How to master your next tech sales interview

Two weeks ago, we held our first Recruiter Masterclass, which included some of the best recruiting professionals have shared their best practices and tips for the various phases of the tech sales recruiting process.

At Hyrise, we help people like you get their first role in tech sales. We work with over 70 top tech companies in Europe and believe us, we've seen it all!

These were the most important findings of the masterclass:

Recruiting process:

1st motivational interview

The motivational interview is the first phase of the recruiting process. In this phase It is about presenting yourself, showing motivation and proving that you are the right person for the position.

• Prepare, prepare, and prepare. Do thorough research about the company and the business model. Knowing the company's offerings is an absolute must. No one expects you to know all the details, but you need to master the basics and show that you've prepared yourself!
• Knows what tech sales is and what key activities the position includes. That might sound obvious, but you'd be surprised how many people are applying for tech sales positions without really knowing what it is.
• No one wants to hear your entire life story. When you tell the recruiter about your experiences, address the relevant ones. Focus on what you've learned in the past and how it prepared you for the role.

2. Role-play/case study

YAY! You've passed the first interview and are now exposed to the dreaded role-play/case study. Here, your willingness to learn and communication skills are tested.

• Prepare yourself for simulated cold calls or discovery calls. Make sure you understand the company's product and customers in depth and practice presenting it to a mirror or a friend.
• Recruiters are looking for confidence when it comes to communicating and how good you are at telling stories. Try to avoid filler words like “uh” or “um” and be as clear as possible. Practice is the be-all and end-all here.
• Sometimes the recruiter gives you feedback after the role-playing game. Be super receptive and open to feedback. Don't react defensively. Say thanks and ask clarifying questions where necessary. Recruiters are looking for your willingness to learn, i.e. your ability to get feedback and apply it quickly.
• Don't worry if it doesn't work out perfectly! Recruiters don't expect you to do it perfectly, they want to see how you're trying to improve and be motivated to keep going.

3. Cultural/behavioral interview

The cultural or behavioral interview is usually The last step in the recruiting process.

• The focus of this phase is to see if you really fit in with the company culture. It is important that you know the company's values and also represent your own (Note: Don't force it! If you don't like the company's culture, it's best to focus on the next opportunity 😉)
• Be prepared to answer behavioral questions (Tell me about a time when...) To do this, use the STAR method (Situation, task, action & outcome).
• Make sure you fully understand future responsibilities and how the company works.

Unconventional questions

It's pretty common these days for recruiters to ask questions that don't seem to fit into the conventional interview narrative. They usually test your personality, so you should answer naturally and honestly. We asked recruiters about some unconventional questions they ask and these were a few examples:

• What do you expect from this new role?
• How do you stay motivated?
• Which is your spiritual animal?
• Imagine that you had 100 calls and only 2 of them were successful. What do you manage to go to the office the next day? Why would you keep going?
• Tell me something about your passion
• What is the last book you read?

Best Practices

To sum up, we would like to give you the Give me the best practical tipswho helped our hyrisers get their dream job.

• Perform deep breathing exercises and self-awareness poses before you make the call. You can do it!
• Think of the interview process as another sales call — sell yourself.
• Document your job search and take notes after each interview. After several interviews, it can happen that you lose track of the various companies and details.
• Don't be discouraged by cancellations. As in every area of life, not everyone suits everyone and sometimes it just doesn't work out. Don't take it personally and focus on your next opportunity.
• Always send a thank you follow-up message via email or LinkedIn. This leaves a good impression and can be the factor that gets you the job.

We hope these tips help you rock your next tech sales interview! If you're thinking about starting your career in tech sales, we encourage you to to apply here - our program is 100% free and candidates usually find a job within 30 days.

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