..

Just some examples..Hone your bullst...

Edited by jaymodunn on Thursday 4th June 00:29

[Iain328]

topless_mx5 said:

Hey guys, was after a bit of advice for an interview I have in a couple of days. I have just finished my computer science degree and am now looking at a job in sales.

There are some possible questions that I am slightly unsure about. What should I say if they ask why I did computer science instead of something like business studies? The real reason is that computer science still allows you to keep your options open after finishing the degree and go into a wide range of jobs, and computing is something I was good at at school. Sales is something I very much enjoy though and want to do as a career.

Another one that normally gets me is, where do you see yourself in 3 years? I always just say move up in the company into a more senior role with more responsiblity. Anything else I could add to that?

Any other bits of advice?

Sales is about money, targets and ambition.

You don't go into a target/commission based sales job unless you are ambitious, you want to earn more than you could elsewhere, you are prepared to take a risk and you can handle having a target hanging over your head week in, week out.

Without going all "Gordon Gekko" on them you just need to make them think that you are intelligent enough to learn, hungry to succeed and that you can handle the pressure/target - because things won't always go right all the time and when they don't go right is what sorts the sales people out from the order takers.

As a noob, if you go into an interview giving it "the big I am" you are unlikely to succeed. Show determination by all means but recognise you know next to nothing......yet!

As to "where do you see yourself in 3 years" - that's s filler question asked by an idiot who can't think of anything more useful/sensible to ask(IMO). So if you get asked it, you know what calibre of person you are dealing with!

Stock answer is "in 2-3 months I'd like to be settled into my new job & making a strong contribution inside 6 months. Then really motoring inside a year. For the next 2 -3 years I want to be hitting really good numbers regularly and then we'll see. Like everyone I want to develop my career, but my immediate focus is on learning, succeeding and earning first."

In other words, its a stupid question but give it a realistic answer. Saying something like "I want to be doing your job" is just stupid IMO.

Most sales managers are likely to be very disinterested in what your degree is or why you did it. If they ask then the answer is you did it because you were interested in it and good at it (but that you have little/no interest in pursuing a career in IT). Sales is a great leveller in this respect - some of the best sales people I know barely have a couple of O levels/GCSEs to rub together, but they are very wealthy people now.

If this is your first real sales job, throw away all your pre-conceptions about the business of being in sales. Sales is not about being an order taker. Any muppet can do that & so do not suppose for an instant you have a clue as to what its about yet because its different to almost every other function in any business. Good sales people get paid what they do because they have the ability to make something out of nothing and they are also highly tenacious people who are prepared to put up with huge amounts of crap to get to where they want to go.

Its a rare thing in reality.

As a general rule less than 25% of people in sales are really any good at it & less than 10% are exceptional. The difference between sales & other roles is that there isn't really anywhere to hide & if you arn't actually any good at it your pay packet will tell you that regularly (and then so will your P45 when it comes) .

When its good its great, when its not its a downright miserable existence.

Good luck !

Edited by Iain328 on Thursday 4th June 00:51

[topless_mx5]

Thanks for the detailed replies, has helped clear a few thing up about sales Hopefully all will go well tomorrow, fingers crossed.

And nice car Steve

[okgo]

How'd it go?

[topless_mx5]

Unfortunately I didn't get the job

I thought it went pretty well so phoned back this week and apparantly it was very close between me and someone else, but she said the only thing that slightly let me down was I could've had more interactivity/enthusiasm in my presentation.

Live n learn...

[edc]

They ofen say that people buy from people. That little bit of constructive criticism could be very useful to you in your sales career.

[AJS-]

Great feedback from the company. In my experience it's quite rare to get that, or for managers to give it. I would suggest that means they thought well of you, even if not as a hire in this instance.

Definitely take the feedback on board and next sales interview try to show more enthusiasm.

Good luck