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11/18/2019 6 Sales Interview Questions You Will Get Asked - The Muse
by
Natalie Burg
For many salespeople, selling a product or service is second nature. But, closing the deal on a job interview can
sometimes feel like a tough sell.
Fortunately, some of the same skills it takes to be a successful salesperson can help you become the perfect job
candidate. Among those skills is preparedness—like knowing what interview questions might be coming your way.
So, to help you close that interview deal, we’ve rounded up some of the most common sales interview questions.
Read on, and prepare to ace them!
ideal job candidates. Those who talk about who or what was to blame... not so much.
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It demonstrates self-awareness to point out a personal flaw and how you've overcome it. A good answer might be,
“I didn’t fully understand the customer’s pain points. Now, I always ask these additional discovery questions, and
I'm better able to meet customers’ needs."
Choose a sale that was a bit of a struggle and required clever problem-solving. And it shouldn’t be all about you,
you, you. “I would also expect them to demonstrate how much of a team player they are,” says Laurie Spieler, VP
of Sales for marketing data provider Lusha. “It is concerning if they only speak about how they were responsible
for the win.”
Bonus Tip
“I offered a discount” is not how your sales story should end. Interviewers want to know how a candidate elevated
the value of a product, not how the customer convinced them to undervalue it.
Bonus Tip
Interviewers are looking for competitive salespeople, and team sports are how many salespeople first learned to
balance competitiveness and teamwork. Mentioning a background in sports never hurts, especially if it helps you
connect with your interviewer.
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11/18/2019 6 Sales Interview Questions You Will Get Asked - The Muse
“This is an opportunity for candidates to show an understanding of a ‘win-win’ scenario, and an appreciation that
any commission structure
Searchshould not Companies
Jobs and only reflect their performance, but also be tied to broaderSign
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objectives,” says Laurie.
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Bonus Tip
Most employers are looking for partners who can help grow the company, not sales mercenaries who hit targets at
any expense. It’s frustrating for interviewers when candidates talk about commissions with only themselves in
mind. Avoid that, and you’ll be ahead of the game.
Bonus Tip
It’s okay to admit that these are monotonous tasks. What matters is that you do them anyway, and that closing sales
makes them worthwhile.
Bonus Tip
Read up on the interviewer, too. Noting that you share an alma mater or know someone from their hometown isn’t
an exercise in flattery; it shows you know how to prepare for a sales call.
In the end, an interview is just a sales meeting—the candidate is the product, and the interviewer is the customer.
Treat it as such, and prepare for these questions and you’ll close the deal.
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Topics
Career Guidance
Natalie Burg is a freelance writer and editor specializing in business, development, innovation, and lifestyle. She
lives in Ann Arbor, Michigan with her tiny children, enormous dog, and regular-sized husband. Learn more about
her work on her website.
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