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"Darren Dewrance went above and beyond my expectations in sourcing me my perfect role. I was kept in regular communication with Darren and he worked extremely hard on securing my dream job."

Russell Sealy, Candidate

Selling Yourself in a Sales Interview

So You're a Sales Professional?...but can you sell yourself?!

Interviews can be tough and knowing what to say and what not to say is vital for any interviewee wanting to secure that job. Sure, you probably make sure the interviewer hears all about your skills and experience and of course your expertise...but as a Sales professional do you use your sales skills and make it simple for them? Do you outline exactly why they should hire you or just tell them what you've done or can do?

The key to successful interviews is to outline clearly your features and benefits!

In order to fully convey what your features and benefits are you need to make sure you fully understand what exactly a feature and a benefit is- this may sound much like I'm teaching you to suck eggs but it's surprising how many sales professionals forget these points when faced with an  interview situation! For the purposes of interview technique a feature can be described as a "unique, inherent quality." A benefit is a pleasure or satisfaction someone gets from a given feature.  A benefit is something that aids or promotes well-being. A benefit can be thought of as the result of the feature. In other words it is because of this feature that you are getting the benefits. (Oscar Adler, 2008)

People do not naturally translate features into benefits when a person speaks to them. Very rarely do they ask themselves "what will this product do for me"? Most likely they will be thinking: "so what"? The interviewer will be only listening for the benefits of hiring you. They only care that they make the right hiring decision. If you answer questions with features but fail to relate the benefits, you are not selling yourself to the interviewer. You must learn to accompany every answer with an appropriate benefit- don't assume they've worked out your benefits for themselves.

Examples of how you might apply the 'features and benefits' in your interview might include:

Feature: I am a confident, outgoing character with excellent presentation and negotiating skills.

Benefit: This means that when I meet with prospects I can confidently demonstrate the benefits of a product and more often than not, lead the sale to a close

Feature: I possess a Masters degree in business administration

Benefit: This allows me to manage various aspects of my role more effectively and understand how actions taken within my position affect the business as a whole

A common mistake that people make is that they always ask themselves "what should I say" instead of "what will the interviewer be thinking." It is vital that you stop for a moment and really consider what is relevant for the interviewer and what is just 'filling time'.  

Of course an interviewer wants to know about your education, skills and experience but ensure you give them something a bit more convincing than what they are already looking at on your CV.

Ensure you practice ways in which you can link features and benefits so that you are thoroughly prepared when the time comes. In being able to convey both features and benefits confidently you will be able to control the interview and not be 'thrown off course' by a difficult question....

just remember, when it comes down to it, all the interviewer wants to know is ...
"what can you do for me?!"

Look at yourself as a SOLUTION

When preparing for an interview, you must remember that they are not ‘rocket science’, they are simply a sales meeting – an opportunity for you to sell yourself.

The employer has a need, their vacancy and you are the solution! An interview is simply a way for the interviewer to obtain information about yourself so that they can make a balanced business judgement as to whether you are right for the role.

Sell Yourself and Enjoy Yourself

Don’t be afraid to discuss your goals, dreams, ambitions and aspirations at an interview it demonstrates that you are goal oriented, taking a career move seriously and that you have drive and purpose.

Remember if you enjoy the interview you will shine at interview. The more planning that you do on yourself as a product the more succinct and prepared you will come across. Above all be enthusiastic and sell yourself throughout!

Date published: 1st March 2024

Rob Scott, Aaron Wallis Sales Recruitment, Author Photo

About the author

Rob Scott

Rob is the Managing Director of Aaron Wallis Sales Recruitment, a national recruitment agency specialising in sourcing sales and marketing staff for businesses across a broad range of commercial sectors. Before setting up Aaron Wallis, Rob spent ten years at a specialist Sales and Marketing recruitment division of a £0.5BN recruitment group, leaving in 2007 as Marketing & Sales Director to establish Aaron Wallis.
 
With over 24 years of experience in sales recruitment, Rob is a History graduate with an MBA (Merit) and a PgCert in Management Practice.  In 2007, 2009 and 2013 Rob conducted the most extensive surveys of sales professionals in the UK and is a trusted authority in the sales industry. From guiding employers through the recruitment process to helping candidates find their dream job, Rob's advice has been quoted in leading publications such as Business Insider and The Independent, as well as OnRec, which host The Online Recruitment Awards every year.

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Thank you for your dedicated help during the recruitment process - we came to you after unsuccessfully searching elsewhere, and hired, not one, but two! Quick response times, and a really personal approach, without being pushy.

Managing Director, Accora Ltd

As always we were extremely impressed with Rob's understanding of the role and our specific needs.

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Rob’s knowledge of the recruitment industry and his thoughts and how to make it better for his clients have always been eye opening. I would recommend Rob to anybody who is looking for a professional, knowledgeable and flexible recruitment specialist.

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Very professional service and will certainly be in contact for future recruitment.

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Aaron Wallis has continuously provided us with suitable candidates that have been proactively sourced. Having used countless recruitment companies, Aaron Wallis are the only company that I can count on to deliver.

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We were impressed not only by the quality of candidates you found for us but also the level of information, preparation and qualification you put into the process. You continually kept us informed of each person’s feelings about the process, which is very important but often overlooked. I am looking forward to working with your company again in the future.

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HR Assistant, Fischer Connectors Ltd

George is a rare find in the world of recruitment - communicative without being pushy or over-bearing. He listens and understands what the customer needs as gets to know the business to ensure he provides fully competent candidates who fit.

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In an industry where people over promise and under deliver, Rob and his teams have consistently provided a high-quality service. It is great to deal with someone that has an excellent understanding of UK industry, and a passion for sales.

Sales Manager, TR Fasteners

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I just wanted to thank you for your help with our recruitment process which went very smoothly and has – we hope – found us just the person for the job!

Managing Director, Citrefine International Ltd

Sophie did a great job at understanding our business and our needs, she is extremely professional and we hugely benefitted from her experience and expertise.

HR Manager, The Data Privacy Group Ltd

I have used Aaron Wallis to fill a number of our Sales Development Manager roles and I have found them to provide a very professional service. I will use their services again in future recruitment campaigns.

HR Business Partner, Greene King

I have always found Rob to be very knowledgeable about our industry sector, and it is refreshing to see after all of these years that Rob continues to quickly and accurately understand my requirements.

HR and General Manager, THK

Thanks for all your help during the recruitment process. I have been extremely impressed with Aaron Wallis especially when compared to other agencies we have dealt with. I really felt you grasped the type of person we required and found strong candidates.

UK Sales Manager, Nexcom

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Chief Financial Officer, Alphametrics

Understood the type of person we were looking for and good follow ups - not too frequent.

Managing Director, bigHead Bonding Fasteners Ltd

Since joining DSGi, Rob has been a supplier of permanent staff and has performed to an extremely high standard, successfully filling 98% of roles he has worked on. If anyone is looking for a good sales and marketing based consultancy with an informal yet professional approach, I would recommend Rob.

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I can't fault Sam or AW! Sam was a pleasure to work with and provided great support from the start. Sam always provided me with timely updates when required and provided outstanding candidates!

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Sales Director, Inside Business

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HR Manager, Zircon Software Ltd

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Managing Director, Leisuresec plc

George came recommended by a colleague and has been a pleasure to work with. He was great at updating us on his progress and ensured a great experience for both client and candidate.

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Sophie contacted me about a role explained the details clearly and made sure I was ready for the interview. She kept in touch every step of the way till I started the job. Thank you Sophie for a great experience.

S. Powell, Candidate

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J. McGrattan, Candidate

Aaron Wallis Sales Recruitment are a very friendly and professional recruitment organisation who listen to your needs, work with you and act on your behalf which sets them apart from many of their competitors who in my experience are willing to throw anything at you. We discussed my history, my preferences and my wishes - one opportunity was introduced. It was perfect. I start at the end of June.

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J. Tooze, Candidate

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E. Heley, Candidate

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M. Owusu, Candidate

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T. Ashbourne, Candidate

A great recruitment company to work with. Excellent experience with Aaron Wallis through the entire recruitment process. The team was really professional and extremely helpful. Darren was a pleasure to work with. He was friendly, supportive and gave me great advice. Thank you very much!

A. Bauchet, Candidate

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E. Fry, Candidate

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C. Rockliffe, Candidate

I would highly recommend Aaron Wallis Recruitment, Darren was extremely helpful and provided me with plenty of advice and support throughout the whole process.

D. Bretherton, Candidate

Sophie helped me secure a new role I have been searching for. She took her time to explain clear and concisely all I needed to succeed at the interview stage. Thanks again Sophie!

O. Oladejo, Candidate

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K. Craggs, Candidate

George is a fantastic recruitment agent and provides a great service. It was a pleasure I thoroughly recommend George to anyone.

C. Beaugie, Candidate

The most professional recruitment agency I've ever worked with. Robert Scott was extremely proactive and send me a detailed briefing before each interview, ensuring I was well prepared.

D. Bermant, Candidate

I have to say coming across and having dealings with Aaron Wallis proved to be very successful. Being highly experienced did not seem to count for much during my job search bit a conversation with Robert Scott gave me a real confidence boost and enabled to get a position at the age of 63. Great service!!!

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Darren at Aaron Wallis was really encouraging and helpful. He was very responsive and regularly made phone calls to explain the job opportunities available, and guided me through the application process.

A. Brown, Candidate

Aaron Wallis (and in particular Rob Scott) have been fantastic throughout the recruitment process, and even a few months down the line, still continues to care. Rob clearly cares about each individual and has a wealth of knowledge and expertise, which shows in the work he does. Each candidate is not just a number, and the support received from Aaron Wallis has helped me get a career which I truly enjoy.

M. White, Candidate 

I have to say using Aaron Wallis Recruitment has been nothing but an absolute pleasure. I've used many agencies over the years as the client and the candidate and its not always been a pleasurable experience!

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K. Everitt, Candidate

Wanted to say a huge thank you to Simon Bonner who has just helped me secure my new role. He was one of the most professional recruiters I have ever worked with.

J. Marcinkiewicz, Candidate

Aaron Wallis is an outstanding recruitment agency specialising in high calibre sales positions. I was working directly with Darren Dewrance who went above and beyond my expectations in sourcing me my perfect role. I was kept in regular communication with Darren and he worked extremely hard to secure my dream job. Highly recommended and Thanks Darren for all your expertise and hard work.

R. Sealy, Candidate

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S. Bartlett, Candidate

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