recently i’ve been scheduled for phone interviews at work (PIs we call them in ‘biz). not just PIs, but PIs all with sales reps. and not just sales reps – pharma sales reps. and i thought dealing with teenagers took a lot out of me…
in my time conversing with these folks, i have come to realize how brilliant i am. how so, you say? well, they TELL me all the time. i ask them a question from my pre-formated interview form and they say “Great question!” and proceed to BS their way through it. who knew that “why are you leaving your current employer?” was such a great question?! then, not even 2 minutes later (7 minutes if you’re kristy and interviewing the world’s worst interviewer), i ask about their most innovative sales technique and, what do you know, it’s another great question! like i just came up with it, right off the top of my head. brilliant.
and in my quality time with these super-salespersons-of-the-year (because, let’s face it, they all have at least 5 awards telling them they are so), i have also conjured a list of words that, thanks to their industry and interviewing techniques, they have been so overused that they now lack any meaning. such as leadership. what is leadership? and how is it that every sales rep i speak with is a leader? who exactly is following? or passion. drive. team player. done, done and done.
on the upside to these exhausing 30-minute stints, i have found 2 things: a) that i’m also pretty funny, because these folks seem to nervously laugh every time i say “and tell me more about that.” also, b) i would like to add “salty” to my vocabulary, in the sense of an attitude of ill will. i had a lady who was “salty” about getting second in a contest. love it.