Job hunting in the sales profession can feel like extreme selling, and that means taking a lot of rejection. Staying focused and positive will be essential if you’re hoping to land a sales job in the current UK job market.

We’re officially in a double-dip recession, but the message from recruiters we talk to at Simplysalesjobs is a resounding 'don’t give up'. Things aren’t that grim. Companies are hiring, and the smartest HR departments will be preparing for growth – that means bringing in outstanding sales professionals and being prepared for when the economy takes off again.

You know that the more persistent, confident and savvy you are when dealing with prospective employers, the more likely you’ll be to land that plum sales executive or sales manager role. So it’s time to put your well-honed selling skills to the ultimate test. To help you win in the sales job market, we’ve compiled eight tips that should remind you how powerful good sales techniques can be.

1. Keep a positive mindset

If you have opted for a career in sales, it’s pretty much a given that you will be thick-skinned and understand that rejection shouldn’t be taken personally. You also know that there are techniques and skills involved in successful selling, so try your hardest to keep thinking and behaving like a salesperson. If you stay positive in outlook and mood, you will be more likely to successfully use your communication skills, and draw on previous experience to secure the job of your dreams. Experts say that using a positive mindset can actually make you stand out from the crowd. Employers will be particularly keen to employ those who display a positive mindset who can swim rather than sink, in what’s likely to be a few more years of tough trading.
» Read more: Beat the recession: 8 steps to sales job success

In today's tough economic climate, identifying the sales stars of the future is more imperative than ever. All too many managers have experienced the stress of recruiting a salesperson who seems to excel in interview or on recommendation, but fails to live up to their hype.

Businesses can't afford to make mistakes and boards realise that their human capital is the company's most important asset. So if you're a sales manager, how do you ensure that you pick the best people for the role - those with the skills, know-how, experience and extra 'something' that makes them stand out? Or if you're applying for sales roles, read on to find out some of the key questions interviewers are likely to ask.

Attracting the best talent involves taking a planned approach. To identify the best salespeople, you need to be able to identify the qualities that will make them exceptional in the role.

The Interview Interviews are still the most important mechanism for establishing a candidate's suitability for a role. An application can be tailored with assistance or even professional help - and anyone can put the right words to paper. It's only when you're sitting with the candidates and engaging with them face to face, that you can you get a true sense of their abilities. After all, they'll be selling themselves during interview, so you'll be able to assess how they approach a 'prospect' first hand.
» Read more: Top 10 salesperson interview questions

While the current economic gloom may have seen unemployment rise in the UK, research from Simplysalesjobs.co.uk has provided some good news for those looking for a new sales position.

» Read more: Sales vacancies strong despite economic downturn

According to The Sales Pro, the wealth of information online about companies and the people that work there – on websites, blogs and social networking sites – is making a marked impact on the sales process. In the last study into global sales effectiveness by CSO Insights*, nearly two thirds of sales professionals said that the Internet has had a significant impact on account research and a quarter said it has had a noticeable impact. For more on this story go to thesalespro.co.uk.

According to Zoom Info, prospecting for new business is not an easy task. Many get weighed down by the thought of having to call someone they do not know, who is not expecting their call. Ugh! However, for those of you who are new to the game or looking to re-evaluate your approach, here are four tips to make your lead-generation process more effective. To read the rest of this story go to zoominfo.com. Picture: Elisabeth

The Sales Interview - Getting Better Results" width="300" oldwidth="150" oldheight="150" />Looking for a new sales role? Throughout 2011, the job market has become more and more competitive so as we prepare for 2012, it's important that you present yourself correctly to stand out from the crowd. Often, the most confident of interviewees believe they can still simply 'blag' an interview by putting on a good performance, but fail to put in the legwork and preparation beforehand. The old adage definitely applies here - 'fail to plan, plan to fail'! So first of all, give yourself plenty of time before your interview, if not your actual application, to research your target organisation.

Research in this context doesn't simply mean a quick visit onto the employer's website. It means something a little savvier that shows you've really put some thought in. You need to demonstrate that you know who their clients are and do some research into their competitors. Try to ascertain why their customers use the business and what are their strengths and conversely, what are their weaknesses. If it's appropriate, why not put a call into their sales team as a customer and find out their current sales strategy.

This research gives you the same head start that you get with successful selling. The best salespeople tend to do the most research and for your interview, it demonstrates to the employer that you are willing to put the time in and use your brain. It will also give them an instant appraisal of your approach to sales meetings and customer visits, so it's a chance to demonstrate your skills in action.
» Read more: The sales interview – getting better results

2011 has been a tough year for salespeople so as we look forward to 2012, delivering the perfect sales presentation is more essential than ever. Whether you want to win a new account and gain potential sales or simply sell yourself to potential employers, planning and research are the keys to success.

Before making any presentation, it is worth remembering that first impressions really do count when you initially enter the room. Confidence and pride in your own appearance inspires confidence in your work. Therefore, dress accordingly to match where you will be presenting. For example, if everyone wears suits it would look out of place if you turned up in jeans. If you are planning on taking your own laptop, folders or materials, make sure they all look professional and clean with no crazy screen savers or items covered in stickers.

Make sure you have a clear idea of where you are going with printed out directions and pick out another route to take if you end up in traffic jams without warning. Turning up late will almost certainly not help to make a good impression and will leave you no time for preparation before the presentation. Reviewing your presentation and key names of anyone you are likely to meet before you enter the building will help focus your mind on the task in front.

Now turn your attention to the actual presentation to create a pitch that will win them over. Start by doing your homework and thoroughly research the company or individual before putting together a presentation. Many lost sales opportunities arise as a result of not enough research and therefore either the wrong solutions are put forward in the sales presentation or you find you are unable to answer questions. Most research needed can be found through the internet and company websites or brochures.

Spend a few minutes setting up your presentation so that you look organised with all material needed to hand. Try to engage and establish a connection with the people you are delivering the material to before you start the presentation. This is a great way of putting everyone including you at ease in the room. All employers want to know that you will fit into their business.

During the presentation highlight your unique selling points and credibility in order to differentiate yourself from others. Showcase your portfolio and industry knowledge plus testimonials if appropriate. These are essential in order for employers to see what exactly you can bring to their business.

Whilst giving the presentation, focus on the main points you need to get across and always keep to the agreed timing. If your presentation time slot is ten minutes, time your material before you go to ensure there is no overrun.

Remember that although you are in control of the presentation and how it runs, questions are likely to be asked at the end. This is good and shows that they have listened to your presentation and are interested in what you have to offer. Always try to agree at the end, a follow up schedule or feedback and set some timescales for these.

Picture: Ian Muttoo

Among salespeople who make prospecting calls, there’s a hot debate about whether or not you should leave a voicemail message, according to www.eyesonsales.com. Some experts say you should leave a message, but only once every three days. For a voicemail to have any impact, however, you have to avoid the common blunders... and many of them are easy to make. According to the website,  the top 20 mistakes made by sales people include: - failing to stick to one topic per voicemail message - not verifying that you have the right contact before leaving multiple messages - forgetting to mention a common colleague or someone who has referred you The full list can be found on the www.eyesonsales.com website. Photo by herlitz_pbs.

Sales jobs form the basis of nearly every business in the world and sales are often the primary way that a company makes profit. Sales careers can be very interesting and rewarding, both financially and emotionally. Sales careers are not for everyone but if you think you are interested in a sales job, read on. Sales Jobs Information

• Sales jobs require a certain set of personal skills and attributes in order for the individual to be successful. Those with successful sales careers will be confident and excellent at forming relationships with clients. Good communicative and interpersonal skills are essential.

• To find success in a sales job you need to be highly motivated and enthusiastic. The ability to work under pressure to meet targets and deadlines is essential and you also need to able to work in a methodical and organised manner.

• Sales jobs can be varied in terms of your day to day activities. For instance, some sales jobs require the individual to travel and meet clients while other sales jobs will be conducted almost completely from an office using the telephone.

• It is important to be well presented and have a smart appearance in a sales job, especially if you are going to be meeting clients. A friendly and polite demeanour will get you a long way in sales careers.

• Sales jobs can either be B2B (business to business) or B2C (business to consumer). Those with a sales job will be expected to find and follow up on leads to find new clients. Sales jobs will come with sales targets that need to be met and a lot of companies add generous commission packages when these targets have been met.

• There are often excellent career progression prospects in sales jobs. The salaries for sales jobs can vary dramatically depending on the position held and experience levels. You can search for a wide variety of sales jobs here on Simply Sales Jobs.

Media sales jobs are primarily focussed on selling advertising space or time in a particular medium such as TV, Radio, print or the internet. As more and more people consume the media for more of the time, sales careers in the media have taken off and people who are good at media sales can make good amounts of money. To find out more about media sales jobs, read on. Sales Careers in the Media

• Those with media sales jobs need to develop business leads by phoning up client companies and arranging to speak to marketing staff in order to persuade them to buy advertising space or time in a particular medium.

• To be successful in media sales jobs, you need to be able to describe to them the benefits of the medium using stats and various usage data. The ability to negotiate on prices is essential and you should expect to spend a large amount of time on the telephone.

• There are a number of skills that apply for all sales careers and media sales jobs are no different. You will need excellent communicative and interpersonal skills which are used to build relationships with clients. You will also need to be confident, persuasive and patient in media sales.

• You will need a good level GCSE education for media sales jobs and A levels or a degree will be beneficial. Many media sales jobs will come with in house training to maximise your success in the sales job. The possibilities for career progression are very high in media sales jobs.

• The average salary for media sales jobs will be between £15k and £18k depending on experience and the company. Many sales careers also come with generous commission payments as well so a sales job can be very highly paid. You can search for media sales jobs here on Simply Sales Jobs.