I'm supposed to have an interview with a large Tech company (I don't want to name them in public) on Wednesday. It's a sales support role and is supposedly a pretty client facing position (customer service specifically). I spoke with two people so far, one being a recruiter for the company and one being the hiring manager. With the recruiter it was just a phone screen, she told me about the role and asked me about a couple of skills that I needed to have for the role and if I have them. Of course I said I have them and gave examples. The hiring manager I only spoke to briefly over the phone and it was just about my availability.
So my strategy has been to sound personable but competent on the phone. I personally think that's the perfect mix for such a role. I worked in ad sales for a couple of years some 6-8 years ago and sat in the middle of a team with a number of sales people. If there were to be a spectrum where on the left end was 100% professional and 0% personable, in other words a robot and the other end of the spectrum being 100% personable and 0% professional, in other words talking with your buddy about women you want to bang at the bar, I'd say that these sales people were halfway between the middle and the right (100% personable). So, I know that it works well to be personable. The most positive feedback that I get in my life is that I'm very personable by nature. So during both phone calls I tried to sound as nice and friendly as possible (maybe even going a little further than usual).
However, last year I interviewed with the same company for an MBA internship for a research role and I had a similar approach. Not exactly the same, I was more energetic trying to show that I'm excited about the role. I got to the second round and was told it was a tough decision to make but I didn't get the offer. One piece of feedback was that I didn't have enough "executive presence". Which I took that I didn't come off as mature and/or professional enough.
So I'm curious about what I should do. Should I continue my "personable and competent" strategy, should I dial it down some, dial it down a lot? I think that some people must like me, I got 2nd round last year and past the screen this year. On a side note, a former recruiter at the company may be the most friendly and personable recruiter I have ever met. He was a joy to listen to and speak with when he came to speak at my school. And people have been generally friendly. So I'm in a pickle and would appreciate some guidance especially for a customer service position. I've had experience previously in client facing roles that incorporated customer service (a good amount and I'm trying to leverage that) but they were never primarily customer service roles.
Thanks for any help!
Thanks for your help.
And most interviews are about "fit" anyway because most openings have tons of competent enough people applying for them.
It is interesting to hear you debate an approach (personable/professional) as a dilemma. Perhaps you should consider whether you are really a professional. If you feel like you are, then it is easy to relax and be yourself. If not, maybe it's time to work on that.
Best of luck to you - let us know how it goes.
sure, the self-righteous won't get it, but sales is very cut throat, and sometimes you get where you need to go by over-selling yourself and delivering that check your mouth wrote that your "today" body can't cash. My old boss used to call it working outside of your comfort zone, she felt it forced you to develop certain professional skills you may or may not develop until you're pushed to develop them.
people don't want someone whose going to "be himself' in a sales support capacity unless that "himself" is a kick ass sales support person. and it sounds like you may not be quite perfect for the role yet, so sell yourself.
I struggled with this early in my career because I looked so young. No one wants to sign a multi-million dollar software contract from a sales rep who looks like they just graduated college.
but to counteract this you need to know your shit, and eventually if you do, and you can demonstrate it, they will trust you and buy from you.
it's not being robotic at all, but yes definitely means being professional (which has a lot of different meanings from appearance to follow-through to communication to confidence, etc.).
I've seen sales opportunities lost because the presenter at final presentations wasn't wearing a tie or in one case the presenter took off his suit jacket and rolled up his shirt sleeves.
WTF? It's IT security you're lucky the guys are up before 10am and wearing shoes you want them to wear a tie or keep their jacket on? I had one guy as part of my sales team in the middle of a presentation leave the meeting and go into the customers kitchenette/coffee area and come back using some employees #1 Dad mug. I wanted to strangle the guy. are you trying to lose this opportunity for me?
but it's about knowing the company culture, in finance and insurance in NYC like this customer was the culture was still old school and everyone still worse suits and ties.
I struggled with this early in my career because I looked so young. No one wants to sign a multi-million dollar software contract from a sales rep who looks like they just graduated college.
but to counteract this you need to know your shit, and eventually if you do, and you can demonstrate it, they will trust you and buy from you.
it's not being robotic at all, but yes definitely means being professional (which has a lot of different meanings from appearance to follow-through to communication to confidence, etc.).
I've seen sales opportunities lost because the presenter at final presentations wasn't wearing a tie or in one case the presenter took off his suit jacket and rolled up his shirt sleeves.
WTF? It's IT security you're lucky the guys are up before 10am and wearing shoes you want them to wear a tie or keep their jacket on? I had one guy as part of my sales team in the middle of a presentation leave the meeting and go into the customers kitchenette/coffee area and come back using some employees #1 Dad mug. I wanted to strangle the guy. are you trying to lose this opportunity for me?
but it's about knowing the company culture, in finance and insurance in NYC like this customer was the culture was still old school and everyone still worse suits and ties.
Interesting, working in ad sales outside of casual Fridays that they instituted only a year after I started the least formal attire worn by men were shirt, slacks, and a tie. The sales reps all wore suits and ties. But it's weird, obviously in meetings the tone was formal and I attended these meetings all the time as a research analyst but in conversation with buyers and clients over the phone the reps spoke with them like they were friends (although within reason). I remember a sales rep on my team telling others on the team about a conversation he had with a client in a cab that involved the client getting a vasectomy. Now advertising isn't finance. However, am I wrong in thinking that sales (and I wouldn't even be in sales if I get and accept the role) is a relationship business? Who the hell would want to build a relationship with a robot? But I get it sometimes culture and the industry realities dictate that type of behavior. However, if I'm ever starting a business I'm hiring chameleons for sales. People that could be professional when need be and be more casual and personable when need be. Maybe that's the secret.
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my assumption is they want people who can interact with the c-suite or at least VP-level and above.
I struggled with this early in my career because I looked so young. No one wants to sign a multi-million dollar software contract from a sales rep who looks like they just graduated college.
but to counteract this you need to know your shit, and eventually if you do, and you can demonstrate it, they will trust you and buy from you.
it's not being robotic at all, but yes definitely means being professional (which has a lot of different meanings from appearance to follow-through to communication to confidence, etc.).
I've seen sales opportunities lost because the presenter at final presentations wasn't wearing a tie or in one case the presenter took off his suit jacket and rolled up his shirt sleeves.
WTF? It's IT security you're lucky the guys are up before 10am and wearing shoes you want them to wear a tie or keep their jacket on? I had one guy as part of my sales team in the middle of a presentation leave the meeting and go into the customers kitchenette/coffee area and come back using some employees #1 Dad mug. I wanted to strangle the guy. are you trying to lose this opportunity for me?
but it's about knowing the company culture, in finance and insurance in NYC like this customer was the culture was still old school and everyone still worse suits and ties.
Interesting, working in ad sales outside of casual Fridays that they instituted only a year after I started the least formal attire worn by men were shirt, slacks, and a tie. The sales reps all wore suits and ties. But it's weird, obviously in meetings the tone was formal and I attended these meetings all the time as a research analyst but in conversation with buyers and clients over the phone the reps spoke with them like they were friends (although within reason). I remember a sales rep on my team telling others on the team about a conversation he had with a client in a cab that involved the client getting a vasectomy. Now advertising isn't finance. However, am I wrong in thinking that sales (and I wouldn't even be in sales if I get and accept the role) is a relationship business? Who the hell would want to build a relationship with a robot? But I get it sometimes culture and the industry realities dictate that type of behavior. However, if I'm ever starting a business I'm hiring chameleons for sales. People that could be professional when need be and be more casual and personable when need be. Maybe that's the secret.
Yeah, that's kind of what I mean, half the biggest sales I've seen made happened over beers at Yankee Stadium in the luxury box or at a Rangers game.
by the end of a long sales cycle sometimes the people at the customer and you as the vendor exchange hugs, it's a lengthy process, but requires you to always be selling and for a lot of people that's not always "themself"
sales is a different animal.
On the other hand I'm one of the least assertive people you'd meet. I hate asking people for money. Hell, I hate selling. I once did a product demo at work and as valuable as that was, I was exhausted for the rest of the day emotionally. Just having to sell and be on.
The second part has been the reason I have avoided sales like the plague my entire career. That said working with sales people in a support like I have in ad sales is a very interesting experience and very valuable. Doing it on a much larger stage with this company in Tech would a great experience too. There are some negatives as well but at this point I'm trying to focus on the positives. Not like I have a million companies knocking on my door. The exact opposite of that.
that through a variety of circumstances I wound up moving into a sales role and felt like I could help avoid a lot of that situation.
I took to it very well, was successful at it surprisingly initially to me but it makes sense, and I regret not moving into sales sooner mostly for the financial aspect.