what are the best sales interview questions

In-depth questions to ask during a sales interview may include:

• What hobbies do you invest time and money into?
• If you started a business tomorrow, what would it be?
• Can you walk me through each step of your sales process?
• What's your approach to handling customer objections?
• If I was a buyer, what would your cold outreach strategy look like?
• How do you research prospects before a sales call?

Full Answer

What to expect from sales interview?

Questions Commonly Asked to Experienced Candidates in Sales Interview:

1. How do you produce leads? A salesperson cannot continue with his job unless he produces new leads. ...
2. What services/products have you sold before? A salesperson cannot sell the products unless he has proper product knowledge. ...
3. How do you deal with a dissatisfied client? ...
4. What has been the greatest achievement in your career? ...

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How to ask more effective sales questions?

Asking the right questions in a sales environment is an art because no one wants to feel like they are being interrogated by a salesperson. Learning to ask effective questions by layering the questions and using the right type of questions will allow you to dig deeper into their problems and opportunities (needs).

How to prepare for your sales interview?

Ways to do so include:

• Appropriate dress: Take care to wear professional clothing to your interview. ...
• Eye contact: Create trust by making eye contact for a few seconds. ...
• A genuine smile: Smiling shows friendliness and sympathy, two qualities that are very important when selling to customers. ...

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How to Ace the most common job interview questions?

Sample questions to ask the interviewer:

• What was your favorite memory of your time in medical school? ...
• What advice do you have for me and those in my place right now?
• What’s one thing you would have done differently in medical school?
• How did you decide on your subspecialty? ...
• What made you want to be an interviewer for medical school?

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What are the 10 most common interview questions and answers for sales?

Typical Questions Asked in a Sales InterviewAre you comfortable making cold calls? ... Have you consistently met your sales goals? ... What motivates you? ... How did you land your most successful sale? ... How would your colleagues describe you? ... Sell me this pen. ... What are your long-term career goals?More items...•

What are the best questions to ask in a sales interview?

16 Sales Interview Questions Your Hiring Manager Will Love1) “In this role, what distinguishes a great performer from a good one?” ... 2) “How would you describe the culture?” ... 3) “How do you get new hires up-to-speed with your product?” ... 4) “What's the ramp-up period like?”More items...•

How can I impress a sales interview?

How to succeed at a sales job interviewApproach it like a sales meeting. If you're a good sales person, you should be able to sell yourself. ... Do your research. ... Questions to prepare for. ... Take evidence of your achievements. ... Take your contact book. ... Have a list of questions ready. ... Close the deal.

Which is the best answer for why sales in an interview?

"Sales suits me well. It's a field that aligns well with my skills, interests, and disposition. I have excellent interpersonal skills, and I'm passionate about relationship-building and customer service. Those traits have made me an effective salesperson — and simply put, I enjoy doing things I do well."

How do I sell a pen?

How to sell a pen in an interviewAsk the interviewer about their job. ... Establish a link between the interviewer's job and the product. ... Highlight the emotional value of the product. ... Convince them that they need the product. ... Close the deal by selling them the product.

What are the 3 best questions to ask in an interview?

7 good questions to ask at an interviewCan you tell me more about the day-to-day responsibilities of the role? ... How could I impress you in the first three months? ... Are there opportunities for training and progression within the role/company? ... Where do you think the company is headed in the next five years?More items...

What are the four types of selling?

4 Types of SellingTransaction Selling. Transaction selling works well with simple, commodity products. ... Relationship Selling. Relationship selling usually involves simple or moderately complex products. ... Solution Selling. Solution selling, as the name implies, solves a customer's business problem. ... Partnership Selling.

What motivates you to work in sales?

While for some sales people, money and prestige and recognition are going to be their most motivating concepts. For many more, it's all about balancing time with their loved ones, making a difference in the world, learning new things, solving complex problems, and building lasting friendships with clients.

How do you rock a sales interview?

Consider taking these steps to ensure an effective interview for a sales position:Do your research. ... Practice your answers. ... Make a solid first impression. ... Be specific about your work history. ... Highlight your optimism. ... Emphasize customer service. ... Ask good questions.

Why should we hire you in sales?

For starters, I have all the skills and experience listed in the job description, and I'm confident that I can make an immediate impact on your company. It's not just my background in leading successful projects for Fortune 500 companies, but also my passion for the industry that drives me to succeed.

What makes you a good salesperson?

What makes a good salesperson? A good salesperson has more to offer customers than an exciting pitch —they're enthusiastic individuals with resilience and they take the time to get to know their customers' needs, show empathy, and deal in a product in confidence.

How do you sell a pen in an interview?

How to Answer "Sell Me This Pen" at a Job InterviewBe Positive and Enthusiastic. ... Emphasize the Features the Interviewer Will Value. ... Don't Be Afraid to Ask a Few Questions. ... Be Ready to Sell. ... Probe for Reservations About the Product or Service. ... Make an Attempt to Close. ... Don't Be Afraid to Employ Some Creativity.More items...•

What questions should I ask at the end of a sales interview?

20 smart questions to ask at the end of your next job interviewWhat do you personally like most about working for this organisation? ... How would you describe your organisation's culture? ... Can you tell me about the kind of supervision you provide? ... What have past employees done to succeed in this position?More items...

What are 5 unique questions you can ask at the end of an interview?

Questions to ask at the end of a job interviewHow would you describe the company's culture? ... What is your favorite thing about working for this company? ... How do you see this company evolving over the next five years? ... How would the person in this role contribute to this vision?More items...

How do you rock a sales interview?

Consider taking these steps to ensure an effective interview for a sales position:Do your research. ... Practice your answers. ... Make a solid first impression. ... Be specific about your work history. ... Highlight your optimism. ... Emphasize customer service. ... Ask good questions.

What questions should I ask a VP of sales?

50 Sales VP or Director interview questionsWhat questions do you have for me about [the company] and/or the sales organization?What makes a great sales leader?Your first 30/60/90 days. ... What kind of sales leader are you? ... How would you describe the ideal sales culture? ... Largest team/smallest team built or managed?More items...•

How to demonstrate sales skills in an interview?

Unlike other jobs where much of what you are being hired for can be highlighted in a resume through bulleted descriptions of technical skills and abilities, sales interviews require the interviewee (that’s you) to clearly demonstrate their sales skills and abilities through concrete examples and anecdotes from past work history as well as examples of how they’d behave in future situations.

What does the star mean in sales interview?

We’ve covered the STAR method before, but to quickly recap, STAR stands for Situation, Task, Action and Result and means that every answer you give an interviewer should include sales success stories and achievements from your own past.

What does a hiring manager want?

A hiring manager is going to want to know how dedicated to the sales process you are, but also how well you can recognize when enough is enough. Sales is all about walking the fine line between being persistent and being pushy and a hiring manager wants to make sure you recognize that difference.

Why won't a hiring manager bring on a member of the sales team?

A hiring manager won’t want to bring on a member of the sales team if they have no desire to sell what the company is making or the service they’re providing. Talk about how much you like what they make and demonstrate your enthusiasm for their products and/or services.

Why do hiring managers ask this question?

Hiring managers ask this question because they want to know how introspective you are and if you can truly learn from your mistakes. Sales is a position that involves constant growth and an employee who is unwilling to make changes is going to eventually stagnate in their role.

What does it mean to be part of a sales team?

Being a part of a sales team means being a part of…well… a team, and a hiring manager is going to want to know how you’re going to fit in and if you work well with others. While it might feel like you’re on your own most days when working sales, you’ll still be expected to collaborate on some level with other members of the sales team as well as your sales manager and the marketing team.

What is the perfect candidate for a sales position?

The perfect candidate for a sales position is one who is always motivated to close the deal and who has genuine enthusiasm for the job. An effective way to convey this is to discuss your personal style and highlight the parts of the job that really inspire you.

1. What is your personal sales process?

It’s important to understand the candidate’s approach to selling – which is why this is one of the most crucial questions to ask in a sales interview. They need to be able to demonstrate how they pitch, their strategy for reaching prospects and nurturing leads, and how to adjust their sales process as needed.

3. When you lose a sale, how do you follow up with that prospect?

The number one rule in sales is to follow up – and then follow up again.

4. Describe a time when you received constructive feedback. How did you react?

A great sales rep is someone who can digest constructive feedback and use it to improve. They recognize their areas of opportunity and dedicate themselves to growing.

5. How did your last product or service benefit customers?

Good sellers don’t just talk about features or flashy elements – they actually understand how their products solve a particular problem and fulfills a requirement. Whether they provide a general overview or use this as an opportunity to show off their pitching skills, it demonstrates how well they understood the impact of what they were selling.

6. How much time did you spend nurturing customers vs. looking for new clients in your last sales role?

Both nurturing and pursuing customers are vital to sales. While some companies and roles prioritize one over the other, it’s best to seek out someone who demonstrates the ability to balance both.

9. What sales-related accomplishment are you most proud of?

This is a great opportunity for candidates to talk themselves up and show off their proudest moments. You can take this question a step further by following up with questions that help you understand the work environment and actions that empowered them to perform well.

10. Why sales?

It’s rare to find someone who has known all their life that they wanted to go into sales. But many discover their skills and eventually realize they’ve got what it takes to succeed.

How to prepare for a sales interview?

Start with a sales skills assessment so you go into the interview with more insight and you avoid scheduling interviews with people who don’t make the first cut.

What are the key questions to ask a sales rep?

Sales rep interview questions should cover four key categories: Work ethic, adaptability, attitude and personality, and sales acumen. Let’s explore a few different questions that can help you assess how much of each your candidate possesses.

What to ask before making an offer?

Before making an offer, ask the candidate about their total compensation needs. Again, it’s crucial to acquire information about the candidate’s former base salary and commissions.

Sales Interview Questions to Ask Managers

Inevitably, your sales managers will need to have hard discussions with team members, many of whom they may genuinely like as people. Do they have the fortitude to say what is difficult, and can they do so in a way that is both clear and fair?

Sales Interview Questions to Ask Executives

You want evidence that your potential sales leader can set the right priorities, hit the ground running and enact change quickly.

Why is it important to interview someone?

It enables you to speak face to face (either in person or by video) to determine an applicant’s fit with your organization. Personality and culture fit are important when hiring someone new. The interview allows you to evaluate their skills, thought processes, and responses as they relate to sales. The goal is to identify whether they are good ...

What does the desired qualities question tell you about?

This question will tell you about how the applicant approaches the work environment and their work relationships. The desired qualities they mention should mesh with your sales manager.

What do you want to determine in a job application?

You want to determine what the applicant does to build and manage relationships with prospects. Identify good and bad habits to determine whether they are a fit.

What does it mean when an applicant describes an ideal buyer?

If the applicant described an ideal buyer, they have a good understanding of the target market. If they mention a demographic, they might not be a good fit or might be too limited in their sales approach.

What is the goal of a follow up interview?

Your goal is to test the applicant’s ability to explain a topic. Ask follow-up questions to evaluate their knowledge and ability to elaborate.

Do salespeople leave voicemails?

Most salespeople have to deal with leaving voicemail messages. This will help you evaluate how the applicant deals with this situation and how they might encourage the prospect to return the call.

Should salespeople ask open ended questions?

Experienced salespeople should have spent more time asking questions than pitching clients. The applicant should ask open-ended questions to collect information on a prospect's needs.

How to prepare for an interview?

Prepare and practice interview questions before the interview. Those who ask the questions have the power! Prepare and practice asking questions during the interview process. People are persuaded by their own words. Practice and prepare to listen to the words the interviewer uses to align with them in the conversation.

Why do I want to be a salesperson?

“I want/chose a sales career because sales is one of the few professions where your hard work, strategic thinking, thorough preparation and perpetual action, literally pays off. It’s fun and at times frustrating, challenging, lucrative and rewarding work.”

How to answer interviewer about work environment?

Then, before you answer, ask the interviewer about the work environment in their office. That way, you can tailor your answer, by pointing out what elements of their work environment will work for you, specifically.

What is the purpose of the past experience question?

This question lets the interviewer know what you value about your past experiences. It’s an opportunity to speak about accomplishments. Practice answering this in a brief and meaningful way before the interview, so that you give an answer that is meaningful.

How to tell someone you made a mistake?

Mention that you made a mistake, and share the actions you took to immediately correct it, and what you learned from the experience. Be specific, and tell a story.

Why do people ask strange questions in interviews?

Some people purposefully try to ask strange interview questions. One sales manager said he asked this question because it can’t be rehearsed.

What is a good way to go about a deal?

How to answer: A brief story is a good way to go. Make sure your story is about a time you thought a deal wouldn’t close, but you did something specific that turned it all around. If you’re new to sales, tell a story about how you changed somebody’s mind about something important to you.

Interview Questions To Screen For Instincts Motivations And Hunger

How To Hire TOP Salespeople – Sales Interview Questions for Hiring Salespeople

Give Me An Example Of A Time When You Were Forced To Comply With A Policy You Didnt Agree With How Did You Handle It

There is no right answer to this sales interview question, but leaders know where they stand. They know what they like and what they dislike.

If You Started Your Own Business Tomorrow What Would It Be

Many salespeople get into the profession because they are enthusiastic entrepreneurs by nature. By asking potential talents about a fictional business, you will learn more about their future goals and motivators. You will also get a taste of how they pitch business ideas.

Describe A Time When You Had A Difficult Prospect And How You Handled That Situation To Win The Sale

The answer to this question shows how they approach difficult prospects and whether they can put aside their pride to move a deal forward for the greater good of the company. Listen for a clear explanation of the situation, the steps they took to fix it, and the results of their actions.

Situational Sales Interview Questions

Although you do not want your salesperson to be so pushy that potential clients are totally turned off from making the purchase you do want a salesperson who will be persistent. Some sales experts suggest making up to six attempts before throwing in the towel.

Questions To Ask The Interviewer

Remember, an interview is a two-way street. It’s advantageous to ask the interviewer questions during the interview. Plus, you don’t want to get caught flat-footed when the interviewer asks, “Do you have any questions for me?” Here are some ideas for questions you can ask at this moment:

Seven Insightful Interview Questions To Ask A Sales Candidate

TOP 21 SALES Interview Questions and ANSWERS! | (How to PASS a Sales Job Interview!)