What do you do if your CRM experience is questioned in an interview?

The best way to stay calm is to view the job interviewers are humans who are just like YOU, so ???? 1) Ask the interviewers questions about what matters to them in the person they want for their team, show them that you care about their needs and goals, be professional and never become defensive no matter what they say or do; 2) Inquire what character qualities they are looking for and, if you possess such qualities and align on values, show it, be your authentic self; if no alignment, it’s a poor match, and you need to move on because there is a great job waiting for you; 3) Take notes by hand with a pen on paper, because doing so helps your brain stay present and grounded, which keeps your nerves in check and enables you to remain calm

Shift in mindset helps here as well. Your knowledge is not being questioned because you don't know. The interviewer just wants to learn more because of the level of experience you bring.

If your CRM experience is questioned in an interview, it's essential to respond with confidence, clarity, and evidence to substantiate your expertise and skills. Begin by acknowledging the question positively, emphasizing your understanding of CRM principles and its significance in business operations. Highlight specific projects or achievements where you've successfully utilized CRM tools, managed customer relationships, or improved business processes. Provide concrete examples of challenges faced and how you addressed them using CRM strategies and techniques. Mention any relevant certifications, training, or professional development courses you've completed to enhance your CRM knowledge and proficiency.

Feeling stressed? Breathe deeply (4 seconds in, 6 seconds out) to calm your body. Challenge negative thoughts with positive self-talk. Imagine a peaceful place to distract yourself. Focus on the present moment to break the anxiety cycle. Practice these techniques to stay cool under pressure.

Transparency: Be upfront about your CRM experience level. Context: Briefly explain the reason for limited experience (new to field, prior role didn't use CRM). Focus on Strengths: Highlight transferable skills like communication or data analysis. Learning Eagerness: Express enthusiasm to learn a new CRM system and adapt quickly.

This is where the STAR Method comes in. Theses four steps (Situation, Task, Action and Results) gives a great frame work for your story telling and conveys the right level of detail.

I find stories very effective. I usually try to find a story that directly relates to what they are asking or discussing. “This reminds me of the time I did X at Y where we achieved Z results”

Nail interview stories! Pick a relevant experience, then use STAR: Situation (brief context), Task (your role), Action (what you did), Result (impact you made). Quantify results with numbers! Speak with enthusiasm and share what you learned. This structure showcases your skills and makes a lasting impression.

In the world on tech, your ability to keep up with innovation is key, and you must be able to showcase such an ability ???? 1) Speak about the recent projects you have configured or implemented, and not just for a job, but outside of your job. Why? Your job may have been limited to just one aspect of a CRM but, if you on your own time expanded your hands-on experience and the knowledge of best practices by doing additional projects, the potential employer may be wowed by your proactive approach and will choose you for your leadership skills, love for innovation, and ability to go the extra-mile; 2) Have a strong portfolio to showcase your projects, certifications, badges, bootcamps, community contributions, and even your YouTube videos.

Express enthusiasm: "I'm a fast learner excited to master your CRM system and contribute quickly." Highlight adaptability: "I thrive in new environments and adapt quickly to learn new tools." Focus on growth: "I'm always seeking to learn and grow. A new CRM is an exciting opportunity."

Always have a list of questions to ask during a job interview in tech ???? 1) Technican questions - find out if they follow best practices because if they aren’t and if they are not interested in following best practices, it may be bad for you to actually work there, - discover what tech they leverage, how, and why, this will tell you a lot about your future career there; 2) Cultural questions - are there growth opportunities for you? - what are the values they practice daily? - is there diversity among team members? - do they encourage collaboration? - what are the expectations of new hires? - will there be effective onboarding to set you up for success? 3) Performance questions - how is effectiveness measured? - what is “success?”

Target your questions: Research the company and role to ask specific questions about their CRM use or challenges. Go beyond basics: Show you understand CRM by asking about their unique strategies or how CRM impacts their goals. Focus on learning: Frame questions to learn more about the role and how you can contribute using CRM.

Be curious and ask open ended questions, so that you can create a dialog and leave a lasting impression. Remember you are also interviewing the company for a good fit.

Be specific: If you have some CRM experience, mention the specific system(s) you've used. Tailor to role: Consider the specific needs of the role. If it's data-driven, highlight your data analysis skills in CRM. Confidence: Project confidence in your ability to learn and adapt to new CRM systems.