Interview Like a Politician: Introduction
Whether you’re gearing up to land your first job out of school, changing careers in your 30’s or looking for a new opportunity at any point along the way, having excellent interview skills is a no-brainer in the sales industry. It’s a chance to practice your sales expertise and sell (what else?) yourself as the solution to the hiring manager’s problem.
There are three important elements to the typical interview process and we’ll cover them all in this series. I’ll go over my interview preparation process (which is extensive - but invaluable!), how to crush the interview itself and what to do AFTER the interview. Post-interview is just as important as interview prep -- and a lot of people skip this crucial step.
Today I’ll just outline our series and we will go more in depth over the next few weeks. We’ll discuss how to interview like a politician.
A (good) politician never goes into an interview or press conference without having done extensive research and preparation. This means knowing your interviewer (the client or hiring manager), what they are looking for and how you can solve their problem. Remember, you’re learning how best you can sell yourself as the solution to the company’s problem. We’ll discuss in more detail the top questions you should prepare to both answer and ASK. Don’t forget that the questions you ask tell your interviewer a lot about your work ethic.
Later in this series, we’ll continue to discuss how to interview like a politician. Keep your cool, make others feel comfortable, smile, be kind, learn names, and take your time. Have you ever noticed how politicians often don’t answer right away? An interviewer will always try to throw you a curveball in an interview, no matter how well you’ve prepared.
Answer like a politician: take your time, keep your cool, and answer rationally and intelligently without rushing.
Once you’ve conquered that interview room, don’t forget post-interview etiquette. We’ll discuss in more detail my interview follow-up methods that are guaranteed to make sure you’re remembered positively. So even if this particular job isn’t for you, that hiring manager is looking for a place where you fit their company -- maybe you get a call from them down the road!
What’s your sure-fire interview advice? Comment below and I’ll quote the best advice in our This Sales Life Newsletter!
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Phewph. You did it. You’ve just walked out the door and are sitting in your car back in the parking lot doing a little happy dance to your favorite song.