3 Important Traits
Here are the key aspects to keep in mind when you are applying for an entry level sales role. This advice is for someone young in their career (a couple years out of college) and actively interviewing for an entry level sales role.
Sales roles have the same fundamentals, regardless of the industry you’re in.
Sales leadership is looking for a bunch of core principles (especially when younger in career/lacking a bunch of experience).
Here is advice and what people are looking for/what to highlight when you’re interviewing for sales positions.
3 key traits to get across in your interview:
EFFORT
CURIOSITY
PASSION
Everything else can be taught.
For the interview itself, come prepared with the following stories.
Talk through an ‘upsell’ you have done in the past
figured out a need
figured out why the other players would also be interested in that need
made them think they needed it and it was their idea
sold it / got their buy in
boom that’s an upsell (you will be doing this in your role lol)
Demonstrate that you care deeply about relationships
story about how you bring people together
help people get along
facilitate that sort of thing (can be professional or even personal)
Demonstrate you are a details person (and care about products/services)
not only are you a people person
you truly love/understand the product/solution that you're selling
example of a complex solution you have put together
demonstrate industry knowledge / connecting dots that yield a positive outcome
Demonstrate you are a great listener
sales is literally:
figuring out what people need
then giving it to them
to figure out what people need, you have to ask them
THEN LISTEN TO WHAT THEY SAY
demonstrate you are a great listener, really understand people/the root cause of what they are asking/getting at
Lastly = Follow Up / Be Diligent
I've never heard 'no' in sales
I get told ‘not yet’ every day
demonstrate that you are respectful, but persistent when attempting to get things you want!