(Intro: It’s a question that is asked thousands of times.  Every. Single. Day. “I have a background in retail, automotive, services, healthcare, etc sales, but want to make the jump into tech sales. Is that possible?”

The short answer is YES! People make the transition all the time and do it successfully.  To get that shot, however, you’ve got to prove in the interview process that not only do you have the desire, but you’ve got the skills.)

If you haven’t checked out part 1 of our 4 part series on breaking into tech sales, you can check it out here.  We’re focused on four distinct strategies for your interview that will leave your interviewers gushing, and give you the edge you need to transition into a tech sales role.  Part 1 focused on the necessity to know your numbers. If part 1 was math class, part 2 is creative writing or art, as in the art of storytelling.  How your personal story will help you break into tech sales.

Many interviewers start out by asking the interviewee to tell them about themselves, or “walk me through your background”.  Unfortunately what happens all too often at that point is a complete regurgitation of what’s on the resume or LinkedIn profile, leaving the interviewer to doodle and nod off (FYI, they already read it). 

That question is a perfect opportunity to provide a compelling story of the WHY behind all the what(s) that are on your profile or resume, and everyone’s personal story is compelling if delivered the right way.

Everyone has had personal motivations that have driven them to make certain decisions.  These motivations and decisions are what has developed you into the person you are and are what will drive you forward.  While not all of them may be comfortable to speak about, they all are valuable, and a key part of your story.  Never assume the interviewer “wouldn’t be interested in that”.

This approach also gives the interviewer a glimpse of how you’d potentially perform in front of a prospect:

• Are you a good storyteller/communicator and can you engage someone with your story?
• Can you maximize the time allocated to position yourself in the best light and leave them wanting more?
• Are you focused on WHAT, or are you focused on WHY?  Focusing on what equates to features while focusing on why equates to value.  That’s a huge distinction in tech / b2b or SaaS sales.

When others witness and experience you delivering your story in a compelling way, they’ll believe you can tell THEIR story in the same compelling manner, and want to hire you!

Or you can just read through what’s on your LinkedIn page and bore them to sleep.

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