Interview Questions: Read This Before You Go to Your Sales Interview

Job interviews can be very stressful situations. To alleviate that stress so that you come across as confident, competent, and capable: be prepared, have good communications skills, and have a few tricks up your sleeve. Stepping it up so that you shine in the interview and stand out from the crowd is what's going to get you the job.

It cannot be stressed enough: Do your homework on the company. Know what they do, and what's currently going on with them. Check the company's website and Google them, too, to find information from newspapers, magazines, and blogs. That should give you plenty of material to discuss, as well as help you direct your answers to what's going to be of the most interest to them. And, it gives you material for great questions to ask-it fills in the information you need, and it demonstrates your interest in the company.
Check to see who you are LinkedIn with who has a connection to the hiring manager (or someone very close to them). If you find a connection in your networks, that's a definite plus for you.

Interview preparation and presentation will help you. Make sure you are fresh and alert, watch your body language, and be prepared to market yourself. Don't rely on the interviewer to lead you to the information they need on you. Not all interviewers are skilled at getting the information they need. Radiate enthusiasm for the job. Act like you'd enjoy it, not like you're desperate to get it.
Go into the interview with a 30-day, a 60-day, and a 90-day business plan. This is simply a plan for what you are going to do in that time frame after you get hired. If you want to get a hiring manager's attention, this is the way to do it. It shows that you are serious, capable, and committed.
If you're going to a dinner/lunch interview, please be sure your table manners are excellent. Get a book if you have to. It sounds basic, but candidates lose jobs because of poor table manners at dinner. And of course, dress professionally: conservatively, with nails trimmed, shoes shined, and no overt fragrances or flashy jewelry.

A few more tricks to tone your interview skills: have a few small talk topics ready to go, and remember to be confident. No sarcasm or self-deprecation. If you have to give yourself a pep talk before you go in, do it. Be positive. Videotape yourself answering interview questions to see how you perform. Ask for feedback from others.

Look at it from an employer's perspective: they want someone with the skills to do the job as well as someone they can relate to and work with on a day-to-day basis. Be friendly. Think of it as a networking opportunity. Being relaxed and confident, and asking your own questions in a give-and-take session will help alleviate your nerves and result in a great interview.

For more information on 30-60-90-day sales plans, go to www.30-60-90-day-sales-plan.com.