SSM Direct Account Manager Interview Questions
& Process

I saw the job on Zip Recruiter and HR reached out about a day or two later. They gave me a quick phone rundown so I knew what to expect. The whole thing was done in less than a week. I had an initial interview that was about 15 minutes. I met with the owner who gave me a quick rundown of the company, the job, and what they were looking for. The girls in the lobby made me feel super comfortable and calmed my nerves before I met with the owner. The owner also took time during the interview to get to know me, which made me feel great and like I mattered. I was then asked to come back for a second interview. I got to shadow someone for a few hours and could see exactly what I would be doing. I left that without any questions, which was awesome! Overall, I felt like they treated me like a person that mattered and not just another applicant like some other companies made me feel.

The first interview, called a "preliminary interview", was only 7 minutes long. I took time off work and drove for 45 minutes to get there. The interviewer seemed to be going through the motions, like they had done it many times before, looking off into the distance while speaking. It was hard to feel engaged. I felt uncomfortable and put off by the whole thing and just wanted to leave. To make things worse, on my way out, I was made to feel even more inferior. I tried to go back to my job afterwards, but due to traffic and my normal work hours, I was told to go home. What a way to start the week.

I applied online on Careerbuilder and got a call from a recruiter the next day. We talked about my skills and the job. Then, the hiring manager interviewed me for about 20 minutes. He was laid back and made me feel comfortable, answering all my questions patiently. After that, I was invited to shadow an executive sales rep, and they were very welcoming. Great experience!