What do sales people say in interviews to stand out?
Posted by Bulky_Temporary4729@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 21 comments
Placement year interview
I am a current undergraduate student (20) looking to do a placement year(year in industry) as part of my Business Management and Marketing degree. I have an upcoming interview for a sales executive role with a company who offer EV charging solutions. What is the best way to show my interest in sales and how best can I show that I’m willing to learn? Any tips and guidance will be helpful!
NB: I did a sales role(kinda) as a games operator at a theme park where I was actively calling people over, demonstrating how to play, selling as packages, encouraging replays, etc.
Turbulent-Access-916@reddit
There is a vast amount of information on YouTube (completely free) on how to prepare for sales interviews. Likewise ChatGPT, Copilot etc will help you. I work in sales now and getting my foot in the door back in 2005/6 was incredibly difficult - had I had the resources available now, it would have been much easier.
You need to treat a sales interview like a sales situation with a prospective buyer - because that's what it is.
ALWAYS "close" a sales interview - if you don't close, you'll never be invited to the next stage. If you don't know what closing is, Google it.
MahatmaAndhi@reddit
I disagree. An interview isn't a pitch. It should be a two way conversation. A way for them to find out about you and you to find out about them. If you get a bad vibe, you don't 'close the deal' anyway, like you would in sales. You should walk away and not subject yourself to weeks, months or even years of doing something you hate (or something you love in a company you hate).
Turbulent-Access-916@reddit
An interview is a sales situation - you have a prospective buyer - the employer - assessing whether to buy someone's services (spending money in the form of a reward package) in exchange for the value they can deliver to an organisation - in other words, a return on investment.
How is that not a sales situation?
dbxp@reddit
In a sales situation the seller definitely wants the sale, in an interview the interviewee may find out they don't want the job as it's really door to door comission only sales
Turbulent-Access-916@reddit
I imagine that would be made clear prior to the interview
dbxp@reddit
Lol, no. There wouldn't be any chuggers if they recruited honestly. There's a few firms here in Manchester who are well known for recruiting gullible fresh grads, if their reputation gets too well known then they close down and reappear under another name
Sad_Pie_3862@reddit
Not always the case, some customers are just too expensive and should be gently steered toward the competition (while never doubting that going to the other vendor was really their idea all along).
MahatmaAndhi@reddit
Because it doesn't end when the contract is signed. It isn't a transaction, it's the potential start of a partnership.
What do you bring to the table? What can I offer you? And it's not just monetary. It's happiness, culture, satisfaction, a work-life balance.
Turbulent-Access-916@reddit
That response makes not one iota of sense.
Sad_Pie_3862@reddit
It is absolutely a pitch, you can always turn the job down if you get a better offer. Good sales people don't sell products, they sell themselves.
Bulky_Temporary4729@reddit (OP)
Thanks very much. I understand what closing is but how do I close an interview?
Turbulent-Access-916@reddit
"I am interested in the position and feel I can do an excellent job. What is the next stage?"
And probably 50+ variations on the above.
The point is if you don't close, you definitely be invited back.
dbxp@reddit
I would ask them whether they're looking for inbound or outbound sales, they're very different. I would also ask them about their sales technique as they're only selling the chargers not solar, home batteries or EVs, selling what is essentially a component in a larger system has to be difficult
Bulky_Temporary4729@reddit (OP)
Inbound sales…it involves talking to warm leads and explaining the services
Brian_from_accounts@reddit
What interests me about this role is that EV charging is not just a simple product sale.
Customers may have questions about cost, installation, reliability and long-term value.
In my theme park role, I learned how to approach people, explain something quickly, read hesitation and adjust the pitch.
I know this role is more technical and consultative, but that is exactly why I’m interested in it.
I want to learn the product properly, take feedback, and become useful as quickly as possible.
Bulky_Temporary4729@reddit (OP)
I like this. Thanks!
Brian_from_accounts@reddit
I made a quick prompt that might help you.
Copy & paste into ChatGPT, Claude or Gemini
https://omniscient-mimosa-dba.notion.site/Prompt-3556af9a5d51802ca33ac9057534fa2c
jaymatthewbee@reddit
Sales people have the gift of the gab. The ability to be persuasive and control the direction of a conversation. You might get asked what is an interesting fact about yourself, a person who is good at sales will be able to make something really mundane about themselves sound fascinating.
I can’t do this. I work in a technical role that supports the sales team. When I have meetings with them it always feels like they’re trying to manipulate me into doing something for their advantage. E.g. why they need access to a raw excel files of all leads data instead of using the CRM and why GDPR doesn’t apply to them.
Sad_Pie_3862@reddit
Make sure you end the interview by asking clearly what their next step will be.
quite_acceptable_man@reddit
That games operator thing is an absolutely ideal example, it shows you're not afraid to approach people and ask for the sale.
A large part of sales is overcoming objections, so any examples you have of that are really useful. Even if you make them up. It's a sales role after all.
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