#Six Questions You Need To Ask In A Sales Interview

Interviewing for sales candidates can be especially difficult as sales people can be tough to judge. When looking for interview questions to ask, make sure that they cover the basics: ability to sell, close, and communicate with your clients. There is not one perfect question to ask candidates, and immediately know that they will be the right fit or a sales rock star for you team- but by asking a combination of questions, you can have greater knowledge of the candidate and the ability to make an informed hiring decision.

Here are some suggestions for your next questions to ask in a sales interview:

A great question to start off the interview with is  Sell me on a product you recently purchased.  This will enable you to see hear the candidates persuasive ability and judge their communication skills.

Be sure to ask the candidates  What do you look for in a company?  Knowing the candidates expectations from the beginning will make it easier to judge if they will be a fit for your culture and management style. You will also learn about their sales strategies and the support that they would need for the position.

Getting to know candidates strengths is extremely important, ask a question like  What is the best sale you ve ever made. How did you get it done?   This will enable you to see a candidate s success, as well as their approach to working with and winning over clients.

Sales can be difficult work, and can take a toll on candidates. Ask candidates to  Tell us about the last time you lost a sale. What did you do to recover?  This question will show the candidate s optimism, hopefully they got up- brushed themselves off and closed their next one.

Sales people have to be problem solvers, ask candidates to  Describe a time when your company didn t deliver on a product or service. How did you respond, and what was the result?  Even the best companies make mistakes, knowing that a sales rep can think quickly and keep a client satisfied even during a difficult situation is a major plus.

Sales is about building relationships, ask candidates a question like  Tell me about a situation where your contact person on a key account changed, how did you adjust to working with the new contact?   This will show their ability to manage and maintain their book of business, as well as their adaptability.

Do you have any other questions that you like to ask in a sales interview? Tell us about them in the comments!  For even more question suggestions, signup for a free trial of Take the Interview .