No matter what career path you choose, preparing for an interview can always be a little nerve-wracking. You want to do your best to make a good first impression and show you’re the right person for the job. To exude confidence and really crush your interview, preparation is key.
For sales jobs, being prepared with questions is the first step to a successful interview process. Here are 7 sales interview questions you can practice to help you land your next sales job.
1. What does your current sales process look like?
Hiring managers want to know that you understand the customer journey and sales pipeline and walking them through your current process can help show them you know what you’re doing. This is also a great time to show your unique strengths and how you personalize your prospecting process.
A good answer will address each stage of the sales cycle and how you personally move potential customers through the customer journey.
2. Describe a time you lost a deal and how you followed up?
All good salespeople lose deals from time to time, it’s part of the process. This question will show employers that you’re able to learn from these losses and use them to improve the way you approach your next lead.
A good answer will show hiring managers that you took all of the necessary steps like offering additional solutions to customers without being pushy, showing interest in the customer’s needs, and providing a follow-up plan.
3. What advice would you give a salesperson just beginning their career?
Think back to when you first started your sales career. What do you wish someone had told you? What advice do you wish you were given that could’ve helped you? Use your personal experience to formulate an answer that will show the benefits of applying the advice you’re giving.
4. What do you know about our company and product/service?
The last thing you want to do is go into an interview without researching what the company does and what kind of products or services they offer. Who knows, they might have you pitch them one of their products, so come prepared. If you come into an interview without this answer prepared, the company will likely not want to hire you. Do your research on their offerings and make it known that you are interested in the company.
5. Are you comfortable making cold calls?
Cold calls aren’t always the most exciting part of a sales job, but they’re still a valuable part of the sales pipeline. When answering this question, don’t just answer with a simple “yes.” Expand on your answer a bit by sharing your experience with cold calling—like what industries you’ve cold called for, how you tracked metrics, and the number of times you’ve cold called.
6. What sales software and technology are you familiar with?
Even if you don’t have experience with the sales software this company uses, you always want to express your eagerness to learn other tools. A strong answer will identify what technology and software experience you have and how you’ve utilized them in other roles. You can also explain how you’ve been able to quickly learn other sales software to show your initiative and willingness to learn other programs and tools.
7. Describe a time you felt short of a sales goal
Falling short of sales goals happens to the best of salespeople, but how you react and learn from it is what potential employers care most about. When answering this question, provide important details about the situation, your tasks, any actions you took, and the result. Don’t forget to provide specific examples of what you learned and the next steps you took to improve.
When answering this question, and any question for that matter, utilize the STAR formula to help you formulate a clear and concise answer that will impress the interviewer.
Whether you’re making a career change or are a seasoned sales professional, these interview questions can help you crush your next sales interview.