Responding to an interview question with a flawless answer is not the only way to impress a hiring professional. Interviewers also take into account whether candidates are asking intelligent and thoughtful questions about the position and the company.
Sales candidates should be especially concerned with which questions they ask during an interview. Asking the right questions will not only help them stand out but will also provide them with information about the company and insight into the type of candidate they’re looking to hire.
Questions Sales Candidates Should Ask During an Interview
1. What is your highest priority in the next six months, and how could someone like me help?
Asking about the company’s priorities and how you can help is a great way to show the interviewer that you’re interested in the company’s pain points and want to help find a solution to them.
As a salesperson, you’re always trying to find solutions to your prospect’s and client’s problems, and asking this question demonstrates that you know how to do that.
Also, the interviewer’s answer will give you insight into some of their challenges and what type of employee they’re looking for. You can then tailor your future responses to show that you’re an ideal candidate for the position.
2. Why do your customers buy from you and why don’t they buy from you?
Many candidates are focused on asking standard questions about job duties and expectations, but not many interviewers will expect you to ask why customers buy and don’t buy from them.
This is a very impressive, thought-provoking question and gives the interviewer the opportunity to share specific strengths and challenges their company has when it comes to selling.
And again, use this information to your advantage and think of how you can align your strengths to meet these challenges.
3. What are the characteristics of your top people?
Another way to show the interviewer you’re a top performer is to ask about the characteristics of their best employees. This shows the interviewers that you’re interested in who is succeeding and how you can get to that level.
The interviewer’s answer will also help you understand what the company is looking for.
For example, the interviewer might say that all their hard workers come in at 6 am and don’t leave until 6 pm. You then know what is important to the company, and you can decide if you have what it takes to succeed in this position.
4. Tell me about the history/growth of the company.
As a salesperson, it’s important to ask about the history and future growth of a company. You want to be able to make an impact right away and the future of the company could impact how you perform.
For example, if the company is in maintenance mode, then your role would be more of an account executive or client management-oriented.
On the other hand, if the company is rapidly expanding or rolling out new products, then you would be spending more time hunting and finding new business.
The priorities of the company indicate where you will be spending your time as a sales rep.
5. Do you have any hesitations or concerns about me being successful with your company?
Finally, asking the interviewer about their hesitations or concerns is a great way to show you’re not afraid to close.
As a sales rep, you need to demonstrate that you’re able to address concerns with clients or prospects and soft-close them. This is a great way to show the interviewer that you’re able to soft close and manage any concerns they might have about hiring you.
Asking the right questions during a sales interview will help you stand out from the competition and gain valuable information about what type of employee the company is looking to hire.
For more great questions to ask during a sales interview, please download or view Naviga’s free Interview Toolbox. Inside, we include a list of additional questions you should ask during an interview, as well as 30 common interview questions you could be asked during your next interview.
