How to Impress in a Sales Interview

Just as with a sales call, nailing a sales interview requires thorough preparation. If you don’t do the right prep work, you won’t have any chance of standing out from the pack of other candidates who are applying for the same role.

During our panel Crystal Phillips (Bandwidth) and Dani Albini (Grammarly) shared tips for impressing hiring managers at a sales interview.

ABC - always be closing.

You should treat a sales interview like a sales call:

• Do your discovery and ask thoughtful questions to understand more about the company and role
• Build champions at every touchpoint and close each person you speak with
• Connect the dots between what they’re looking for and what you offer
• Send a timely and relevant follow up after each conversation

Don't overcomplicate.

It's important to acknowledge and address potentially red or yellow flags you see about your candidacy, but don't make something a bigger deal than it needs to be. For example, be prepared to answer about an employment gap or a short-term stint at your previous company, but also highlight how those experiences prepared you for the role you’re talking to someone about. Be honest, show what those “flags” taught you, and move on.

Use specific examples and storytelling.

Be prepared to have tactical examples ready that demonstrate what you're telling an interviewer that you're capable of. Saying generic things like I'm resourceful without having anything to back them up isn't effective. Make your storytelling compelling and talk to your interviewers in a language that they will understand.

While you showcase why you’re a good fit for the role, be equally curious about it and the company by asking open-ended questions that will allow you to gauge if it is indeed the right role or company for you. Interviews are two-way, so you need to make sure that you get the information you want and need to evaluate if the opportunity is for you.

Want to learn more? You can stream the full event recording here.

Thank you to all of the WISE partners for making this event possible and our panelists for sharing their time and advice.