How to Land an Interview
Harry Urschel
Crossroads Career Network
Your Job Search
is a Sales
Process!
[2]
[3]
BUT…
“I’m not a Salesperson”
“I’m too honest”
“I can’t be pushy”
[4]
A “Salesman”
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It’s a Sales Process
• What is “Sales”
The process of presenting the VALUE of an item
or service to fill a need or want.
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It’s a Sales Process
• What is “Sales”
The process of presenting the VALUE of an item
or service to fill a need or want.
• What “Sales” is not
• Deception / Exaggeration
• Pushy
• Making someone buy something they don’t want or need
No one will hire you if you don’t fit the job!
What kind of person do you like to buy from?
[7]
What are you Selling?
In your job search…
what do they want to buy?
• Expertise / Knowledge / Skill / Competence
• Honesty, Integrity, Professionalism, Reliability
• Passion and Enthusiasm
• Someone that WANTS the job
• Likeability
• Good Communication Skills
[8]
Talk to Someone
A resume doesn’t get you a job. It might get you
an interview - A resume without follow up rarely
gets an interview
It’s IMPORTANT to send a resume to a person
directly rather than only apply online
It’s much better to talk to someone unrelated to
an open position, than not connect to anyone at
all
Use networking groups, personal contacts,
LinkedIn, and Google to find contacts
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Success on the Phone
• Be Formal, Pleasant, and Professional
• Smile, Sit Straight or Stand Up
• Use a Mirror
•
Use a script
• Ask for permission to talk
Ask if they have a minute
• Ask for help
[10]
Being “Pleasantly Persistent”
•Generally, in B-to-B sales…
5% of all sales are made on a first call
15% of sales are made on a second call
80% of sales are made on a 3rd or 4th call!
• How to follow up without turning them off?
Be “Pleasantly Persistent”
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Being “Pleasantly Persistent”
• Be Professional
• Be Friendly / Be Cheerful
• Be Brief
• Don’t leave multiple voicemails
between conversations
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Being “Pleasantly Persistent”
• Let them know you will follow up…
“Thanks very much for your time, if it’s OK, I’ll follow up
next week to see where the process is at that point and
see if there’s any other information I can provide.”
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Being “Pleasantly Persistent”
• Let them know you will follow up…
“Thanks very much for your time, if it’s OK, I’ll follow up
next week to see where the process is at that point and
see if there’s any other information I can provide.”
• Then follow up…
“You may not remember me, however I sent a resume and
we connected last week about the accounting position.
Based on the job requirements, I’m looking forward to the
chance to discuss more detail. What would you
recommend as the best next steps for me to take?”
[14]
Ask for It
• Companies want to hire people that want
to work there
• Asking for next steps shows interest in the
company and the job
• Asking for the next step shows initiative
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Always Follow Up
• Always ask for an e-mail address so that
you can follow up
• Send a Thank You note / e-mail after
EVERY conversation
• The little things often make a huge
difference
• Keep it brief
• Keep it formal
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Questions?
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