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Selling a service or looking for a job are two activities that are much closer than you think. You will soon understand why:).
You need to convince a company to make a significant investment (e.g. your annual salary), and convince them of the value of this investment. We often talk about €50,000 to €100,000 for a salary including social security contributions!
At Akimbo, we also regularly hear our partner startups say that they are recruiting candidates who at least know how to “sell themselves well”. That is to say the relevance of the similarity!
In this episode of Sales Education, you'll understand the close connections between selling and finding a job. And we're giving you tons of downloads as a gift! Follow our advice:
⚡ Organization is the key
⚡ The important thing is to persuade
⚡ Prioritizing your actions is the secret
⚡ The “extras” are decisive
⚡ The mind must be strong
What if you killed two birds with one stone by joining the Akimbo Sales & Business Development Bootcamp? Two months during which you learn to sell and sell yourself. More information in the program below.
Whether you are looking for a job or a Business Developer, without a good organization, you will miss out on great opportunities.
1. The key is in organization
Here's how to use sales as inspiration to be organized and effective when looking for a job:
1. Use the right tools
BizDevs use customer relationship management (CRM) systems to:
👉 Follow up with their prospects
👉 Manage interactions
👉 Seize opportunities
When looking for a job, every company with an attractive vacancy is a prospect.
The more planned and optimized your actions with them are, the more likely you are to sign the best offer.
The most organized candidates use Trello or Notion in the same way that a BizDev uses its CRM.
🔥 These tools offer pre-designed Kanban board models allowing you to have an overview of your interview processes.
🔥 They allow you to classify in different columns:
🗂️ Businesses you are interested in
🗂️ Those you contacted
🗂️ Those with whom you had one or more interviews
🗂️ The ones you relaunched
🗂️ Those who gave you a positive response
🗂️ Those who gave you a negative answer
🗂️ Those who didn't give you an answer
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2. Pay attention to reminders and appointments
When looking for a job or prospects, follow-up is a crucial component. It therefore takes an average of 5 reminders to get a B2B lead signed. When looking for a job, it is not uncommon for some employers to leave you unanswered. Don't let go of them. And dare to ask for feedback!
To reduce your chances of finding yourself in this post-interview situation:
❇️ Always send a thank you email to the company within 2 to 3 hours, and confirm the next steps.
👍 For example, add a few bullet points that summarize what you learned from the exchange, as well as documents that reinforce your application.
❇️ Plan several reminders to make the stages progress more quickly. Each of them should bring value to the recipient: vary your content. Don't be afraid to try the video!
👍 Each time you follow up, add a note to your tracking system (Trello, Notion, etc.) to keep it up to date.
3. Use a digital agenda
Plan your schedule so as to dedicate specific time slots to your job search (contacts, reminders, interviews), while allowing time to relax and recharge your batteries.
👍 Block your unavailable slots in advance.
👍 Get in the habit of sharing a link to your calendar when applying. For example, use Calendly (free).
Discover our Trello Kanban board template to organize your job search.
If you are asked to explain what selling is, convincing and persuading will be among the first words that come to mind. Isn't that also the case for job interviews?
2. The important thing is to persuade
The primary objective of every salesperson and job seeker is to persuade. Here's how to do it right:
1. Understand the needs of your interlocutor
Before you even start a discussion, do a thorough research about the prospect or recruiter's business. This approach allows you to understand their needs, values and goals.
Do not forget to look at the company's competitors:
👉 What sets them apart?
👉 What is their relative size?
👉 How do they position themselves in the market?
The more you know and the better you prepare, the more likely you are to succeed in your interviews.
During the interview:
😎 Dig deeper into the issues by asking specific questions about their challenges and expectations.
😎 Listen carefully and take notes. You will then use it to show how what you are offering is precisely tailored to their needs.
2. Express yourself with clarity and conviction
All your speeches should be structured and concise: they put forward your arguments in a logical way.
👉 Use concrete examples and stories to make an impression.
👉 Practice presenting yourself and answering probable questions in front of a mirror or with a friend. Get used to using specific language and a tone of conviction.
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Looking for a job can be stressful, but by prioritizing your actions, you can reduce that pressure by focusing on a clear plan and by avoiding scattering yourself on less relevant opportunities.
3. Prioritizing your actions is the secret
At Akimbo, we love the famous Pareto law where 80% of your results come from 20% of your actions. This law is valid both when looking for a job and once in office. Here are our tips on this subject:
1. Focus on the right businesses
In sales, prospects are classified according to specific criteria: do the same with companies that recruit.
⚡ Start by differentiating the companies for which your profile will necessarily be attractive, and the others.
⚡ Then prioritize them according to your preferences in terms of:
Of company culture and valuesOpportunities offered Of what you will contribute to the company over the quarters in relation to your knowledge of the industry, the way you work and the areas in which you excel. You will thus get a list: spend most of your time on the top of it. And make this list evolve following your interviews!
2. Prepare your appointments
Don't underestimate the importance of preparing for each interview. It's your #1 priority for the businesses you care about the most.
🕵️ Learn about the process and expectations as you go through the recruitment process.
👉 Prepare a list of relevant questions for each stage, with an emphasis on open-ended questions.
👉 Avoid closed-ended questions that simply require a “yes” or “no.”
And yes, there is work to be done! Discover our list of questions to ask during an interview for a Business Developer position.
Download the question list
Whether in sales or when looking for a job, competition is often tough. The winners are always those who have done the most “extra-miles”.
4. The “side effects” are decisive
These “advantages” are decisive and make a difference in the eyes of recruiters. Here's how to maximize the impact of your applications:
Map the contact persons within the company
Before reaching out to them, take the time to understand their role, responsibilities, and influence within the business. This in-depth knowledge will help you personalize your interactions. Study their LinkedIn.
Add key members on LinkedIn
✨ Always make a request accompanied by a personalized note that mentions, for example, something related to the discussion you had, or to the job advertisement.
✨ For example, write: “I noticed that you are responsible for [specific area], and I would like to know more about how this fits into the overall strategy of the company I am applying for.”
Give priority to phone calls to emails
The telephone allows for more personal and direct communication, making it easier to build strong relationships.
✨ Prepare for the call with a clear objective that you mention from the start.
Do the extra mile as soon as possible
This means offering ideas or solutions specific to a problem the company is facing, or even doing a small task related to the position you want to show your commitment.
✨ For example, if you identify a business challenge that the business is facing, take inspiration from the following sentence: “I've been thinking about how to approach this challenge, and here are some ideas that I think will be useful...”
Discover our example of a job interview preparation sheet.
Rejection is part of selling but also part of looking for a job. This discourages some just as it motivates others, especially those with a strong mind.
5. The mind must be strong
The mind plays a key role in overcoming rejection and living up to its challenges. Here are our tips in this regard:
1. Always seek feedback
Ask for regular feedback, whether from your recruiters, prospects or customers. This way, you'll identify your strengths and areas for improvement, which will help you move forward.
2. NEVER take chess personally
Lost sales or rejected applications don't define your value.
🙌 Think of every failure as an opportunity to learn how to do better.
3. Take care of yourself
Do sports to regulate stress and don't neglect relationships and hobbies. You will need this energy to overcome challenges.
4. Stay optimistic
Do not jump to conclusions if there is no response or refusal.
There are a lot of reasons beyond your control that can explain why a recruiter doesn't contact you again. To name just a few:
✋ Your resume may have been detected as spam
🤯 The recruiter can be literally overwhelmed - forgive him
The recruiter may be sick
🕳️ The reply email may have remained in the drafts
The main thing is not to lose confidence in yourself. If you apply for positions that you are genuinely interested in and that you are competent in, you will find the right company.
Keep your optimism and determination intact, because smart persistence is the key to success.
For all your questions about Akimbo, the team agenda is available below. And don't forget! We are available to answer your questions in order to launch your future career as a Business Developer.
