Print This Article			Print All Articles			Email the Editor

Marketing Yourself: Be Prepared for the Interview

You've been selected for an interview. Now what? Too many people approach an interview with inadequate preparation and lose out on wonderful opportunities. Don't let this happen to you.

Prior to the interview, continue the information gathering process. If you know the company’s name, it’s important to gather details on its background. Do a search on the Internet for the company’s Web site, or call the company directly and ask for an annual report, company literature or information about their history and products. If you are interviewing with a builder, visit their project, walk the models and be aware of the type of housing the company builds.

How important is this? Think how much more aware and intelligent you will appear if you can truly discuss the product. The real estate section of the newspaper and various real estate magazines will all provide information. Local business journals provide an annual listing of the Top 25 home builders in each area of coverage, along with statistical details, as does Builder magazine.

Arrive Early

Arrive early for your interview and carry spare copies of your resume. Have a list of pertinent questions prepared. These should not include questions about salary, benefits, vacations, etc. At this stage, your job is to sell yourself to the interviewer on your abilities and skills and what you can offer the company — not "What's in it for me?" If questions about salary arise, simply state that you are sure any offer the company makes will be a fair one, and you are interested in the opportunity. If pressed, simply state your last salary and indicate that you would like to be in that range.

The time for salary negotiation is when you reach the offer stage. By then you will have a better idea of the company's structure and potential.

During the interview be friendly and cheerful, but businesslike. Remember that the company is interested in what qualities you possess that will benefit them, not what they can do for you. Ask questions about the position. What background would the ideal person have? This gives you an opportunity to bring out your similar qualities or demonstrate how you've handled similar situations.

Ask Questions — Not All Employers Know How to Interview

Don't make the mistake of thinking that all employers know how to interview. Many do not and don't ask the right questions to find out about your background. Again, ask questions which give you the opportunity to explain your qualifications. Do not over-answer questions. One of the interviewer's jobs is to encourage you to share your negative as well as positive qualities, and an open supportive attitude may encourage you to share information not relevant to the position. Answer questions honestly and forthrightly, stressing your good points, but don't exaggerate or lie.

Keep to the point, and remember that, “Tell me about yourself,” really means, “Tell me about your background in relation to this job.” Avoid personal matters, children, home life, etc. You may appear overly concerned about your children or create the perception that you have personal problems.

Always conduct yourself during an interview as if you are determined to get the job you are discussing. Be enthusiastic, and if you are interested in the position, let the employer know this.

At the End of the Inverview, Ask for the Job or Another Interview

More positions are gained because of enthusiasm and attitude than specific skills. Do not “turn off'” during the interview even if you feel the specific position is not right for you. Frequently, positions can be restructured, or other positions created when an employer genuinely is impressed by a candidate.

In closing, thank the employer for his or her time, and the opportunity to learn more about the company. Reiterate your interest, and ask what the next step in the selection process is. Follow up with a “thank you” note, (with the interviewer’s name and title correctly spelled) in which you reaffirm your interest in the position and refresh the employer's memory about your background.

After interviewing several candidates, employers often become confused. Don't be discouraged if an interview doesn't result in an offer. Every interview provides you with more information about your field, and the practice will make the next interview smoother.

Opportunities in Sales and Marketing:

If you build it — you must sell it. A sales or marketing career in the home building industry can be financially rewarding while the joy of helping people realize their dream of homeownership is emotionally satisfying.

Smaller builders often contract their sales and marketing efforts to local Realtors®, who act as brokers and assign agents to sell the properties. Such positions are primarily commission based, and agents are paid on a percentage basis. A real estate license is required.

Larger production home builders generally handle all sales and marketing activities in house. Some major firms contract to handle all these functions, with oversight by the builder sales team.

Larger builders have a hierarchy of positions generally beginning with the vice president of sales and marketing. Sometimes in very large companies the sales and marketing functions are separate.

The vice president of sales has a broad range of responsibilities that can include the following duties:

• Assisting with company business plans, preparing sales budgets, recruiting, hiring, training and monitoring sales managers and personnel, and developing goals, objectives, advertising and promotion strategies
• Supervising model merchandising
• Developing customer referral programs and evaluation systems

• Coordinating with construction, design, mortgage, customer service and warranty departments.

Generally, this person supervises sales managers and a marketing manager and other related departments, including escrow and liaisons with the mortgage lender.

A marketing manager is involved in the development of marketing budgets, market research and analysis of competitive products to determine pricing and product. This manager has responsibility for sales office and model complex functionality, development of marketing and advertising materials and determining other necessary requirements. In smaller companies these functions may be combined at the director level.

A director of sales/marketing has similar duties to those outlined above.

A marketing coordinator/assistant supports marketing and merchandising activities for new home communities. This person may be involved in market research, model merchandising, advertising coordination, budget development and supervising maintenance personnel.

The escrow officer is responsible for overseeing the escrow process for new home communities. This includes reviewing preliminary title reports, ordering demands, drawing escrow instructions and coordinating with the lender, builder and home buyer.

Earlier Articles in This Series

• To read, “Marketing Yourself for Success: The Resumé,” Part 1 of this series, published March 15, click here.

go to top