Here's how you can demonstrate your enthusiasm for Enterprise Software in an interview.

PICTURE OF TODAY Review your target’s business model, their customer base, their Jobs To Be Done, competitive landscape, market segment economic trends & tech landscape. Assess their metrics, customer journey and mechanics for acquisition, onboarding, engagement, conversion, retention, monetization, recurrence, expansion & contraction opportunities and cancellation. PICTURE OF TOMORROW With a solid understanding of their business, customer needs, and customer journey; devise a picture of: 1) how to improve the existing model (low hanging fruit, retention, etc.) 2) how to expand the existing model to capture similar customer bases 3) how to expand into complementary markets Perspectives should be customer, the business and technology

All preparation begins with understanding the core of the business and how the role (and not the job specification) fits into the whole. A comprehension and articulation of this particular enterprise will be, actually always is, a solid foundation. If you have insufficient information state it. That way all subsequent discussion will be confined to your viewpoint and you will seek clarity and have a dialogue instead of an interrogative question/answer situation. This is an opportunity to show insight; a teaching moment Never let a teaching moment go to waste. Look for gaps and express some possibilities to explore, for solution I once talked myself out of an opportunity - to the interviewers discomfort; thanks to deep homework. NO REGRETS

Ask questions about how their current system handles tasks, generates a specific report, etc. If you can show someone how the new software will make something easier, they will be more likely to work with you to learn new tasks or deal with something that is more difficult in the new software. Try to find ways to show there will be improvements that help them! You need to think of each member of the team! If you show you care, they will help the project succeed.

Employers are looking for employees with solutions. You must tell them how you solved a specific problem with your experience as an enterprise software expert. Theoretical evidence doesn’t speak much, empirical evidence does. Tell them the figures and you’ll be exceptional.

Show them how to access help files or websites. Introduce them to User Groups and discussion boards where they can ask questions and help others. Make a plan to do additional training after the dust settles and they have been using the system for a while.

Ask them to show you the reports they use and how they generate them. If they are relying on manually creating reports in Excel, find out where the data is coming from and try to see if this can be automated and improved with a formal report. Ask to watch them enter transactions and to see their current workflow. Often I am surprised to find that teams rely on email approvals that can be easily lost…or have no rules in place regarding transaction amounts, etc.

Often the sales cycle does not involve the people that have been getting the job done for years in their legacy software. Unfortunately, this makes entire accounting teams defensive and scared. If they worry that they cannot learn the new software or that the software will replace what they do, they will fight the changes needed to be successful. I have had so many wonderful projects because I remember to stop, listen, and show appreciation for the knowledge that each person brings to their team. Help them learn and thrive and they will help you and the entire project to succeed.