After working in this industry for nearly twenty years as a hiring manager and recruiter, I have to say that the biggest hurdle I’ve seen for candidates of all experience levels is the dreaded sales role-play. That’s right: If you’ve never successfully interviewed for a sales rep position, you probably didn’t know that most companies require their hiring managers to put all candidates through a role-play situation. You will be asked to sell anything from the company’s actual products to a generic item that anyone can identify with. I can already see the sweat forming on your forehead…..
But sales role-playing doesn’t have to be so scary if you’re prepared and you practice, practice, practice. In the second, or sometimes the third, interview, the manager will ask you to sell him a product to assess your sales skills. How can they hire you if they don’t know if you can sell? This is an especially important part of the process for job applicants with little or no sales experience. I once worked with a candidate named Paula who was a physical therapist and had never sold anything in her life. She called me after she got an A in the first interview, but she completely freaked out when the recruiter told her that she would have to prepare for a sales role play in the second interview. First of all, I told Paula to take a deep breath and assured her that I would help her wow the manager with her role play. I taught Paula the steps of selling that are essential to understand before someone can be successful in role-playing. And then I prepared several scenarios for her and we all practiced one. And guess what? After the second interview, the HR manager not only said that she excelled at role-playing, but that she was the best of any other candidate, and a few weeks later she got the job! All because the manager knew that she could be trained and that she could sell, even though she had never worked as a sales representative. Let me share with you some tips I gave Paula…
This role play will probably come after the manager has asked you about your sales process or the steps of the sale. (This is why it’s so important that he knows the steps of the sale backwards and forwards!) They’re testing him to see if what he says is what he practices.
Most critical is your ability to ask questions and discover the needs of the “client” (manager) in role play. Many candidates get nervous in the interview process and don’t ask enough questions. Do this and you’re sunk! The manager does not want to hire someone who talks more than he listens.
After the role play, be sure to ask the manager for an honest appraisal of your performance. If you think you’re bombarded, take the feedback and ask for the opportunity to role-play again. Make the changes suggested by the manager and you will show that you are coachable and willing to improve. In my job search toolkit, I give you one of my favorite role-playing stories about a job seeker hired at Johnson & Johnson who was fresh out of the military and had never sold anything. He used this technique and got the job!
So if you want to learn the steps of selling and exactly what you need to do in the critical role-playing step of the interview process, you must have my “Ultimate System for Landing Your Dream Job in Sales” job search toolkit. pharmaceutical or medical. It contains all the tips and strategies you need to master role-playing, and I even give you specific scenarios to be prepared for. I also share with you exactly what the hiring manager is looking for and how to make sure you hit all the right buttons! Click here to learn more about this life-changing kit and how you can land your dream job now, no matter your background or experience level!
Committed to your future success.
