scorched Wrote:Hmm.. Yes a sales person needs to get the deal, but are you looking for them to check the box on knowing closings?
Maybe it's just me, but in my experience for the last 10 years, any sales person doing hard closes is desperate.
If you interview someone and your not convinced by the end, a closing obviously won't help them, but if your convinced at the end, and they don't close you, you wouldn't hire them?
You said you would think twice? Really? because they didn't? I don't get that in todays social society. Sure you might get sales, but buyers remorse from high pressure closings is far more detrimental than even a bad product release.

Sales is psychology, and using closing statements reminds people of the old used car salesmen. What people want are relationships, they want to know your there when things go bad, they want to know you care.
I am in some definitions a pre-sales engineer as I help sell technology solutions. I have been to several formal sales training systems over the years, and the most successful was where only 1 close was allowed.
Never close the customer, always pre-close the customer with the up front contracts and one thermometer type statement. Anything more and your perceived as the slimy sales.
The 4 years my sales guy and I ran that system, our lowest year ever was 160% of quota. We were a brand new product with intense competition, yet he and I went to presidents club 4 years straight until we were sold to Dell, where we subsequently left. Then hooked up with another sales person running the same system at a much smaller company, we still crushed it. No less than 140%.

I am not sales but still get commission and brash enough that I bring my W-2's to the on site interviews, show them my salary vs. my commissions. I bring my quota sheet as proof.
Between the interview and that, if it isn't enough, then I don't worry about not getting that job, as I would have a low chance of success working there anyway.

Not trying to be argumentative, but just offering different views.

burbuja0512 Wrote:P.S. I do think we're both saying the same thing - we don't like pushy sales people.. I just interpreted the original comments differently perhaps.

Prloko Wrote:UPDATE:

Thanks again for your input, everyone. I interviewed over the phone for a similar position last night (less pay, no supervisory responsibility, but more ideal location and work environment). I have to say I did very well in this one. I think last weeks interview shook of the bugs and I was much better prepared. It was also a panel and the lead was kind enough to warn me in advance that they will be writing down my responses and to let them know I was finished. They were once again straight forward questions (no oddball questions), and I was able to quantify and give solid examples and with my confidence up, I was able to throw in a few extra, no fluff responses .

I feel good about this one.

Thanks again.

scorched Wrote:Prioko.. Did you get the offer? And did you take it?

My phone interviewing paid off, I just wrapped up two on site interviews. One last week for a privately held subsidiary of my company, and the other was today, a grueling 5 hour, 10:30-3:30, where every 45 minutes they wheeled someone else in the door to interview me. Threw every technical question in the book at me, some I straight up had to tell them I just simply don't know, but said I know how it would work logically.
At least they bought me lunch

Prloko Wrote:I received a tentative offer, but I found out my unit screwed up and forget to renew mu clearance, so I had to do the paperwork again, I expect to hear them soon. Interestingly, I received a better officer to work at Quantico, so I'll be working this one also until I get a firm offer. By the way, wheres a decent area with decent schools near Quantico?

PS, if you went through that many interviews, you probably got the job