Mastering Sales Interview Questions and Answers Your personality is a huge part of sales, which is why personality plays a tremendous role in the sales job interview. Sales professionals have a unique ability to pick up on minute changes in behavior and exploit them. The best applicants for a sales job are those that can adapt their answers and behaviors to what they know the interviewer is looking to hear, and present them in ways that influence their opinion. To utilize this strength, applicants for sales jobs should be aware of possible interview questions and answers beforehand, so that they have mentally prepared answers that will win them the position. Below you will find several common interview questions and tips for how to answer them effectively. Best Answers for Sales Interview Questions Q: What are the Most Important Sales Skills? Not everyone can handle sales. You need to have the right attitude and abilities. At your job interview, the interviewer will be looking for your sales skills, and the aspects of the process that help close deals. An example of a good answer includes “The ability to recognize both verbal and non-verbal cues to adapt the sales strategies you implement to impress the prospective buyer.” Q: What Do You Dislike About Sales? Any time you are asked to provide a negative trait about the position you are applying for, you should tread carefully. An example of an answer that effectively resolves the question is, “Walking away from a sale when I know the prospect could benefit from our solution.” This answer shows you know that there are times where you need to walk away and show that you understand that sales is about solutions. Related: Interview Tips: The Answer to the ‘Tell Me About Yourself’ Question Q: What Do You See Are the Key Skills In … ? Common sales interview questions and answers revolve around how you view the skills involved in a specific sales technique or aspect of the sales process. For example, “What do you see are the key skills in closing a sale?” Answers to these types of questions should always focus on responding to the buyer’s concerns and on how the product or service will benefit the recipient. Q: Are You Uncomfortable Making Cold Calls? Any interview questions about your discomfort in sales should always be responded to with a “no” without any elaboration. If you are uncomfortable, reevaluate whether the position is right for you. Q: How Do You Move On From a Rejection? Rejections are common within sales jobs, and one of the primary reasons that most personalities could not handle sales roles. Try to downplay how hard you take rejections, but feel free and be honest about a technique you use to handle rejection or answer with something like, “I simply move on to the next prospect, because a rejection is simply a sign that the individual was not yet ready for our solution.” Additional Sales Interview Preparation Tips You will need to prepare for sales job interview questions mentally and physically. Though you should absolutely practice answering job interview questions, you should also prepare your attitude. Sales interviews are about who you are as a person and how you answer questions at the job interview. Use techniques that reduce your own natural
shyness/hesitancies, and practice your answers and how you deliver those answers, focusing on becoming more outgoing and positive in your presentation. Source: http://www.everydayinterviewtips.com/questions-and-answers/sales-job-interviews/ Image: http://redbaseinteractive.com/products/sales-leaders-database/ Also Read: How to answer the toughest interview question: “Why should we hire you?� How to tackle Panel interviews?