Think Like A Saleperson

Do You Think Like a Salesperson When Looking for Employment? When searching for employment it may be wise to do what sales people do. You are the product you are selling.

Get to know your prospective employer A good sales person must know their potential client. You must know your potential employer.

Although it may be impossible to tailor your pitch to employers, you can do some research to find out what skills they are in the market for. Hiring managers get frustrated when sitting in an interview with a job-seeker who has little knowledge or understanding of the company. Do your research! There’s just no excuse not to have a good understanding about the company for whom you are seeking employment. You can get so much information from the company website: find out what their mission is, where they’re going, and as much as you can about their product or service or see if anyone in your network knows someone who works there, and who can give you some insight. Once you’ve done your research, not only can you can tailor your skills and experience appropriately, you’ll also look more knowledgeable in an interview.

Ask questions and Listen to the answers.

Did you know that a salesperson speaks 20% of the time. They ask questions and listens to the answers during 80% of the time. A good sales person knows that when you ask questions you control the conversation.

A good employment interview allows plenty of time to communicate your value. When the interviewer ask you if you have any questions you should have prepared at least 5 questions. These questions should be a combination about the company in general and specific questions about the position for which you are applying. So in preparation for you employment interview you need to jot down some questions in advance and then add to it as questions arise throughout the interview.

Make Yourself Stand Out by Differentation Top salespeople know their competition. They find out all they can about their competitors’ offering – the features, the benefits, the drawbacks…everything. Why? So they can best differentiate themselves. They know buyers have any number of options, so the only way to capture that market share is to offer something the competition doesn’t.

When it comes to job hunting – you’re the product. Find out what makes you unique, and make that a key focus of your “pitch”. Maybe the company is expanding internationally, and you worked or studied abroad. Or maybe you have an industry blog – and an established following – that could be used to the company’s advantage. Sell it!

Not only will they see your unique offering as a benefit, they’ll remember you. And guess what happens to memorable people… they get called in for a first, second or third interview.

Getting past the Gate Keeper The salesperson builds a rapport with the gatekeeper or finds ways to bypass them entirely. It's their job to do whatever they can to stop a salesperson from getting through. Salespeople have lots of tricks to get in the door and nothing can stop them.

The Gate Keeper is anyone standing between you and the prospective employer-the boss-the person who is conducting the interview. In sales it's the decision maker. For you it's the receptionist or executive assistant the HR manager or even a nondescript email alias.

The gatekeeper's job is to screen correspondence-hence your resume. So, how do you make sure your resume is seen by the person hiring? You could call the company directly and ask the name of the person hiring for the position sought. You may not get an answer, but at least you gave it a shot. Another is to research the department itself and find out. Try and find out what their email address might be. This may not be as difficult as you would think. Once you figure that out email your resume directly to them.

Follow-Up.
A sale is an ongoing process. It involves a series of steps over a period of time. In a tough economy customers who would usually make a purchase will now stop and think carefully if it's the exact thing they need. The recession delays employers in making impulsive hires. They have plenty of resumes from candidates to choose from than in a good economy. No matter the state of the economy, the person hiring is probably very busy dealing with some of their more mission focused daily responsibilities. For this reason alone it is critical that you follow-up because they may just forget you.

If you haven’t heard from them within a week of sending your resume, or your interview, send a follow-up email, briefly reiterating your qualifications (or something you forgot to mention in the interview). Doing so will communicate just how interested you are in the job, and will keep you fresh in their memory. But following up isn’t easy. You’ll have to keep track of your correspondence – particularly the more promising ones – in order to remember who to follow up with, and when.

It sounds like a lot of work, but it’s certainly not a waste of time. Just like in sales, following up with an existing lead is more cost (and time) effective than chasing down a brand new one.

Turning a No into a Yes The salesperson's mantra is that each rejection brings you a step closer to success. They expect a certain number of rejections before they will see success. Job hunting is the same. You will face rejections repeatedly before getting hired. Keep it up though. All it takes is one "yes" for a successful search for employment.

Dona Woodley-Davis
Tips from your Job Coach...a strategic guide for employment seekers
http://tipsfromyourjobcoach.com