People who work in sales are generally very good at coming up with answers on the fly. That’s a great skill to have but a job interview is not the place to rely solely on your quick wit. You need to go in prepared. The following are 5 of the most common interview questions for a sales position including tips on how to best answer each question.
Common Sales Interview Questions
1. How comfortable are you making phone calls?
You’ll be asked about different tasks you may need to perform, like cold calling. You should either say you’re happy to provide the service, or, if you are a bit uncomfortable, say “it used to be something that made me uncomfortable but I’m working on my confidence in phone calls and I’m happy to do them.”
2. Is there anyone you struggle to sell to?
Interestingly one of the best answers to this question is to pick out a specific market segment and ALWAYS follow it up with what you’re doing to be more comfortable. Example “after I’ve been lightly rejected, I sometimes struggle to try a second time if I feel there is something there, but I’ve been practicing and I’m getting much better at learning how to adapt so that they respond better to my follow ups.”
3. What are some examples of your sales experience?
Of course, your work experience will play a big role. If you have the experience, share all of the details (including numbers, if they’re favorable). If you don’t, be honest. Say something like “I haven’t had the opportunity to work in sales, but I do love a challenge and I am confident around people. I am even happy to prove it to you if you like.”
4. Describe the most difficult sales call you have made?
This is just telling a story. Think back to your experiences and try to find one that is innocuous. Ideally, it should come with a positive outcome, but even if not you can say what you’re working on, such as “I did once have a phone call with a potential client that simply exploded on someone in their office while on the phone with me. It did make my relationship with her unusual at first but I’ve been working on staying positive even if something strange like that occurs.”
5. How do you handle objections?
Objections and rejections are a common part of the sales experience, and those unprepared for them are going to struggle. You can be honest, but always confident and working towards change. For example: “well rejection always hurts but it is the nature of the business. I have my own coping strategies I’ve developed over the years and when I’m confident in the product, like I am with yours, rejection can’t let me down.”
Another popular approach is not to use a question at all. Many sales interview candidates have been challenged by the phrase – sell me this pen. Have a look at our response to – sell me this pen, just in case you are challenged with this task.
Sales Questions and Answers
There are a lot of different sales interview questions and answers, and this only scratches the surface. If you have time look over our 15 popular sales interview questions and answers before your interview. Most importantly, remain positive and showcase the qualities that make a successful sales applicant. After all a sales interview is very much about how to best showcase yourself.
See also: The complete guide to preparing for a sales interview.
COMMENT: What are some other sales questions you’ve experienced that you would like our help to answer?
