Selling Yourself in an Interview

Interviews are a big deal. Anyone looking for a job, or an internship, or seeking to get into college knows how important interviews are. We’ve probably all heard the phrase “selling yourself” in relation to interviews, and it’s pretty accurate. We have to be able to present our experiences and skills in a way that makes us desirable for the job. Here are a few tips for selling yourself in an interview – and who knows, they might even apply to sales in its typical sense too!

1. Know what you’re selling. In “typical” sales it could be a car, pastry, or a weekend getaway. In this case, it’s you. It’s important to be prepared before going into an interview. We might not know all the questions the interviewer will ask, but we can have a pretty good idea based on previous interviews or by talking to other people. Before the interview, you should prepare a list of questions that you think might be asked, and the answers that go along with them. What are your biggest strengths? What is an example of when you solved a problem? What are your biggest weaknesses? How do you handle conflict? Think back through experiences you’ve had (writing them down helps!) so you can easily recall them when you’re answering these questions.

2. Know who you’re selling to. In the same way that we get to know the customer in our store, we have to know the company/school that we’re interviewing for. This knowledge will show that we care about the company or institution and will impress the interviewer. Assuming you’re interviewing for a job, look up the company ahead of time: what are its core values? How does it treat employees? What are their main products or services? What are key moments in the company’s history? If you find answers to these questions, you can weave that knowledge into your interview, making you a more attractive candidate. For example, if you know that honesty is the company’s core value, you can tell a story of when you’ve showed that characteristic during the interview.

3. Ask good questions. This goes along with knowing who you’re selling to. You will seem a lot more interested in the company (and less interested in just yourself) if you ask well-informed and thoughtful questions during your interview. Ask about your interviewer’s personal experience within the company, or how you could prepare to enter a specific position in the company. Even if there aren’t any burning questions you have, be sure to prepare at least one question that will show you are putting effort into understanding the company to which you are applying.

4. Finally, dress the part. This is something we hear a lot relating to interviews, but not necessarily sales. There are a few reasons why dressing appropriately for the job or industry you’re practicing sales in is important. First, it shows that you’ve put in effort. We all know that time is valuable, so if it’s clear that you’ve spent time in preparing to sell cars, pastries, or yourself, that will be clear to the customers (or interviewer). Second, it causes people to trust you more. We’re naturally drawn in a sales setting to people who look more put-together, because in our minds they seem more knowledgeable. Of course, what’s “appropriate” will vary depending on what you’re selling or where you’re applying, but you can show effort in any level of dress.