Lavinia Spatariu | May 17th, 2022
The IT Cloud Sales industry is booming. The demand for cloud consultants, business development representatives and cloud architects is higher than ever before and it makes sense since most organisations are migrating some or all of their IT assets to the cloud and may need some assistance with their projects. The skill set required for a Cloud Consultant usually involves a mix of sales skills, a foundational level of technical knowledge and the willingness to keep learning.
Organisations may have a different hiring process and hiring managers or recruiters may have a different interviewing style but everyone is looking for a few core skills and preferably relevant industry experience.
The points I make below are observations and personal thoughts based on a long history of interviews conducted for various roles in the cloud consulting business. This article is not associated with or written on behalf of any named organization or institution and any references to specific cloud providers or their products is arbitrary. Following the guidance below is completely optional – but may lead to success!
Let’s take a look at some specific interview questions and considerations. What should you say, what should you avoid and what recruiters may think of some of your answers. If you are determined to land this job and probably very eager to come across in the best possible way, read on.
Mistake # 1 Associating yourself with your current or with a previous employer
Question: “I see you currently work for ABC company. Is your role customer-facing?”, “Does it involve solution selling or making discovery calls?” Or any other question about a current or previous employer and the candidate’s experience with them.
Answer: “Yes, we sell a custom-built CRM solution. We launched our business back in 2010 and have experienced growth etc. We have over 500 Enterprise customers and have acquired 5 companies. We work with customers and offer them our solution through our unique platform.”
Why it’s wrong: You are looking to leave your company and looking for your next opportunity. If you associate yourself with your current or past employer and you advocate for them, you pitch their business, you feel attached to them and consider yourself an integral part of the company, it means you are not ready to leave yet or to start a new journey. It may not have been your decision to leave the company and you wish you had continued with them or maybe you think showing dedication and commitment for a previous employer will demonstrate to your next employer that you will be just as dedicated to their business. In reality unfortunately it only indicates to them that you are not ready to move on. Plus, your interviewer is looking to understand if your past experience has prepared you for the role they are looking to fill and if you possess the relevant skills for it. They do not want to hear a pitch of another company’s services and growth and become their customer.
What to do instead: Think about the question you’re being asked. Think about how you can translate your past work experience and if your skills can be transferred to the role you are applying for. Think about the job description you read and if you have the exact expertise required or hands-on experience with a similar product or technology. Speak about yourself and avoid saying “we”. Visualise yourself doing the job and being part of the new company. In that context it may make sense to say “we” or “us”.
Mistake # 2 Making it clear to the recruiter you’re actually interested in a higher-ranked position than the one you are interviewing for (in the same company)
It’s absolutely normal to want to establish yourself and grow inside an organization. Showing that you have long-term goals and that you want to be successful is a great thing to showcase to a future employer. What doesn’t help though is making it clear from the start of the interview that the role you’re applying for is beneath you and you want to progress very quickly, especially when you don’t have the skills and experience needed for the other role.
Why it’s wrong: The company is currently hiring for a specific role and they expect you to perform and be fully committed to that role. There might be flexibility and other opportunities down the road but right now this is what they need from you and showing a lack of interest will indicate you are not a great fit.
What to do instead: Ask clarifying questions about the position currently on offer. Make sure to understand the day-to-day tasks and responsibilities as well as the targets and expectations. Ask about training opportunities, readiness and ongoing learning materials. Ask about the organisational structure, the team you would be part of and teamwork opportunities. Ask about potential mentorship. Make it clear you are interested in doing your best work and that you want to contribute to the success of this team or campaign or project. Make it clear you are ready to learn and that you understand learning never stops when you work with cloud technologies. Show your passion and your determination but understand that moving into a more technically-advanced role requires time, great performance and results as well as role availability.
Mistake # 3 Applying for a role in technology and not be willing to keep learning
Technology is always evolving and we must evolve with it. New products and cloud services are released all the time and you must be aware of these changes, their benefits and how their impact your customers.
Why it’s wrong: There is nothing worse than speaking with a customer and providing them with outdated information and then expecting them to buy from you or even to continue the conversation. No one can know everything of course or have advanced ninja-level expertise in every single solution area but we must strive to at least have an overview within the scope of our role and make sure we leverage the training and coaching opportunities offered to us. Technology will never be a stagnant industry where we can lay back and say that we now know everything there is to know. Tell a recruiter you already know everything about networking or security services and their decision about your suitability for the role will be made then and there. Microsoft Learn’s motto #alwayslearning is remarkable. Learning is simply an integral part of life.
What to do instead: Gain an understanding of the level of knowledge necessary to be successful in this role. Enquire about e-learning, live coaching and role-playing opportunities. If unsure, ask about the starting point in the learning journey. Look into official certifications and study materials offered by the relevant cloud provider. Ask about existing top performing individuals and their level of knowledge. Top tip: take the initiative to look into self-serve training and certification exams before the interview and ask about additional readiness resources as if you’re ready to start preparing for your new job (regardless of the outcome of the interview!). This displays passion and a proactive approach to learning. Very often this is more important than your actual technical knowledge.
Mistake # 4 Asking the recruiter very personal and inappropriate questions
This one is very simple.
Fine to ask about: The interviewer’s own career growth inside the company; their motivations for staying with the company; their own level of technical expertise and their length of service.
Not fine to ask about: Age, marital status, physical appearance, if they have any children, their sexual orientation or religious beliefs, their political beliefs, their annual income. Also not appropriate to try to persuade the interviewer to quit their job and go travelling with you!
What to do instead: Be respectful and professional and focus on the job.
Mistake # 5 Referencing your personal end-user experience with software when asked if you have experience in selling it
What I mean by this is being asked if you have ever discussed the value and benefits of desktop productivity and collaboration applications with commercial customers in a sales/consulting role before and your response being “I use Word and Excel sometimes”.
Why it’s wrong: This type of answer will unfortunately not only show that you do not have the necessary experience but that you may have misunderstood the question or that you did understand it but are trying to hide your lack of relevant work experience. It will also lead to the recruiter probably rephrasing and asking the question again.
What to do instead: Admit that you do not have experience in selling the specific product and bring up the most relevant experience you have with a similar or somewhat related product. Storytelling is great too. As is the desire to learn.
Mistake # 6 Lying on your resume or during the interview
Goes without saying. Don’t lie. The truth will come out eventually and if you have no skill or competence for the job, you will lose it and face a world of embarrassment on your way out. Honesty is the best policy. See my point above regarding the willingness to learn and its importance over other aspects.
I hope some of this has been useful and insightful.
Thank you for reading!