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Last week I discussed how job hunting is just like selling. For this post, I will continue discussing the similarities below.

Customization - sales professionals must first determine what features, benefits, and/or solutions are important to potential customers. Afterwards, they must customize their presentations to focus strictly on these findings. By doing so, sales professionals increase their chances of generating new business for several reasons:

• Sales professionals can establish rapport and dialogue by asking probing questions to uncover prospects’ challenges and needs
• They do not overload prospects with insignificant information that can either terminate or delay the sales process
• Sales professionals are viewed as consultants or advisors, instead of product pushers, who are genuinely interested in providing solutions for their prospects’ issues

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Job seekers are also taught to customize their resumes, cover letters, and interview responses. By focusing on potential employers’ needs, they have a greater chance of generating interviews and job offers. To accomplish this, job seekers can use the process below:

• Conduct external research by reviewing employers’ websites, suitable job requisitions, financial statements, analyst and industry reports, and so on to uncover needs and opportunities
• Determine how they helped companies solve and capitalize on similar issues and opportunities, respectively
• Reach out to former and current employees to conduct informational interviews. Once rapport is established, job seekers can share their potential solutions and strategies and acquire feedback. Some of these employees may even provide additional ideas and/or reveal what solutions and strategies are feasible for their respective companies.

Respect - sales professionals should never knock the competition, especially while promoting their respective companies’ product offerings. Instead sales professionals should state something similar to this: “Our competitors are good companies with good products. However these are the reasons why our customers choose to do business with us instead.” As a result, sales professionals are (more than likely) able to turn the conversation back to their companies.

Job seekers are also taught not to mention anything negative about their previous employers. When job seekers are asked why they left their previous employers (or similar questions), they could state: “I was one of 3000 employees displaced due to the economic crisis. However, these are the reasons why I believe this opportunity and your company are both ideal for me.” Likewise, job seekers should be able to focus on their potential employers instead of dwelling too much on the past.

Desired Outcome - sales professionals, who are not order takers, must ask for the sale since all potential customers will not voluntarily place orders. By asking for the sale, they can uncover hidden objections and concerns, overcome them, and generate new business. In today’s environment, job seekers cannot rely strictly on a passive approach of recruiters, employers, and others contacting them about potential opportunities. Likewise, they should also ask for the sale which could entail asking:

• Individuals in their networks for referrals to company insiders
• Company insiders for informational interviews and referrals to others, including hiring managers
• Hiring managers for formal interviews
• For the job (by summarizing why they are the ideal candidates for the companies and positions and vice versa) after successfully concluding interviews

Rejection - sales professionals know not to take rejection personally since all of their leads will not result in presentations and all of their presentations will not lead to sales. Job seekers should not take rejection hard as well. Instead they should seek feedback to strengthen their strategies, express interest for future potential opportunities, and ask for referrals.

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