A career in sales gives personal satisfaction and provides professional growth. Along with helping one to develop a wide variety of skills, it also opens the door toward your desired career. The skills and experience one develops provide you with a flexible career path. But the most tricky part of a sales job is cracking the interview.
The job interview is one of the tricky aspects. This is your chance to impress the interviewer and prove that you are the right person for the job. It takes work to find smart answers to confusing sales interview questions. Selling jobs are particularly challenging because questions can range from simple to complex, depending on the company and the interviewer.
Your sales resume may have been a hit with them, but they didn’t love it. These questions are not easy to answer, no matter how often your sales resume has been read.
These 9 common sales interview questions are tricky to respond to in a sales job interview.
Question 1- “Why would you like to work in sales?”
Answering this question with “Because it’s fun” or worse, “Because it’s good money” is the biggest mistake. It doesn’t tell the interviewer much and doesn’t set you apart from other applicants.
You can answer this common question by focusing on your selling history. Recall when you first discovered your passion. Did it have to do with a summer job or something else? Perhaps it began as a child. Illustrate your passion using real-life examples. Next, tie it back to why you want to work as a salesperson. Employers will notice this drive and will remember your personal story.
Question 2-“What drives you to sell?”
This question allows you to highlight your strengths as a sales rep. It can be hard to explain what motivates and inspires you when asked. Refrain from giving a vague or generic answer. This is a personal question. You’ll need to dig in and find the right answer.
This question can be used to get insight into your personality. Do you value goals, satisfying your employer, and being one of the top-performing sales reps? This will help your interviewer determine if you are a good fit for the company and how you can motivate yourself if offered the job.
Question 3- “ How can you keep up with your target market?”
Selling is all about understanding your customer and speaking their language. A person who is a good communicator will be able to describe the process they use to keep up to date with their target market. Some may even identify as part. Each person should be able to name the specific publications, magazines, and websites they use to ‘listen to’ their target audience.
Question 4- ” What is the best way to approach short and long sales cycles?”
The selling cycle length will determine the strategies required to close sales and keep customers happy. Candidates must demonstrate a balanced approach that demonstrates a well-researched method for engaging customers in the buyer’s journey and closing the sale within a reasonable time and to the maximum benefit of the company.
Question 5- “ What’s your long-term career objective?”
A selling rep who is a good one will have the ability to communicate more than just quarterly or annual sales goals. They’ll also have a plan and the drive to achieve it. If you’re looking for seasonal employees, they’ll be open to opportunities for growth and will have a good understanding of your company. If this is the case, both the applicant and you should know that the position will only last for a short time.
Question 6- “What makes you love working as a salesperson?”
This is a red flag if a candidate is only interested in the money. You shouldn’t be surprised if you hear “for the commissions” and “because the money is great.” While these answers might be truthful, they can also indicate a problem. The candidate is only interested in the money. A sales rep should be motivated by the selling process and interested in fulfilling customers’ needs, not just making money.
Question 7- “What are your strategies for dealing with customer objections?”
Customer objections can be described as requests for information about a product, service, or how they might benefit. Salespeople who use objections to make sales are well aware of this. A hiring manager asks this question to allow the applicant to share their techniques and explain how they keep customers’ interest. They also need to empathize and sell without being pushy or too eager.
Question 8- “ How important are content and social media in your sales process?”
Mobile and electronic commerce are rapidly expanding. Salespeople who avoid either one are losing before they start. A salesperson who can demonstrate a process for closing sales that incorporates both online and offline strategies, such as educating prospects, growing customer relationships, and closing selling, will be successful. They should also be aware of and respect company policies on social media and content.
Question 9- “Have you turned down a potential customer? Why?”
A selling rep can walk away from a sale for many reasons. These include, but are not limited to, ethical and legal issues when prospects demand more than the company can afford to deliver, when a sale is unprofitable due to the time, energy, and resources required, and when the deal is too one-sided to the disadvantage of the company.
Additional questions to ask during a job interview:
- What products or services have you successfully sold? Which selling techniques did you use?
- Please describe a time in sales that best exemplifies your work ethic.
- How can you generate leads?
- Did you ever cold-call customers? How do you, cold call customers?
Your professional best foot forward
No matter your industry, appearing for a job interview can take time and effort. Interview questions for selling jobs can ask about hypothetical situations, technical knowledge, and your personality. As you prepare for your next interview, we recommend reviewing the most frequently asked questions and answers for salespersons. These questions and how-to answers will help you get the job you want.
At FunctionUp, we train candidates in all aspects of sales and help them secure high-paying jobs in top companies. We are a pay-after-placement boot camp that helps you learn the top skills required to be successful in the sales field at ₹0 upfront cost. To enroll in our business and sales development cohort, visit us here. Hurry up, the cohort starts on 16 January 2023.
