Shine in Your Sales Interviews

Learning Objectives

After completing this unit, you’ll be able to:

• Share core disciplines of sales success.
  
• Detail the five steps of our interview process.
  
• Understand the key principles we’ll be looking for during the interview process.
  

Commitment to Customer Engagement

Modern companies want to deliver a connected customer experience across channels and departments, bringing together traditionally siloed organizations like marketing, commerce, sales, and service. When they’re integrated, organizations benefit from a full 360-degree view of their customers. At Salesforce, you are selling that organizational transformation.

The best candidates can effectively share that vision. So now, take the time to show us you’ve got the right stuff. Help us learn all about your own sales process, including how you:

• Prospect
  
• Handle a monthly quota
  
• Run discovery
  
• Qualify
  
• Consult
  
• Manage relationships with multiple stakeholders
  
• Overcome objections
  
• Negotiate mutually beneficial outcomes
  
• Close
  

Remember to be the most authentic “you” possible; use real-life examples of how you’ve already been a Trailblazer, addressing client needs to help them become a more successful company.

One Step at a Time: The Interview Process

Now that you’ve been given a pretty good idea of what we’re looking for, it’s time to discuss the interview. All journeys are best traveled with a trusted map, and we’re able to help you anticipate each step along the way.

Step 1: Hiring Manager Interview

A phone call with a specialized Salesforce hiring manager is first. The conversation is focused on understanding your experience and potential impact, competencies specific to the role you’re interviewing for, and a bit more about our culture and team. The goal? To see if we’re a good fit for each other. Here are some tips to help make your phone interviews all they can be.

• Pick the right spot. Sit at a comfortable desk or table, where distractions are minimal.
  
• Research. Research our products, customer stories, and see what resonates with you. (But don’t feel like you need to spend hours memorizing our products.)
  
• Bring your questions. Come at us with multilevel questions demonstrating a true interest in our organization and the role itself.
  
• Check out your interviewer on LinkedIn. Get familiar with your interviewer’s background and experience.
  
• Prepare to take notes. Not only does taking notes help recall discussion points post-interview, but it also prompts you to be inquisitive and attentive.
  
• Stay upbeat and positive. Are you smiling? It might be a phone interview, but smiling actually impacts your tone.
  
• Tailor your responses. Think about how to effectively describe your experiences to a sales leader, in a way that resonates.
  

Step 2: Panel Interview

Next, we often conduct a panel interview. This allows us to learn a bit more about how you think, and to brainstorm on business solution concepts.

During the panel interview, we expect you to demonstrate an understanding of talents like consultative selling, communication, and business acumen. Show us how you can bring these skills to Salesforce.

Pro tip: Bring a copy of your resume for each person on the panel, so that they are able to reference or refresh an understanding of where you’ve been… and where we can go.

Step 3: Sales Presentation

Storytellers welcome! The next step of our interview process determines your knack for great communication, and assess your ability to competently share relevant information; think of it as a pitch for your future at Salesforce. Tell us why your unique experience, background, and skills have all combined to make you the perfect candidate for the Salesforce sales team. Remember to open strong and close even stronger. Don’t forget to make eye contact and to dress for the occasion.

We are looking for you to demonstrate a number of skills during the presentation exercise, like an ability to articulate business value.

Let’s Sum It Up

Regardless of industry, sales volume, or location, we have a number of positions that might be just the right fit for you. We enable our employees to do some pretty amazing things, and we hope you’re ready to head into the interview process with an informed expectation of what we’re looking for and, more importantly, how you can wow us. Now, let’s get this show on the road—the world awaits!

Resources

• Webinar: Get Your Grit On
• Trailhead: Sales Territories and Forecasting
• Trailhead: Public Speaking Skills
• Blog: 7 Sales Skills That Can’t Be Taught