Working in New Home Sales: Interview Tips to Land More Offers

Preparing for a job interview? How exciting! But where do you start? A quick Google search will provide you with infinite resources and material in preparation for your next job interview. Whether you’re currently working in new home sales or just getting started, it’s absolutely necessary that you don’t just wing the interview. I mean your goal is to not only get a job but to get the right job, yes? Okay, I’m here to help! 

There are a variety of actions you should take in preparing for your interview. And of course, there are the basics that most people are aware of: do your research on the company, pull together a set of references, update and/or spruce up your resume, practice your responses to commonly asked questions in interviews, etc. All that is important. Do all those things. For this article,  I’m going to focus on the bookends of your interview. 

Start with the Right Mindset

You’ve heard it before and you’re going to hear it again. Having the right mindset is a huge determinant of how your interview will go. It wasn’t so long ago when people’s expectations of job interviews were very different than they are today. Historically, when you went in for an interview, you were quite certain you’d be asked a series of questions that you were meant to answer with no opportunities for rebuttal and no space or time to ask your own questions to the interviewer. To some extent, unfortunately, this is still largely true today (although the Great Resignation is changing the way we think about our career choices and how we assess the companies we consider going to work for).

Moving along, let’s fast-forward to the interview itself. During the meeting, the interviewer will likely verify your resume credentials, ask you questions, and discuss the requirements of the position. During this time he/she will render judgment as to whether you’ll be a good fit for the position specifically and the organization as a whole. This is often perceived by both the interviewer and the interviewee as a one-way evaluation. Not anymore! This approach has become antiquated. I’m suggesting that you start thinking of an interview as a two-way evaluation. Not only are they evaluating you to see if you’ll be a good fit for them, but you’ll be looking to see if they’ll be a good fit for you. 

Here’s a personal example from one of my past experiences during an interview. I was being interviewed by the division president, and I started asking some questions I had regarding the position and the organization. This individual stopped me and made it crystal clear that he was interviewing me; not the other way around. I paused for a second and then, with the utmost respect that I could muster at the time despite my seething rage, I made it very clear that we were interviewing each other. I explained that if this doesn’t work for either of us, this doesn’t work. I left there knowing I wouldn’t get the position and then was shocked when an offer was made the following week. I promptly declined the offer. I had learned everything I needed to know about the culture of the company in one very short interview. 

Simultaneously interviewing the company while they are interviewing you requires both boldness and tact all at once. More importantly, it requires confidence and belief in yourself for the position you’re interviewing for. When you have the right mindset about the importance of finding a place that works for you and the confidence in yourself, that’s a solid foundation going into an interview. 

Resolve Concerns Before You Leave

What could be better when interviewing for a sales job than to demonstrate your ability to handle objections? I always recommend asking this question at the very end of the interview, right before you leave. “Just one more thing if you don’t mind?” They will rarely say no. Then proceeded to ask them, “Is there any reason you’d hesitate to offer me this position?”

I understand this can be a very difficult question to ask because you’re asking them to share what they don’t like about you which is uncomfortable. Asking this question requires boldness because it’s probably out of your comfort zone. The more you practice, the easier it becomes. Work on this language yourself then find a friend to role-play it with you. Your comfort zone will be expanded, and you’ll stand out because you’re willing to ask questions others avoid.

One thing I noticed from doing this was the interviewer always had an immediate answer. They always came back with their genuine concerns, and at that moment, when you know their concerns, you have the opportunity to address and hopefully resolve them. Left to their own devices, if you leave without asking the question, those concerns will likely affect a possible offer or disqualify you altogether. 

There are certainly other questions you’ll want to ask during your interview, but these two ideas can help you start strong and end strong. If you have the right mindset going in paired with a strategy to ask for any concerns before leaving, you’ll put yourself in the best possible position to ace the interview and hopefully land your dream job!