Do you have sales interview fears? People are afraid of all sorts of things. It’s normal. Fears can also be overcome. If you give into your fears, the job will be lost before you even have the interview. Don’t focus on the fear; focus on the interview.

You can overcome your fears. You just need to prepare for them. Here are the three top sales interview fears and advice from sales recruiters on how to overcome them:

Sales Interview Fear #1: Being Late

Showing up late for your interview will not impress the interviewer. It could hurt your chances of being considered for the job, and it also throws you off your game. If you are late, you will feel rushed and flustered and may not be able to focus on nailing the interview.

Being late is 100% avoidable. We all know things like traffic, unexpected occurrences and other factors can make you late. So, plan around them. Plan to arrive in the area where your interview will be held well in advance. Leaving early gives you buffer time. If you arrive too early, use the time to review the company and your interview notes.

Sales Interview Fear #2: Making a Bad First Impression

We all want to make a great first impression. I’m sure you’ve thought to yourself, “What if they don’t like me?” If they didn’t like you, they wouldn’t have called you in for the interview. The truth is there is no need to worry about making a bad impression if you’ve done your homework, you look the part and you act professionally. Remember, you can control all these factors.

You can make a good impression by dressing appropriately, being on time, having extra copies of your resume, and being cordial to everyone you meet, including the office secretary, the interviewer and any other people you meet who work for the company.

Sales Interview Fear #3: Drawing a Blank

It’s true – people can draw a blank from time to time. We’ve all forgotten what we are talking about in mid-sentence. We have been asked questions to which we don’t have the answers. It can be an uneasy feeling and a reason why so many people fear drawing a blank when asked an interview question.

The reality is most hiring managers are not going to discount you as a candidate if you flub one question. How you recover is the important part.

Here is what you do if you draw a blank:

• Take it in stride. Prepare for this type of thing ahead of time
• Take a deep breath
• Ask for clarification to get the interviewer to re-ask the question
• Repeat the question out loud to give yourself time to re-focus
• Work through the answer out loud as part of your response

All of these ways of dealing with this situation can be effective and help you get back on track.

Remember: The worst thing that can happen in a job interview is that you don’t get the job and you will be in the same place you were before the interview. Not all sales job interviews will work out. As long as you work hard and keep at it, you will find the right job that matches your skills and level of experience.

More Sales Interview Advice from Our Sales Recruiters

What’s THE BEST Way to Prepare for Your Sales Interview?

3 Ways to Ace a Sales Interview

4 Creative Ways to Survive a Sales Role-Play in an Interview

4 Ways to Walk Out of Your Sales Interview with Class

SalesForce Search is a sales recruiting company which specializes in the recruitment and placement of sales professionals. We recruit salespeople in every sector of the economy including, software, manufacturing, financial services and medical devices. Find the right salesperson for your organization, start your search here.