Here are the questions I ask when interviewing Sales People.

General Questions:

• Give me an example of how you helped a co worker reach their goals.

  Last modified on 2011-09-10 19:16:26 GMT. 0 comments. Top.

  With this question I’m looking to find out more about well they care for others.

• Give me an example of how you dealt with “change” in your previous job roles.

  Last modified on 2011-08-20 14:00:43 GMT. 0 comments. Top.

  In asking this question you want to get a feeling for how receptive they are to change. Business today is constantly changing and the demands it places on employees can be taxing. Having staff who can adapt and transform themselves regularly is a tremendous asset. Conversely, an employee resistant to change can often slow the company down and in the extreme cases can render them obsolete.

• How well do you take criticism?

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  This question is coming close to a “Closed” question so you may need to follow it up with a probing question if they simply answer with “Well”. Ask them to elaborate on a situation where they had to accept some level of criticism.

• Give me an example of a situation when you took the time to share a co-worker’s achievement with others.

  Last modified on 2011-08-20 14:04:24 GMT. 0 comments. Top.

  One of my favorite and most powerful questions at getting to the root of someones character. If they give you a quality example of how they did this without any need or benefit to them you’ve got someone who has others interests at heart and will be a great contributor to your company and clients.

• What’s a significant mistake that you made, how did you correct it and what did you learn from it?

  Last modified on 2011-08-20 14:11:09 GMT. 0 comments. Top.

  With this question you want to find out a few things. First, you want them feel comfortable admitting they have made mistakes in the past. Second, you want to confirm how well they handled it, and third, you want to know what measures they took to solve the issue.

  People will make mistakes and that’s unavoidable. What matters is most how quickly, professionally and completely the address and correct the mistake so as to limit the overall damage it may create. In short, it’s more important for someone to have the capacity to accept responsibility for a mistake and manage through it than it is to find someone who “never” makes mistakes in the first place.

• Is there anything preventing you now or in future from committing to our company for 2 years?

  Last modified on 2011-08-20 14:01:45 GMT. 0 comments. Top.

  This question gives you a chance to understand the candidates ability to commit to your company and the position. Barring any unforeseen circumstances you want to know they’ll be around for a while and not looking to move away in six months.

• Give me an example of where you demonstrated high initiative?

  Last modified on 2011-08-20 14:02:55 GMT. 0 comments. Top.

  Every sale you make requires alot of initiative. What we’re looking for here is an example of where it was an extraordinary effort. With this question you can gauge their sense of what is normal sales activity vs extraordinary activity.

Sales Specific Questions:

• Tell me how you got started developing new business in your current territory?

  Last modified on 2011-08-20 16:10:46 GMT. 0 comments. Top.

  This question gives you an idea of how they performed in their previous job with a concrete example.

• What’s your process for making a sale in your current or most recent sales position, from getting the lead all the way through to closing the deal?

  Last modified on 2011-08-20 14:48:50 GMT. 0 comments. Top.

  Paying attention to what they say about following up with the customer after a sale will help you gauge how good they are at getting referral business.

• What are some specific examples of previous sales experiences?

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  Here are two follow up questions to this one:

  What would you do the same?
  What would you do differently?

• What do you think will be the most important thing(s) you’ll have to convince people of in order to turn them into customers?

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• What is your understanding of our company’s sales cycle and how does it compare to what you’ve done in the past?

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My Last Two Questions:

• When we call your references what will they say are your positive and negative attributes?

  Last modified on 2011-09-10 19:18:05 GMT. 0 comments. Top.

  I love this question in particular because it forces the interviewee to be truthful in their response if they “really” want to get the job. If they answer truthfully they are building integrity and trust with their future employer and the reference check will go smoothly even if they have negative issues.

  On the other hand if their answer is not truthful and their references come up with some negative attributes then the interviewee can draw some conclusions about their honesty and integrity and may not hire them in the end.

  What a powerful question!

• Why should I hire you?

  Last modified on 2011-09-10 19:31:59 GMT. 0 comments. Top.

  This question gives the candidate an opportunity to really sell themselves and provide you with the top things that make them unique. Give them the time they need to answer this one fully.