Are you on the hunt for your next sales career opportunity? It’s an exciting time to work in tech sales and to work at Intuit!
Whether you have an upcoming interview or are just starting your next job search, these insights and actionable tips are for you. Reflecting on his experiences and latest interviews as a hiring manager, Tom Eschbacher, Head of New Business Sales for Intuit Mailchimp, summarized the winning behaviors of standout candidates in his recent LinkedIn post.
- 78% sent a follow-up note, demonstrating continued interest and professionalism.
- 57% actively sought to “close” the interviewer, showcasing their sales acumen.
- 15% signed up for product (Intuit Mailchimp) as part of their preparation, indicating thorough research and initiative.
- 6.5% reached out proactively before the scheduled conversation, showing early engagement.
The takeaway: proactive engagement and thorough preparation are key. Here’s how you can effectively prepare for your next sales interview.
Getting an interview
Build your online presence
As you’re browsing websites, job postings, and professional networks, identify keywords and skills that align with your individual experience–this will be an indicator of how to curate and update your professional profiles. Spend time reviewing and updating your LinkedIn profile with relevant skills and interests. Keywords in these areas (or lack thereof) are often how recruiters are assessing candidates..
Network
Personal connections with professionals in your field—even if they’re not hiring—can open doors to hidden job opportunities and provide useful insights into the hiring process. Keep growing your professional network by attending industry events, joining company talent communities (like Intuit’s here!), and connecting with fellow alumni. These connections will be key to maintaining industry visibility, company updates, and new job openings.
Craft your pitch: Resumes, interest forms, and applications
Generic resumes and cover letters will likely sink to the bottom of the pile. Tailor your application materials individually for each position, emphasizing your qualifications and mirroring specific requirements of the role. Again, be keyword-savvy! Recruiters often filter social networking profiles and resumes by keyword matches, so make sure you’re using the right terms for each opportunity. Beyond keywords, the most impactful way to tailor your sales resume is with tangible metrics. Don’t just say you’re a great salesperson—prove it. Resumes that showcase achievements like “Exceeded quota by 15% for four consecutive quarters” or “Grew territory revenue by $500K in one year” immediately grab attention. Including specific percentages, growth figures, and customer acquisition numbers shows that you understand what drives success and that you have a track record of delivering it.
Additionally, when completing any interest forms or application, it’s generally best to curate your responses to align with the job posting as much as your experience allows. Sales is a broad function group with nuances between roles and organizations, so it’s important to do your research. Some organizations may classify a role as an account executive but that job description may resemble your current organization’s definition of an account manager. In these instances, defer to the posting as the source of truth, and find commonalities.
Before the interview
Do your research
Once you’ve lined up an interview, start doing your homework. Learn as much as you can about the company, its products and services, and their market position, including target audience and competitors. Additionally, if possible, research your interviewers and send them a note. Reaching out beforehand, like a few of our own candidates did, can make a positive impression—but don’t overdo it. A quick note that you’re looking forward to meeting is plenty. Thorough preparation will make for a more productive conversation, demonstrate initiative, and show respect for the interviewer’s time. Pro-tip: Want to really demonstrate initiative? Sign up for free and/or trial products! This offers both a practical customer journey experience and opportunities for tangible insights.
Be ready to talk sales
Sales is both an art and a science—and you should show familiarity with both aspects. If you’re an experienced salesperson, be ready to talk about both the methodologies you’ve used (e.g., SPIN, Challenger, MEDDICC, solution selling, etc.) and any special techniques you’ve developed to close deals and deepen client relationships. If you’re just getting started, you can still come up to speed on the methodologies above and give some thought to how you’d apply them for the company. Pro-tip: Close your interviewer! Inquiring about timeline and next steps shows you’re forward-thinking, eager, and showcases sales acumen.
Prepare thoughtful questions
Questions about the role, the team, and the company’s objectives help show your genuine interest in the opportunity. Save questions about company policies and benefits—vacation days, health insurance, and so on—for later. At this stage, keep the focus on the company’s goals and how you’ll be positioned to help advance them. Throughout the conversation, listen for an “open loop”—a topic or a question you can research further and follow-up on in your thank you note.
After the interview
Make sure to follow up
Following your interview, send a personal email within 24 hours. Thank the interviewer, but also strategically reference a key point from your discussion (an “open loop”) to reiterate your value. This turns a simple thank-you into a compelling continuation of the conversation, demonstrating your engagement.
The bottom line
Much like social networking, interviews are collaborative conversations to see if partnership makes sense. While no set of tips can ever guarantee a specific result—they can fundamentally change the quality of your engagement.
Sales Opportunities with Intuit
Thanks to the company’s largest growth in a decade, Intuit is actively seeking talented salespeople in various sales functions to spearhead this hypergrowth! Our new product suite gives small and mid-market businesses enterprise-level resources on a single platform. Powered by Intuit’s data and AI ecosystem, we provide comprehensive solutions for finance, payroll, HR, marketing, and cash flow. If you’re a talented salesperson ready to represent an innovative, AI-powered solution and drive real business impact, we want to hear from you.
Join our talent community to get real-time updates about open roles, access to exclusive events, Intuit news and content, and more. You can also find out more by visiting our sales careers page.