What are some of the best sales interview questions to ask within your company?
Assessing and accurately interviewing sales candidates is one of the toughest jobs for a sales manager to do. However, asking a few basic questions will allow you to understand if your sales candidate(s) is interested in growing in his/her professional. These questions are great starting points to the interview.
Sales Interview Questions to Ask
- What books are you reading these days? Tell me the book you are reading today or read in the past month? Immediately you will find out if you have a self learner or not.
- What is the most recent book you have read as it pertains to being a better salesperson? Again, you will be surprised how many candidates go blank in the face at this question. This should tell your hiring team if you have someone who is really serious about the sales profession.
- If the candidate has read a book that has to do with progressing in their career, ask them why they picked the book and what are the top two or three things they picked up from the author?
4. What sales quotas are you accustomed to?
5. What motivates you as a sales professional?
6. How long was the average sales cycle at your previous jobs?
7. Who were your most profitable target markets at your previous jobs?
8. How would you describe your sales technique?
9. What are some common hurdles you’re facing right now as a sales representative in your current position?
10. Can you give me an example of a complex contract negotiation you’ve completed and how you did it?
Don’t make the interview complex or too long. Ask questions that allow you to understand the makeup and internal drive of the candidates.
Once you have finalized the list of candidates to a short list – take them for a TEST DRIVE using our state of the art software for assessing candidates far beyond the interview stage.
