Interviewing
Sales Interviews - Sales interviews can be atypical. For that reason it is important to assess the special qualifiers that separate a great salesperson from an ordinary salesperson. These special focus areas may require specific mental preparations.
Before you interview for a position, learn as much about it and the employer as possible. If you found the position through a recruiter, he or she should be able to provide that information for you. If not, conduct research on the Web, visit the library, and tap into industry contacts.
Questions To Ask (in your own words)
After you have studied the company, make a list of questions to ask the employer:
- Why is this position available?
- What training programs are available to the person in this position?
- What are your goals for this position?
- What obstacles must be overcome for the person in this position to succeed?
- How will my performance be evaluated?
- What opportunities are there for growth in the next 12 months? Two years? Five years?
- What growth do you anticipate for your firm in the next 12 months?
- How can I earn more responsibility?
Empathy
- How do you handle people who object to you or your ideas? (Looking for attempt to understand the other's point of view).
- Some salespeople enjoy helping another person in making the sale; still others would rather do the selling. Which do you prefer?
Ego Drive
- Give me an example of a competitive situation in which you prevailed. How did you feel about winning? (Looking for a specific positive description of winning).
- Give me an example of a competitive situation that you lost. How did you feel? (Looking for extreme annoyance of losing and a determination to do it better with specific mention of action that will be used to improve)
- How do you deal with people, involved in a project with you, who do not do their share of the work? (Looking for a desire to complete the project by working harder or motivating others)
High Energy Level
- What are some examples of your perseverance and dedication to success? (Looking for a pattern of superior expending of energy that had a positive result)
- Where do you display high energy?
Goal Orientation
- Realistically what would you be satisfied to earn this year? Next year? In five years? (Looking for large but realistic earnings)
- What would you do if you stopped progressing toward reaching your goal? (Looking for an indication of perseverance, analysis, adjustment and forward movement)
Sales Ability
- What in your opinion, are the elements of an outstanding sales presentation?
- A) Build rapport
- B) Affirm your capabilities
- C) Structure probes to uncover problems and goals
- D) Identify problems and present to goals
- E) Close
- Where would your previous supervisors say you ranked in your various positions throughout your career? (Looking for upper 25% performers)
- What kind of selling do you prefer or would you be good at? Why? (Looking for answers in line with opportunity)
- How important is it for you to be very successful one out of four times as compared to being marginally successful two out of four times? (Looking for the importance of winning BIG)
Intelligence, Education and Background
- What was your grade point average? Looking for B+ to C+ student rather than the straight A or C student)
- What was you ambition in college or high school? For what were you preparing? Looking for realism in educational approach)
- Did you follow your high school or college ambitions? If not, why not? (Looking for a practicality of plans and perseverance)
Decisiveness
- How important is it to make decision that could be wrong than make no decision at all? (Looking for an understanding that no decision is a decision)
- Have you ever failed to make a decision and lost because of it? (Looking for a distaste of having decisions made for them)
Success Pattern
- Why do you feel you will outperform the other candidates we are considering for this position?
- In most of life's competitive areas how do you usually fare? (Looking for strongly positive winner)
- What were your overall grades in math? (Looking for high math scores as a predictor of a logical problem solver: B+ is a negotiator)
Resilient
- What is the worst thing that ever happened to you? (Looking for the ability to overcome extreme adversity)
Self Discipline and Willingness to Change
- Give me an example of an event in which you had to learn a difficult skill. (Looking for a willingness to sacrifice in order to achieve)
- How do you feel about following a strict selling system? (Looking for a willingness to follow a proven success method of selling)
Motives
- Why do you wish to make a career change? (Looking for sound reason such as lack or opportunity or challenge)
- What are your expectations of a new position? Money? Career advancement? Satisfaction? (Looking for a realistic attitude)
Outside Interests and Activities
- What kinds of activities interest you for your future? When will you do this? (Looking for the desire to enrich ones life and be time specific about the activity and when it will begin.)
Questions You May Be Asked
Your recruiter should be able to give you a good idea of the hiring authority's personality, his or her typical interview demeanor, and a few important questions that the employer is likely to ask:
- Tell me about yourself.
Keep your answer in the professional realm only. Review your past positions, education and other strengths. - Why are you interested in this position?
Relate how you feel your qualifications match the job requirements. Also, express your desire to work for the employer. - What are the most significant accomplishments in your career?
Identify recent accomplishments that relate to the position and its requirements. - Describe a situation in which your work was criticized.
Focus on how you resolved the situation and became a better person because of the experience. - What do you know about our organization?
- How would you describe your personality?
- How do you perform under pressure?
- What have you done to improve yourself over the past year?
- What did you like least about your last position?
- Are you leaving (did you leave) your present (last) company?
- What is your ideal working environment?
- How would your co-workers describe you?
- What do you think of your boss?
- Have you ever fired anyone?
- What was the situation and how did you handle it?
- Are you creative?
- What are your goals in your career?
- Where do you see yourself in two years?
- Why should we hire you?
- What kind of salary are you looking for?
- What other types of jobs/companies are you considering?