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Interview Them, before They Interview You

Do your Homework, Before you make the Leap

Interview Them, Before they interview You

Interview them, before they interview you. Often times we are looking for a career change, or maybe just browsing. Depending on the strength of your resume, you may be a good candidate for several companies. Some may offer what seems to be a great career move, even if you are not thinking of making a change. They may have some attractive offerings such as an increase in pay, benefits, bonuses, etc. Who doesn’t want to be sought after for their skills? A recruiter working for the company may paint a pretty picture of how you would be the perfect fit. You may interview and find that they are very eager to have talent such as yours on board. Before you make the leap into this very attractive offer, ask questions and do some research on this company. You may end up leaving a good job, and entering into a nightmare sales job filled with the skeletons of former sales reps caught in this companies web. Sound menacing? maybe, however if it saves you from making a huge career mistake, it will be advice well heeded. The following are questions and tips to do your homework before accepting the next ” dream job.”

What happened to the last person in this position?How long were they here? They may tell you the truth, but couch it in a way such as “they just did not have the drive or skills to sell for this company,” Red Flag!
Ask for details about the sales process. There may be stipulations that are impossible to meet in order to reach your goals, too many hoops to jump through, this doesn’t count, impossible timelines, etc. Making the sale may be the equivalent of the old saying ” it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than to complete a sale with this company”.
Ask about quota’s, you have a right to know in advance what will be expected and how often the other reps in the company meet their goals.
Who is your competition? What makes you different from them?( good or bad)
Ask to ride along for the day, before deciding to take their offer. You may find the graveyard of previous reps, the current rep may tell you everything you want to know.
Look around the office, do the employees look reasonably happy? Do they look miserable? Look at their faces, you will know.
Operations. I’m here to tell you , they can make or break a sale. Ask the rep on your ride along about operations and I am sure they will tell you. Listen closely for any negative sighs, or body language. Sales cannot survive without strong operations.
Then finally there is a wealth of information on the internet, if you google employee reviews for ABC company. There are several web sites such as Glassdoor, Careerbliss and others. They have honest reviews that cannot be buried. The better business bureau is another good resource.
Find out everything you can about the companies history, leadership, and business practices. The internet is a wonderful thing.
Ask around about this company if possible. If you are already in the industry it should not be too difficult to find a source.
If you are satisfied with what you find, then and only then should you take the plunge into your new career. Although there is no perfect job, the sales industry has had an increase in hiring lately, make sure you don’t end up with the nightmare sales job someone else left behind.

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