Suggested Questions to Ask During a Sales Job Interview
Part of being a high performing sales rep is knowing the right questions to ask. Then, with honed listening skills, have the ability to lead the conversation with insights and appropriate follow up questions. This goes for job interviews as well.
Job Interviews Give Sales Reps an Opportunity to Sell Themselves if They Ask the Right Questions
A job interview with a company is a two-way street. Quite often, despite their excellent qualifications, candidates struggle to ask effective questions. Perhaps they don’t know what to ask. Or they’re uncomfortable at the thought of breaking some unwritten rule. Whatever the reason, there’s no excuse for being unprepared for this important conversation. To ace your next job interview, make sure you are well prepared. Research the company. Know their competitors. See who they list as clients. And, above all, be ready to ask thought-provoking, job-related, relevant questions.
Examples of effective questions to ask when interviewing for a Sales specific role:
- What does your company offer for formal sales training?
- Can you describe the sales methodology your team follows?
- What are some of the traits your top performers share?
- How many of your reps are hitting quota?
• And, how many have been on Performance Improvement Plans in the last 90 days? - Why did you join the company and what do you like about working here?
- What do you see as key areas for improvements the company needs to make?
- How do sales reps fail at your company?
• What leads to that failure?
• and how would I avoid those mistakes as an employee? - What do you, and the rest of your leadership, look for in qualities when you consider internal candidates for promotion?
- Why do your customers choose your company/product over the competition?
- Why should I choose to come work for you rather than a competitor?
Interviewing for a job is like qualifying a prospect; the product, however, is you. You owe it to yourself to make sure you’re qualifying the next place you work, just as effectively as you would a prospect. Especially in today’s job market, both the prospective employee and employer have options from which to choose, and we understand the importance of the right “fit.” On a daily basis, we recruit SDR talent based on need, growth opportunity, and sales characteristics exhibited throughout the hiring process. By asking the right sales interview questions, listening carefully, and using follow up questions you will have a better chance at not only receiving an offer, but also finding a great place that is right for your career!