How to prepare for an Account Management interview

With the evolution of ways companies deal with customers, the role of account manager has become increasingly important over the last decade.

Account managers are one of elements of the sales journey, alongside the sales and marketing team of a company. As an Account Manager, your role is to provide customer service with the purpose of growing their interaction and use of a product or service. While the role relies very much on the product itself, it is the account manager's job to prioritize client relationships.

From company to company, the responsibilities, role, and title can vary greatly. Account managers will generally liaise between a product team and a client team in order for there to be synchronization along the areas of sales, development, revenue and operations, to name a few. With that said, communication is one of an account manager’s best weapons.

The key to succeeding as an account manager is to learn the client’s goals and to create opportunities based on this information. Below are some example interview questions to assist in the preparation of an account management interview.

Whether you’re entering the field with no experience or you’ve been an account manager for years, prepping for the interview ahead of time can help increase your chances of receiving an offer.

Interview preparation questions:

Here are a few account management interview preparation questions to practice:

1. How Do You Build Good Client Relationships?
2. Are you comfortable using customer relationship management (CRM) software? Which CRM tools have you used?
3. Walk me through how you stay on top of multiple client accounts at the same time.
4. What is your experience with generating sales and progress reports?
5. Think about the last time you had to deal with an angry or aggressive client. How did you handle the situation?
6. Tell me about a time you successfully upsold a client.
7. Describe a time you lost or almost lost a client because of a mistake on your end. What did you learn from the experience?
8. When you first get a new account, what steps do you take to get up to speed with the client?
9. How do you cultivate long-term relationships with clients?
10. In your last role, how did you find working with people from other teams?

 

* Tips on answering these questions: align your experience to the attributes listed on the job posting and/or company culture and values

Questions to ask your interviewers:

The type of questions you may want to ask will depend on who is interviewing you, or which round of interviews you are currently in.

1. What is your favorite thing about being an account manager at this firm?
2. What can I expect in terms of company culture?
3. What are some of the unexpected realities of being an account manager ?
4. What common characteristics have helped people at this level quickly succeed and reach an outstanding performance?
5. I know account management to be very dynamic. What can I expect my day-to-day to look like ?

Interview follow up:

They say small kindnesses never go unnoticed and this is particularly true when it comes to interviewing.

A simple thank you email to your interviewer goes a long way to cementing you in their minds long after your interview is over. Your email could be as simple as thanking the interviewer for their time, or mentioning a particular part of the interview you enjoyed. This would also be a good opportunity to extend your interest in connecting via Linkedin.

Your interviewer will generally set the expectation for when you can expect to hear back from them. If nothing is set, a good timeframe for a follow up is two weeks after the interview.

Checklist for the day of your interview:

1. Get a good night’s sleep - This allows your body and mind to recharge, leaving you refreshed and alert when you wake up, ready to ace your interview!
2. Start your day with breakfast - You might find you feel a bit sluggish and struggle to focus if you don’t. Breakfast positively affects your mental performance, including your attention, ability to concentrate and memory. Skipping the most important meal of the day can make some tasks feel harder than they normally would.
3. Wear clothing you’re comfortable in - The dress code for account manager interviews can vary from business professional to business casual. With this in mind, it’s always better to overdress, rather than underdress. Comfortable clothing will also help you feel confident during your interview.
4. Leave your house early - Proper planning will help you arrive on time for the interview and eliminate any last minute stress. Double-check the interview location and your best route to get there. If you’re driving there yourself, it’s a good idea to consider where you might park.
5. If you are having an online interview, remember to log on early and test your setup. You should check your connection, camera and microphone, as well as ensuring your background or environment is free from clutter and distractions.
6. Follow in Superman’s footsteps - Try this right before you go into the room or join your call. Stand with your feet shoulder width apart, place your hands on your hips and breathe deeply. This is the Superman pose, specifically developed to encourage your body to regulate breathing and allow your mind to clear and your nerves to calm. Plus, you’ll feel like you could leap tall buildings in a single bound - what better way to take your next steps to professional success?

 

Now that you’ve just taken your next steps towards succeeding in your career, be sure to take a look at the Wizco Blog for more insider tips and tricks and walk into every growth opportunity prepared.