Introduction You get an interview only if the interviewer thinks you have the ability to do the technical sales job on offer.
What you have achieved or not can be seen from your CV.
You now have to work out what it is about you and your CV that attracted the interviewer and plan how to maximise your strong points and handle questions about your weaker areas.
Planning, rehearsal and good preparation will help you to present yourself and what you have to offer in the most positive and attractive way.
But remember it is important to always tell the truth at interview.
Preparation Job offers are won or lost on the thoroughness of the preparations you make for the interview.
Before the interviewer sees you a lot of work has gone into drawing up person specifications as well as considering salaries, training and induction arrangements and all the costs associated with this.
You must match this preparation.
When an interview is arranged by Acumen you will be given the date, time and location of your interview plus the name of the person you are seeing.
You will also be given some background on the position, the company and their website details - this is for you to obtain directions and product information.
You can improve your preparation for the interview further by doing some research of your own.
For example find out the company's most successful products, why they are so good and who competes with them.
The company's customers are an excellent source of information. You can also use the internet to learn about the company's competitors.
If you do extra research tell the interviewer(s) what you found out - they will credit you with initiative and a genuine interest in joining them.
Your research must also involve the position for which you have applied. So make sure you have talked to and if possible (essential for sales positions ) accompanied, for the day, someone who is already doing the job.
You should also think about how you will answer the sort of questions you are likely to be asked for a technical sales job. Some of the most common ones are:
Why do you want to work for this company?
What do you know about the work you will be doing?
How do you think you will spend your day?
Why do you want this position?
What personal qualities would make you good at the job?
Describe yourself in five words?
What are your strengths?
What are your weaknesses?
What do you think you can bring to this company?
What motivates you?
Practice answering these questions and talking about yourself out loud - in the bath, whilst driving - other people might think you're a bit strange ! But it develops your fluency and will help reduce your nervousness on the day of the interview.
