Put your best voice forward-it may be your only 1st impression

We have all heard that you only get one chance to make a great 1st impression. This also works when leaving a voice mail message.

Why am I writing about this in 2010 when by now everyone should know this? It’s obviously because people still leave unremarkable messages or messages that leave a lot to be desired (sounding like you’re sleeping at 9:00 am).
If you are looking for a sales job; expect that employers and recruiters will call. Answer the phone like the next call is the call for your dream job.

Quick tips:

1. Look and sound alert.

2. Answer with a smile.

3. Don’t take that bite before picking up-you might just choke when you realize that it's the hiring manager that you’ve been waiting for.

4. Don’t ramble on in a voice mail.

5. If you are calling from a cell phone, leave your number twice-technology is not perfect.

6. Leave your name and number slowly.

7. Sound self-assured and happy.

8. Don’t be too friendly with someone you don’t yet know.

9. Don’t make assumptions-I always get called Mr Dawn because some people don’t know that Dawn is a woman’s name.

10. Put your personality into the call. It’s ok to be different but don’t cross the line.

Remember this is an opportunity to sell yourself.
Happy selling

D

#11 Perhaps not answer when the children are screaming and call back at a better time.

Happy New Year! Here's to finding that new sales job.

You have felt the ache of needing something new; a new job, a new challenge or a new industry.

The beginning of each year is a great time to evaluate, assess and look forward. This is a time when there is much turnover in sales positions. Perhaps you’ve earned that annual bonus, received your new quota, territory or new boss and it’s time to move on. Whatever your reason for looking for a new sales job; cover all bases where you are now before doing anything drastic.

If you conclude that it’s time to move on, you need to make some decisions. They include such things as do I post my resume online, do I work with a recruiter, who I work with, how many do I work with and of course where do I want to be. There has to be some soul searching and evaluating your true strengths and couple that with the things that you truly enjoy doing. If you are aiming for an industry that you know nothing about, it’s up to you to do some preliminary research.

So often, candidates sit in my office and can articulate what they don’t want to do but the list of want they want to do is much shorter. Ask friends and family what your strengths are and where and what they see you doing. Take a look at past performance evaluations. They should shed some light. Which job in your past did you love and why?

Checklist

1. Take inventory of your strengths and places of improvement.
2. Take an inventory of things that you are truly passionate about.
3. Can you combine #1 and #2 and make it a career?
4. Enlist the help of people close to you for #1.
5. Do some research on the industries that interest you.
6. Set small attainable goals with deadlines IE I will complete by resume by next Wednesday at 7 pm.

This is a very important task, not to be taken lightly. Get that checklist done and get the resume done perfectly before sending it out. Remember this document should speak on your behalf if you are not present. You’re a sales person after all so GO SELL YOURSELF.

Happy selling
D