Those of you in Sales jobs

[HurricaneHeather]

Holy mother of god I have had 5 calls from different places wanting an interview and 4 emails. I just posted my resume yesterday on CareerBuilder. I'm taking my phone # off the site.

That is just stupid and annoying. I'll just go to this one interview and if it doesn't sound like something I want to bother with then I'll try something different.

[OneSickPsycho]

Originally Posted by HurricaneHeather

I have an interview tomorrow for insurance sales job and this is my first real sales interview. I've had sales jobs before but I stumbled into them and never really had a serious interview.

Do they really do the whole, "sell me this pen" nonsense?

Any advise would be appreciated.

Some do the 'sell me this pen' thing... Actually, I know some of my people do it. I don't beleive it is nonsense, but I do think it might highlight an inexperienced interviewer.

The purpose is to see if you can think on your feet and bullshit. If you can sell a medium tip BIC ballpoint pen with ergonomically friendly comfort grip design and an industry leading ball bearing tip that smoothly flows a seemingly endless supply of vivid blue ink - you know, the type of pen that basically writes FOR you... you can probably jazz up an insurance policy enough to make someone raise an eyebrow.

[OneSickPsycho]

Originally Posted by HurricaneHeather

Holy mother of god I have had 5 calls from different places wanting an interview and 4 emails. I just posted my resume yesterday on CareerBuilder. I'm taking my phone # off the site.

That is just stupid and annoying. I'll just go to this one interview and if it doesn't sound like something I want to bother with then I'll try something different.

That will stop after a day or two... and wait... isn't the point of posting your resume on one of those sights to have people calling you?

[Particle Man]

Originally Posted by shmike

Why are you bringing up securities?

She'll be doing P&C with a side of Life. NO NASD required.

I wouldn't worry about the license, the hiring company will set her up. If you can't pass a state insurance exam, maybe fast food would be a more suitable career.

depending on the "large company" in question they often pair Life with annuities and such.

But I haven't been doing it for the past 8 years I guess. *shrug*

[EpyonXero]

Originally Posted by OneSickPsycho

That will stop after a day or two... and wait... isn't the point of posting your resume on one of those sights to have people calling you?

Yeah but a lot of times you get a bunch of BS calls.

[Homeslice]

Originally Posted by HurricaneHeather

I always make a list of questions to ask when I go to interviews. The last one I went to was so informal that my list of questions seemed really out of place. I had it all printed up with the name of the company and my interviewers names at the top...I'm such a dork.

I was reading about sales interviews and several different places mentioned 'sell me this pen' crap and I started to think that if this guy wants me to do that, I don't think I'd want to work for him. Seems lame to me.

I work in HR now, so interviews are nothing new to me, I just was totally confused when I started reading up on sales job interviews.

Thanks for the advise folks! I'll take all I can get.

Consider it payback for all the people YOU interviewed when you were in HR, even though you weren't the actual hiring manager and didn't know shit about the job responsibilities

[zer0t]

Originally Posted by HurricaneHeather

I don't have the licenses and they know I don't. I was very clear about that and there seemed to be no problem.

It would be individual sales from what I understand, but I will get more clarification tomorrow. I talked to the assistant today, not the guy doing the hiring, so I didn't get all the answers yet.

don't worry licenses are easy to get. I have a 10, 24, 55, 63 and 7. I can barely read.

[shmike]

Originally Posted by Particle Man

depending on the "large company" in question they often pair Life with annuities and such.

But I haven't been doing it for the past 8 years I guess. *shrug*

No reason to get snippy.

Most of the large companies offer some type of securities product these days. Not a single one requires new hires to have any licenses, not even to work exclusively on that side of the business.

She is going for an insurance interview, there is no reason to have her worried about all the possible tests, certs, CE, compliance, etc. that she may or may not have to do in the future.

NASD = FINRA. I constantly trip up. Old acronyms are hard to break.

[HokieDNA01]

I am in sales and really enjoy it. I didn't have to sell anything to the interviewer. Actually I saw a leather jacket and boots in the HR managers office and all we did was talk motorcycles for over an hour. The Area VP was a challenging interview because he really wanted to see how ambitious I was and also asked me about my work flaws. I did have to take a personality test as well as an intelligency test which serprised me but they went fine. Just be yourself and give honest answers. If you are a "people" person that is self driven, you will fit in sales just fine.

[HurricaneHeather]

Well, I ended up postponing the interview anyway. I have a lot of work today and I don't really want to try and leave work early....and I am driving to Missouri tonight(11 hour drive....maybe 12 with the slow ass truck we are taking). I decided I was too distracted to try and worry about an interview today.

Originally Posted by zer0t

don't worry licenses are easy to get. I have a 10, 24, 55, 63 and 7. I can barely read.

I was never worried about the licenses....everyone says they are ridiculously easy to get.

Originally Posted by EpyonXero

Yeah but a lot of times you get a bunch of BS calls.

Yeah, they sound like sales calls coming from a telemarketer....no thanks.