Marketing YOUrself: How to Close the Deal

Closing the deal is the most critical part of the sales process – it should be your desired result from every interview you complete in your job search. Your ability to turn your interviews into viable job offers is important. In order to close the deal you must give the hiring manager a reason to buy – to hire you – the product! Before I go any further, let me make this disclaimer: There are no guarantees when you have an opportunity to compete for job opportunities. You can have an excellent interview and for whatever reason the hiring manager makes a different hiring decision that doesn’t include you.

So how do you close the deal? There are two keys to successfully closing the deal and get the job offer. The most critical key to closing the deal and getting the job offer is your ability to create value in the interview. Why should the hiring manager hire you over every other candidate? This is a question you should be waiting for, This is your opportunity to close the deal. Why are you the one? What makes you unique? What will you bring to the organization that no other candidate can bring? It may seem like a lot of questions, but these questions are the ones you must ask in order to create a desire from the hiring manager to offer you the position. Your ability to communicate the value you bring to an organization will ensure you get on the short list of potential candidates.

Overcoming objections to your candidacy is the second key to closing the deal and getting the job offer. Overcoming objections means identifying all the potential reasons why a hiring manager might decline the opportunity to work for you. Can you identify reasons why a hiring manager might not be impressed with you? If you can, than your responsibility is to give value statements that override the “negative” perception or reasons for the hiring manager to say no. Let me give you an example. If you don’t have a college degree, and the position requires a college degree, you must figure out a way to create so much value for your ability to do the job and bring value to the organization, that you beat out every other candidate with a degree.

The best way to create that value for the economic buyer or hiring manager is to do a summary close when given an opportunity. What do I mean? When you are asked to “tell me why we should hire you over all the other candidates?” That is the opportunity you are waiting for in the interview. Take two minutes to recap your skills and abilities, your strengths and what you will bring to their organization. Getting an interview is great when you need a job and you have been waiting for the phone to ring. But getting the job offer means you closed the deal and employment is in your immediate future. Taking time to prepare for the interview by preparing for potential objections, and understanding your value will separate you from other candidates. Closing the deal is the outcome you plan for during your preparation. Then step into the interview, establish rapport, articulate who you are and what you will bring to the organization and close the deal!

Note: Marketing YOUrself is read (“Marketing You Yourself”)

Image Credit: Newscom

Tags: Interview Chatter, Closing the Deal, Marketing you yourself, Interview, Overcoming Objections, Hiring Manager, The Product is You, Job Opportunities

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