“Why sales after b tech?”, “Why do you want to join sales after being a technical student?” or “Why you choose sales after engineering?” are the variation of the same tough interview question that engineers face while interviewing for sales roles.
According to Collegedunia, 75% of the students opt for an MBA degree after graduating with an engineering background.
About 30% – 35% pass out from IITs and NITs join top MBA colleges including top B-Schools like IIM Ahmedabad, IIM Kolkata, IIM Lucknow, and IIM Bangalore.
It is evident that while many may take technical education, their real interest lies in fields that are considered non-technical in nature.
Sales and Marketing apart from finance are 2 major fields, where many of these engineering graduates build their careers and even excel.
However, many of them are either confused or daunted when they come across this tough fresher interview question.
This one study is enough to show that if you choose to go for a sales job after completing an engineering course, you’re not on alone. There are thousands of engineering graduates who choose sales as a profession and many even excel in it.
This makes us ponder upon a few questions.
1. Is modern sales really a non-technical field?
2. Do engineering graduates have any natural advantages while entering the modern sales profession?
3. If so, what are the learnings or skills that you acquired during your engineering, that can help you in sales profession?
4. And finally, if you are asked this question of why sales after engineering, how can you masterfully handle it?
So, the concern here is to prepare well for this challenging sales interview question. Many times this question is asked at the very beginning of the interview when you are just starting to get warmed up.
So you want to be well prepared with an impactful answer. With questions like this, where you get to speak at length, you can make a strong impression on the hiring manager.
2 Big Insights to remember while answering – Why Sales after BTech? or Why Sales after Engineering?
1. To answer this question impressively, you need to map skills that you gained from your engineering studies to the sales job requirements.
2. Sales skills cannot be taught as a course but can be experienced from real-life examples. Here you need to find out relevant skills and frame the answer in alignment with it.
Why do engineers make some of the best sales professionals?
To boost your confidence, you need to learn what skills engineers can have that make them potentially strong sales professionals.
First and foremost, getting selected into the engineering degree program is difficult compared to getting admission in other courses, especially in India. This means if you are an engineering graduate you are naturally better at your analytical and logical reasoning skills.
In the four years of B.tech or BE courses, a student gets to learn and experience a lot, including skills like handling pressure, giving presentations, communicating clearly, analyzing data, and a ton of problem-solving techniques. And all these skills are central to mastering modern selling. Mindset filled with a positive approach, confidence and patience, and attitude of never giving up helps you play the game of selling well.
In sales, being able to understand your buyer, identifying his needs or wants, and presenting him with his desired solution is essential. So, these skills and this mindset can be beneficial for any aspiring sales professional.
Naturally, engineers have a natural advantage over others when it comes to selling in this modern world.
How can engineering background help to contribute or excel in modern sales?
- Technical Content Creation
With an engineering background, it is easier to develop technical content with concise and accurate information. It reflects the customers that the company deliver genuine services. Especially, for technical products, engineers can create well-versed content and if required, they can work as demonstrators.
When it comes to presentation, engineers as salespeople not only demonstrate the live product with its features or slides with technical data better but also handle the customer queries easily. It is also easier for them to understand any product better from a technical perspective.
- Process Understanding
Engineers tend to understand the processes better. Engineers, many times being introverts, are good listeners. So, they understand the workings of the products in detail and while communicating with customers, they listen more than talking. They are trained to tackle anything step by step and this helps in understanding the products or processes.
While communicating with customers, engineers can explain the process better. As a salesperson, it is important to be aware of the whole process and it technical details.
- Understands and Uses Technology in sales
Modern selling uses a lot of technology tools and data analysis where engineers are can sometimes thrive better than people from non-engineering backgrounds.
Engineers tend to handle technology better. It also reduces the time to train the sales team for the technical tools and data analysis.
- Brainstorming and ideation
In the modern world of selling, it is important to bring new ideas and solutions beyond just selling, to your clients.
Engineers tend to be good at brainstorming new ideas and implement them in an effective way. This helps deliver beyond expectations to the customers.
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[ Important Reading: How to Impressively Answer – Tell me about Yourself for Fresher
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And
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20 Strong Examples of – Tell me about yourself for Fresher Sample Answer ]
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Why do you want to join sales after being a technical student?
Engineers might face some confusion or dilemma before applying for a sales job as it isn’t related to their field of education directly. But there are a few things you need to remember before you give your interviews for sales positions.
6 Reasons why Sales After B Tech or Engineering is a Great Career Choice!
1. If you become good at sales, you can bring a big and tangible impact on the company you are working for. This can be a powerful and fulfilling experience.
2. Sales professionals tend to get the highest compensation in most organizations around the world. All you need to use is your ability to analyze and understand what helps you improve your sales skills.
3. A good salesperson can change industries easily. The ability to sell has always been and will always be in demand. This means you do not get stuck to a specific industry or sector.
4. Selling leads to you coming across professionals from different walks of life and industries. This can be an enriching experience.
5. If you want to start your own venture down the line, the sales skills and the network you build during your sales career can be hugely empowering.
6. 95% of the CEOs across the globe have a strong sales background. If you want to be in leadership roles, the skills you learn in selling can be vital.
Now let us dive into how you can handle the interview question.
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[Check: “Fresher Interview Questions” to Stand Apart and Nail down your next interviews!]
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How to answer “Why sales after b tech ?”
Note that, when an interviewer is asking you why you want to do sales after engineering, they want to measure your potential and ability to reason and communicate.
This question is generally asked at the beginning of the interview. Your response can attract various counter questions depending on what you say. So, it’s better to keep the answer concise with clear logic.
For Freshers:
For a fresher, who just completed their graduation or post-graduation, it is important to ask this question yourself first. It is important to find out the relevant skills that you gained from your engineering study and can be helpful in sales. Research the sales professionals and try to understand the necessary skills required for the job. You can also talk to your senior or family member who is working in sales. Try to understand if the job fits your abilities.
Interviewers will want to challenge you or confuse you when they ask this question. Their main intent is to see the ability to use logic and speak in a persuasive manner.
Frame your answer in such a way that it connects the realisation you had while studying, your goal, and your abilities that can help you to become a successful sales professional.
Sample answers for – Why Sales after BTech or Engineering
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Sample Answers for Freshers
#1
Let me be honest here. In the last four years, I realised that I am not a person who is very efficient in coding or technical development. But, I found myself interested in communicating with people, giving good presentations, and socializing. I did some research about sales and realized how my natural inclination is in line with selling. And in my engineering courses, I leant how to analyze things beforehand, tackle them stepwise, and achieve the outcome in time. That is the main reason to choose this field even after getting a B.tech degree.
#2
Over the past four years, I learnt a lot from my course and understood one important thing that an individual can give his 100% effort only when he is naturally interested in something. To be precise, my strengths won’t allign with, lets say, developing a mobile application but ask me to convince people to do something, I feel naturally motivated. I always liked to communicate with people to get them to do a few group activities. In addition, I naturally like analyzing and solving difficult problems. I think that in modern selling these 2 natural interests go hand in hand. Plus I also look at selling as a life skill!
Sample Answers for Experienced Professionals
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People with work experience are always asked why they left their previous job. And if there is a shift of domain from engineering to sales, this question is inevitable.
To answer this question with the right way, you need to frame the answer in a particular format. You can use the concept of CAR (Context, Action, Result) to prepare the potential answer.
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You need to give them a story followed by what made you shift to this new field. In the end, you need to mention the skills for which you consider yourself an eligible candidate for sales.
Note that, you need to map your experience with the current job position you’re opting for along with the expected sales skills. The best option is, to be honest, and find your own reasons to change the job rather than looking for ‘successful’ reasons to tell.
Sample Answers:
#1
In my last job, I was working as a chemical engineer. However, I was not satisfied with the job as there were less chances to grow in my career. I felt that I should work where I feel enthusiastic and will naturally give my 100%. That is why I quit my last job and applied for this sales role. Sale is a field where there are more opportunities to grow and work with different people every day. I think I can learn more in this field.
In my last job, I led a team for three months and we had a decent success rate. My leadership skill and ability to work in a team. This added to my confidence in switching my field. I think that selling naturally alligns with my nature.
#2
From my last job, I leant how to manage people, think calmly in a critical situation, and manage my time well. However, in the past job, I don’t see myself in a better position in the next three years. I talked to my friends who are in sales and I realised that I can grow better in this field. Also, the opportunities to grow fast would motivate me to deliver well in my work.
Tips to Remember while answering – “Why sales after engineering?”
1. Do not answer in one line as ‘I like sales’ or ‘Sales attracts me’. Try to elaborate your answer with proper examples and showcase your potential. You can also search for the specific company’s work culture to map your abilities with the requirements.
2. Do not try to memorize the answer. Just remember the points you want to highlight in the answer and while answering from it as a true incident that reflects your abilities. Memorizing answers can create pressure on you. You may forget something that would affect your whole interview.
3. It is important to be prepared for the tough counter questions. Prepare those possible answers as well. They might ask you why you think sales has more opportunities than engineering or why you didn’t choose management or business-related course instead of engineering.
4. Be confident while answering as confidence is the pillar for any good sales professional.
Similar Sales Interview Questions
1. Why sales after btech? or Why did you choose sales after completing B Tech?
2. What are the reasons behind choosing sales?
3. Tell us why we should hire an engineer for this position?
4. What qualities do you have to work as a sales manager?
5. Why did you leave your job to join sales?
6. Does a sales job provide a better opportunity than an engineering job?
7. Can engineers work as sales executives? Give us at least three reasons.
8. If you study any business management course instead of engineering, don’t you think you would be a better candidate to apply?
9. What skills did you learn from your course that make you a successful salesman?
Summary
In this article, you will find all the necessary information to keep in mind before handling this challenging question in the sales interview.
As mentioned earlier, traditional selling is changing. Modern sales extensively uses technology and data analysis apart from sales skills. So, a person from a technical background is a good fit to deliver precise work.
It is important for you to believe in your choice and be 100% confident about your abilities to excel in this new role. The interviewers would analyze you with some tough questions to challenge you.
Until you are convinced that you can work in sales with your best qualities, you cannot naturally convince the interviewers. Hope this article puts you in a strong position to handle this challenging question.