How to Get the Job as a Car Salesman
Getting the job as a car salesman can be an exciting experience, but it can also be difficult to read the reactions of the interviewing managers when you are meeting with them. Although every dealership has specific things they look for when recruiting sales staff, there are certain responses and life experiences that can condition you for success in the auto industry. Above all else, most car dealerships look for aggressive sales staff to fill their ranks. Additionally, sales representatives with no experience are sometimes preferred to experienced ones because it is easier to train than retrain.
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Instructions
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Contact the car dealership and inquire about a sales position. Most car dealerships accept applications on an ongoing basis, even when vacancies are not posted. You will likely be referred to the sales manager or general sales manager whether you visit the car dealership in person or call to inquire. Due to the volume of emails that a dealership receives, it can be difficult to elicit a response via email.
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Prepare your resume. If you have any relevant sales or customer service experience, be sure to highlight it and reorganize your resume if necessary. Additionally, if you have sold cars before or completed any sort of sales training, be sure to make this clear on your resume.
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Complete a job application. Upon contacting the dealership, you may be asked to complete an application for employment. However, some dealerships will simply request a resume, so be sure to have this available in case they ask for it.
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Attend an interview. If the dealership contacts you for an interview, arrive early. Not only may the dealership have additional paperwork or a job placement index for you to complete, it is also possible that the dealership has forgotten about your interview or that some of your interviewers are occupied with clients.
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Answer each question honestly, but with an emphasis on any prior customer service or sales experience you have. For example, in "Confessions of a Car Salesman," Chandler Phillips notes that the most important thing he mentioned during an undercover interview at a dealership was his desire to earn large amounts of money. As earning money is at the core of every business, an aggressive and motivated sales representative has a better attitude, which can result in improved customer interactions and a higher closing ratio.
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Complete additional paperwork if you are offered the job. Most job offers at car dealerships are contingent on passing a background check, driving record check and drug test. These requirements are in place to ensure salespeople can be insured when operating company-owned vehicles and that representatives can be trusted to handle large sums of money, which is commonly required when handling payments from customers.
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Accept the job offer. If you have satisfied all of the pre-employment conditions and the dealership offers you the job, be prepared to accept the offer quickly, as the car dealership may try to use a high pressure approach to get you to start. If you do not feel comfortable with the position or the dealership is avoiding discussions of the pay plan, ask these questions and receive clarification before accepting the offer.
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References
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