What do u know about our company?
What is the interview lookin for ?
This question is all about how commited you are to the interview process, to the role and to the recruiting company. The interviewer doe not want to waste their time and knows that if you are genuinely interested you will have done atleast some basic research.
The wrong answer here is 'nothing'. You may as well leave teh interview room now. This wil indicate that you are not very interested and may only be doing the interview for practice.
If you have done proper research you will be able to talk reasonably fluently and candidates for higher level positions will be expected to know more than those at entry level.
Top Answer
This candidate had not spent any time doing research but rather than try to bluff quite a good answer. I concentrated on looking at the job description abd person specification and making sure that i had all the right skills to deliver in the role. I am aware that your company is involved in the Biotech Industry and am looking forward to studying your products in greater depth.
You may get away with this on a first interview however if called to a second, make sure you can talk about the history of the company its products and plans and quote facts and figures as available.
Losing answer
I dont really know what you do. The agency sent me down to the interview and they dint give me any information at all, not even the directions.
This very often the case however it is the candidates resposibility to research and get the necessary information about the company and its products.
Why are you interested in this role and what is it that attracted you ?
What is the inteview looking for ?
Positive reasons for applying could include the company's profile, reputation, employee policy, grpwth plans, the jobs variety, pace,prospects and the quality of the staff. When answering it is important to show the interviewer what you have to offer rather than what you hope to get from the company. Talk about the research you have done which will show the interviewer that you are serious in your targetting of this particuar organisation, rather than simply taking whatever comes along.
Once again, use this as an oppurtunity to align your skills to the key competencies of the role. If good communication is essential, mention you want to use these skills in this particular company, industry or sector. While the salary or the other benefits package may be attractive do not mention it as being a reason for applying. The recruiter is looking for someone who is going to stay with the job for a considerable period of time, usually atleast 2 years and may worry about your willingness to move should another attractive offer come along within that period.
Top Answer
My career is in Customer Services, it is something i enjoy immensely and i'm evry attracted to this Customer Services Manager role as i believe it will give me an oppurtunity to utilise the skills I have built up over the past five years as well as being a very exciting challenge for me.
Or
I have always wanted to work for your organisation and was delighted when i saw this vacancy as i believe i have the right skills to bring something special to the role.
We then asked them to elaborate on what they meant by 'something special' and they backed it up competently with examples based on their achievements.
Losing Answer
I want to be a senior customer service mabager and this is a good stepping stone for me to get there quickly.
This answer did not reassure us that they intended staying with the job for a reasonable period of time.
What is your salary ?
What is the interview looking for ?
You will be asked about your salary and benefits and your salary expectations at some stage during the interview process. It may be by the HR representative, by the recruiting manager or by both.
Our advice is to calculate a salary range prior to the interview but avoid disclosing this information during the interview. The longer you can keep this to yourself the more negotiating power you retain. Some suggestions for dealing with salary questions are:
1. Do not talk about salary spectics. Try to talk about total package including benefits. By talking about total package as opposed to basic salary you can blur the boundaries a little.
2. Do not lie. Many companies do check your previous salary and it will be very obvious from you records whether you you have lied or not.
Answer Options
This role is quite different from my current job and i am not sure that the salaries are comparable. I would prefer to fot within your salary scales and the market rates for this type of position and i dont envisage that slary will be an issue.
Or I dont believe salary will be a problem but I would prefer to learn more about the position and its responsibilities before i discuss it in any depth.
If pushed then talk about your 'package' as a range and include items such as bonus, pension, car etc.
My current package is in the range of ___ to _____ and includes bonus pension and health benefits.
You could then ask 'Can you tell me about your bonus scheme ?
Describe a sales technique and tell me about a time when this was successful
What is the interview looking for ?
This is a direct question which is trying to assess your sellig skill level. Sales techniques will vary depending on the product set, the type of business and the level and mode of interaction with the customer. For example the skills required for telephone selling may be different from those employed during a face to face negotiation. The first will reuqire careful choices of words, listening and appropriate interjections while the second requires a good understanding of non-verbal methods of communication as well as proper self presentation. Having gotten as far as the interviewe it is likely that you have the necessary skills as we suggest asnswering honestly giving examples from recent achievements and using figures to demonstrate the bottom line results you delivered.
Top Answer
In my current role as Account Executive for ____ I have a target of signing on five new customers each month. Once I identify a target I use a variety of techniques as appropriate. I establish rapport, I identify the prospects needs and in my presentations ensure that the benefits of my product fit exactly with those needs. I will have prepared in advance so that i can readily anticipate any objections and of course most importantly I am skilled at closing deals. Over the past eight months I am happy to say that I exceeded my target by an average of 30 % adding an extra ____ turnover.
Losing answer
Dont try to lie or boast without substance as the interviewer will probe deeper saying 'Tell me how you did that ? or what exactly do you mean by establish rapport ?
What are the most common objections you face when selling and how do you deal with them ?
To answer the first part, in terms of objections there are a limited number of objections a sales person will come across including; ' I dont have a need for your product' or 'We are happy with our current suppliers'.
The second part of this question is the most important however the key here is to show that you can deal with rejection, can work around the objection and truimph. In your answer talk honestly about a real situation which worked for you and which was successful rather than a made up scenario. In this way you will come across as more genuine and energetic.
Top Answer
Well of course I get the standard objections such as 'I'm sorry I dont have time today' or 'I dont need to purchase any new kit'. These dont bother me as i see them as a way to gather additional information about this customer. I always respect teh customers' views and i out the customer before the sale so when i get this repsonse my target is to leave an open door, an oppurtunity wherby I can make a repeat visit.Slowly as i establish rapport and understanf my customers needs I find that in 95% of cases I am ultimately successful in making the sale.
Losing Answer
Even though I have been doing this for 5 yaers, I still find it tough when a customer says no. I refuse to accept it, I become very determined and i make every effor possible to get the sale.
Well meaning candidate but their answer potentially indicated an over zealous sales person who can get one sale but no repeats.
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