Ever considered being a regional sales leader? This interview will take you through the ups and downs you can expect in the position, what it takes to land the job, what you can expect to earn and more. This sales leader explains that in times where lots of job seekers lie in interviews, honesty and sincerity may become an ally to land the job.
I'm currently working as a Regional Sales Leader in a multi-state property management company. Within this role, I serve both as a senior sales associate and a trainer for all new sales staff. I've been working within the sales field for approximately 15 years and have been in the property management industry since 2002. I accepted my current position in 2009, after a brief job search.
At the beginning of my search, which took less than two months, I utilized all of the typical sources with Monster as my main resource. Fortunately I have a strong resume which helps me stand out in the property management field. I received four different job offers, but ultimately I ended up accepting a position with a company that a friend referred me to.
Although I was fortunate enough to have a friend give me a job lead which led to my current position, I've acquired most of my other jobs via more typical methods. Selecting one single thing as the most important thing that I've learned throughout my job searches is difficult, but it's probably that common courtesy goes a long way. While I know that my resume, which is designed with a sleek, modern look, is the initial thing that catches the eye of a lot of HR directors it is my post-interview etiquette that has probably served me the best.
I first discovered the importance of exhibiting gratitude and courtesy post-interview to a hiring manager when I interviewed for my first property management position. Although the interview itself went well and I was a likely candidate to begin with, I made the decision to send a handwritten thank you card to my interviewer. The same day that she received it, I received a job offer. Although this might seem overly simplistic, I believe that it's the simplicity that makes it stand out.
Even in today's ultra competitive job market people seem to be focusing their energy on being initially eye-catching without any proper follow through after the interview process. Please note that calling the potential employer multiple times to ask them if they've made a decision is not the same thing. As a side note, I've had multiple interviewers thank me for taking the time to thank them in such a personal way.
The three pieces of advice that I would give to anyone who is currently looking for employment are the following:
Always utilize all of your professional and personal resources. As previously mentioned, it was a friend who referred me to my current company. I have also obtained positions in the past via previous co-workers. Every person in your life, regardless of what industry they're in, has the potential to give you a tip that will lead to your dream job so don't be afraid to let others know when you're job hunting.
If you're going to use a cover letter, be sure to personalize it. I've been on both sides of the job hunt and one thing that I've seen, and heard, over and over again is that a generic cover letter is a waste of time and paper. Many companies won't even bother to read them if they start out in an obviously generic way and this can result in your resume being passed over.
Each job that I've successfully obtained in the past 15 years started with a resume and a personalized cover letter that was short and to the point. Spending a couple of minutes researching a company goes a long way and previous employers have informed me that my doing so, and then incorporating some of that information into my cover letter, was what initially caught their attention. If I had failed to customize my cover letters, I may have never been given the opportunity to interview for positions that I ended up obtaining.
Honesty is refreshing, especially for interviewers. In one particular interview, I started to give an incorrect answer. This was due to being nervous, rather than a deliberate attempt at being misleading. Instead of going forward with it I stopped myself, apologized and then explained what had just happened. After I got the job the hiring manager told me that she had heard a lot of made up stories over the years, some of which she was quite certain had begun accidentally, but that no one had ever had the integrity or courage to speak up and say that they had just spoken an inadvertent lie.
She went on to tell me that it was in that moment when I say, "wait a minute, I need to back up here," that she made the decision to hire me. Employers understand that people aren't perfect and that they're going to make mistakes. What they're looking for is a skilled person who will make a minimal amount of mistakes and who will acknowledge the mistakes that they do make.
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