Sitreps 2 Steercos’ Post

Sometimes the job search is harder than the actual job. Right now i am “sometimes”. Sometimes, break throughs happen when we least expect them, even if sometimes has 100+ applications out there. No matter what industry your in, Sales plays a pivotal role from the interview to a promotion. Behind that sale is believing in your self with a lot of hard work. On the other side of that equation is someone believing in those 3 components & not just on a piece of paper but in face to face contact. Personally i have grind’d like Richard Montanez & like Chris Gardner. I can work the lows & have seen the top. Starting over isn’t easy but having the ability to tell an interviewer how well you can talk a cat of a fish wagon, sell an eskimo ice, & work like a rented mule almost isn’t enough to get them believe in you even if you have proved it. It’s confusing times. hopefully something gives…i’ll see yah at work.

The first networking event I ever attended during my MBA at Lagos Business School, Pan-Atlantic University was a total disaster (or so I thought). I just stood at the corner, a glass of orange juice in hand, waiting for 'ginger' that never came until everyone was gone. It felt as if they all planned to keep talking to each other and deliberately 'ignoring' me. Felt that way before? Still feel that way? Still wondering what you'll say to someone during a networking event? Join us, let's share experiences: https://lu.ma/k9js7pjc PS: It's gonna be a virtual meeting. Do you plan to just come, hide, listen and whisper "bye everyone" at the end of the webinar?

At job Crystal, our monthly meeting theme was "Dress as your first job"! My first job was working at a music store, and WOW was I shy! I remember the daunting feeling of having to make sales pitches. My best advice is to just jump right in the deep end, and believe in yourself! Confidence grows, it's contagious, we all grow and must never fear that first step, first job, first sales pitch, first rejection. You will look back, and be so super proud of yourself. A few tips on how to find your footing in your first sales job: ✅ Remember, every successful salesperson started where you are now, so embrace the journey! ✅ Trust in your unique strengths and let your personality shine through in your pitch. ✅ Celebrate each win, no matter how small, and let them fuel your growing confidence. ✅ Don’t be afraid to ask for help—your colleagues are there to support and cheer you on. #jobcrystal #employmentopportunities #recruitment #jobsearch #mondaymotivation

🚨 𝗦𝘁𝘂𝗰𝗸 𝗶𝗻 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗦𝗮𝗹𝗲𝘀 𝗖𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗿? 𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗲’𝘀 𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗜𝘁’𝘀 𝗛𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗠𝗼𝘃𝗲 𝗙𝗼𝗿𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱 🚨 Feeling like you’re hitting a wall? You’re not alone. Many salespeople are facing the same struggles: 1️⃣ 𝗧𝗼𝗼 𝗠𝘂𝗰𝗵 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗲𝘁𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: Each sales job gets about 250 applicants, but only 2% get interviews. (LinkedIn) 2️⃣ 𝗡𝗲𝘄 𝗦𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹𝘀 𝗡𝗲𝗲𝗱𝗲𝗱: 70% of salespeople feel like they don’t have the right skills for today’s market. (Gartner) 3️⃣ 𝗡𝗼 𝗡𝗲𝘁𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸, 𝗡𝗼 𝗝𝗼𝗯: 40% of hires come from referrals. Without connections, it’s hard to land an interview. (Jobvite) 4️⃣ 𝗟𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝗛𝗶𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀: It now takes over 40 days to get hired for a sales job. (Glassdoor) 5️⃣ 𝗕𝗲𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗢𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗾𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗲𝗱: 58% of experienced sales pros are turned down because companies think they want too much money. (Harvard Business Review) 💡 Here’s How You Can Stand Out! I’ve spent 25+ years in sales, and I’ve helped many professionals get ahead. I created the Sales Career Masterclass (dot com) to share my top strategies. 👉 Click the link in the comments to grab your spot! Don’t miss out—this is your chance to take charge of your career and get ahead of the competition! Your course hosts: Ceyda Demir (SalesHookup Ambassador & sales career expert) Sonali Singh (landed her dream sales job at LinkedIn) Bob Bogaard (25+ years in sales & coaching, 6 career transitions) #SalesCareerMasterclass #SalesCareers #OpenToWork #Sales #CareerDevelopment

When looking for a job you are selling your services. So behave like a sales pro. Do not rely on bids and job ads - you have lottery odds there. You do the cold outreach. Just like B2B companies selling services. When you land an interview - consider it a demo. You are demoing yourself to someone who is at that point already interested. Make a showcase-offer. You will have a clear path. No huge competition fighting for a single open position. You are opening that position yourself. You are pitching your value, making a case where benefits of hiring you exceed the cost for them. In the end you have bigger chances to start earning significant cash and buy your dream car. What is your favorite car?

Looking to stand out from the crowd in your job search? One powerful way to do that is through video! Right now, very few candidates are using this approach—or using it effectively—so it's the perfect time to differentiate yourself. Job searching is a lot like sales. If sales isn't your profession, you might want to check out my video below for tips to help guide you on how to market yourself and land that next opportunity. And if you prefer, let a recruiter handle this for you. Many of my candidates have found great success with this approach, and it could be the edge you need.

A Few Thoughts on Resilience and Handling Rejection in Sales and Job Applications: In today’s fast-paced job market and rapidly changing sales landscape, two skills stand out as essential: resilience and the ability to handle rejection. Whether you’re closing deals or navigating job applications, you’re bound to face setbacks, but how you respond makes all the difference. Rejection isn’t a reflection of your value—it’s a step on the path to success. Every "no" is an opportunity to refine your approach, learn something new, and grow stronger. It’s about staying positive, keeping your momentum, and maintaining the mindset that every closed door brings you closer to an open one. For those in sales and job seekers alike: remember, resilience fuels perseverance. The key is to never lose sight of your long-term goals, no matter how many times you have to adapt along the way. - Leave a 👍 if you agree! Cheers, Sergio #Resilience #SalesLeadership #JobSearch #CareerGrowth #Perseverance

Take the path less traveled. There is an expression "If you want the same results as everybody else, do the same thing as everybody else. The good news the opposite is also true. One of the best ways to get a job is to get a referral or an introduction from somebody who knows a Manager/Director at the company. As a rule of thumb the more seniority the person is at the company the better your chances should be. If you are an AE looking for an AE role that is nothing wrong with reaching out to a current/former AE or the Sales Leader at the company where you want to work. However that is exactly what many other people are doing. Try this instead reach out to the Rev Ops Leader, The Marketing Leader or the Customer Success Leader. Less people are doing this and that should help your chances of getting an interview and getting hired. Keep in mind there is no magic formula that is guaranteed however now more than ever you need to try and stand out in a positive way.

Once upon a time, I was hired out of 10,000 applicants for a sales job. I performed well and performed early in the role. I ramped fast and started closing deals. I built good relationships and received positive feedback from leadership. And I still got let go 3 months later. Along with a big % of the sales floor. Haven't spoken about it before because timing is everything and there is so much nuance required. But I'm talking about it now for one simple reason: I know there are people who will be in this situation in the future. Or are in that situation right now. And I hope sharing my experience will help. Here is how I handled it: 1) I called my friends and processed what happened 2) I hired Dan Goodman 3) I made LI posts announcing I was open to work & started applying 4) I asked Andrew Shapiro for some interview advice 5) I successfully advocated for myself on the way out the door & didn’t sign my separation agreement prematurely (again, thanks to Dan Goodman) 6) I interviewed like a mad man. I was kind but ruthless in asking tough questions during those interviews. 7) Was fortunate enough to get a few offers fairly quickly, and I happily accepted my new role 1 month after getting let go. If anybody finds themselves in a similar situation, my advice would be to give yourself time to process what just happened. Acknowledge the loss and celebrate the hidden win (bad news early is good news). Get outside. Plot your next moves. Remember you are more than your job while remembering this: sometimes you can do all the right things (Repvue & Glassdoor check, talk to reps, etc.) and you still get burned. Advocate for yourself on the way out and start looking for the next thing that has your name on it.

~1 year ago, I left my 6-figure job without a “next plan”! What I did next sounds simple (but most miss it): 1. Understand what you excel at! For me that was: → Sales. → Building relationships. → Telling authentic stories on LinkedIn. 2. Be open minded to new opportunities! How I did it: → A new founder friend asked me a favor. → I LinkedIn trained his team for free. → This became my 1st client (12+ months so far.) 3. Don’t force outcomes, take it day by day! My approach was: → I didn’t do any active outreach. → My focus was building new friendships. → And those new friends turned clients by itself. ❌ Your 1st idea/plan WILL not be perfect! ✅ Accept that your idea needs adjustment (often!) Just START! With patience, an open mind, and good work… You’ll succeed! But if you never start, you might regret it for the rest of your life. P.S. Just signed 2 new clients this week! Best part: I consider them both friends! :)