Six Sales Tricks That Can Land You a Job

Working in sales is tough. You need a gift for the gab, a thick skin, and an undying persistence, even in the face of constant rejection.

But those who can do it well see the ample fruits of their labor. It’s this promise that pushes them to work harder, to stay positive and to master their craft, even when the outlook seems grim.

Job-seekers, take note. If you’ve looked for work recently, you know that landing a job and closing a sale have a lot in common. The cost of failure can be just as dire; the benefit of success, equally rewarding.

The good news? Success isn’t entirely based on natural ability. Good salespeople draw on a number of learned tips, tricks and mantras to help them close a deal.

And if they can learn them, so can you. Think like a salesman, and you might just land the job of your dreams.

 

 

Number 1: Know Your Client

                 Any salesperson will tell you: knowing your client is the key to making a sale. You can’t exactly tailor your pitch to someone if you don’t understand their fears, needs and desires. And the more personalized a pitch, the better chance they have at closing.

Looking for a job is no different. Nothing frustrates a hiring manager more than a job-seeker who shows up at an interview with very little knowledge or understanding of the company. Do your research – in this day and age, there’s just no excuse for ignorance. 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

Number 2: Ask Questions…and Listen to the Answers

When you ask questions, you control the conversation. A good salesperson will only speak 20% of the time – the remaining 80% of the time, they’ll be asking questions and listening to their prospective client’s answers.

The breakdown in airtime may be different in a job interview, but the premise is the same. You will – of course – want to have enough time to communicate your value, but that doesn’t mean you should be the only one talking. A good interview will have a fairly even balance of talk-time between the interviewer and interviewee – just as he or she is getting to know you, you’ll be getting to know them, their company and their workforce. And the best way to get them talking is to ask a lot of questions. But be prepared – don’t rely on these questions coming to you on the spot. Jot down a list of questions in advance, and then add to it as questions arise throughout the interview.

Number 3: Differentiate Your Product

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.

Number 4: Get Past the Gatekeeper

Ahh… the illusive gatekeeper. In sales, this person is anyone who stands between the seller and the decision maker. It can be a receptionist, an executive assistant or even a direct report – either way, this person controls the access, and thus, the success. Unfortunately, part of the gatekeeper’s job is to screen correspondence. More often than not, they’ll do whatever they can to stop a salesperson from getting through.

Does that mean the lead is a dead end? Of course not! Whether it’s building a rapport with the gatekeeper and warming their way in, or finding ways to bypass them entirely – a shrewd salesman will have lots of tricks up their sleeve to make sure nothing – and no one – gets in their way.

You need to do the same. When it comes to job hunting, getting in front of the key decision maker will bring you that much closer to nailing the job. Depending on the company size and structure, your gatekeeper can be a receptionist, an HR manager or even a nondescript email alias – anything that stops your resume from being seen by the hiring manager will hinder your prospects.

We all know what it’s like to send a resume out into the internet abyss. You never know who – if anyone – is even going to see it. But by finding out exactly who is hiring for the position, and then emailing them directly, your chances for success will be that much greater.

How do you do this?

One way is to call the company and ask. You may not get an answer, but there’s no harm in trying. Another way is to research the department itself and find out who the key players are. Try and work out what their email addresses might be – you’d be surprised how easy they can be to figure out. There’s usually at least one person from that company whose email address is available online – once you find it, copy the pattern, plug in the name, and voila – you’ve got yourself a direct line to the hiring manager. And don’t be afraid to try a few combinations if your initial attempt fails. Just like in sales, persistence pays.

Number 5: Follow-Up! 

A sale is an ongoing process – one that involves a series of steps over a period of time. This is especially the case in a tough economy, when customers are less likely to make impulse purchases. A good saleswoman will – in the first encounter – find out what their client is looking for, and then use that information to come back with a relevant offering in a follow-up. If they don’t, the other guy surely will. And there goes the sale.

Likewise, the recession means employers are less likely to make an impulse hire. Plus, they likely have a lot more candidates to choose from than in a good economy. And no matter the state of the economy, this person is probably extremely busy dealing with some of their more mission-critical, day-to-day responsibilities. If you don’t follow up, 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.

Number 6: Every “No” Is One Step Closer to "Yes"

Rejection hurts. No one would argue otherwise. But in sales, a common – and necessary – mantra is that each rejection brings you one step closer to success. The reasoning behind it? Sales is a game of numbers – any salesperson knows to expect a certain number of rejections before they will see success. If they didn’t take such an approach, they’d never stay in the game long enough to actually make a sale.

Job-hunting is no different. You will inevitably face a certain amount of rejection before you land your job of choice. Keep trying and eventually, one of them will pan out – so long as you don’t let the “noes” along the way stop you in your tracks.

The best part? Unlike in sales, all it takes is one “yes” to be successful

(courtesy:tania)