The Ultimate Guide to Interviewing and Hiring Star Sales Representatives

Interviewing and hiring a sales representative is a difficult task. A salesperson may look successful on paper, but you will need the right strategies and processes in place to really uncover whether or not the candidate will have future success at your company. 

And the stakes are high if you hire the wrong salesperson. Between finding, hiring, and onboarding a new rep, the wrong hire can cost your company a small fortune when all is said and done. 

Fortunately, we have compiled our best tips, strategies, and interview questions to help you hire the right sales rep for your team. 

This article will discuss the three stages of selecting and hiring sales representatives and we will dive deep into each topic. You can also click on one of the sections below if you would like to jump ahead.

Let’s get started and with the first stage of the hiring process – interview preparation.

1. Sales Interview Preparation

The first stage of hiring a sales representative begins with interview preparation. You will need to create a job description, pick an interview team, and assign key characteristics to the interviewers to ensure coverage of critical skills and behaviors. 

Creating the Sales Job Description 

You need to create a job description that embodies your idea of a star sales candidate to attract the right level of sales candidate. Try to describe in detail the type of person that will thrive in your company environment.

You will want to include any perks or benefits that will really sell them on the role. And finally, make sure to include the key skills, requirements, and characteristics needed to perform the job. 

If you’re creating a sales executive job description, you will follow similar steps but will need to expand on the key competencies and make sure to include specific leadership experience.

Selling the Opportunity 

Start by including information about your organization, any growth your company is experiencing, what is inspiring you to hire for this position, and how this role is critical to the business. 

Perks and Benefits

Talk about any perks you’re going to offer and what benefits are available. If you have a pension plan, 401k, or car allowance, those should also be stated. Anything that would be added to their current compensation, which in most cases should be a commission plan, should also be included. 

Create Understanding 

Beyond company information, strong job descriptions make it clear what the job will be like for top candidates. For instance, key activities they will be doing, what will they be selling, typical clients, the territory, and any other high-level details that a sales professional would find important when assessing the opportunity. 

Your Internal Team Is A Critical Audience 

It’s key to make sure the job description is very clear on the basic requirements and skills of the role. That will make it easier for both the candidates and your team of interviewers to understand the position and the key characteristics the ideal candidate should have.

Organizing the Interview Team

In order to ensure objectivity throughout the hiring process, you may want to consider using a team of interviewers and a selection systems matrix. Involving your team is one of the best ways to avoid hiring the wrong salesperson for the job.

Team of Interviewers 

Using a team of interviewers is beneficial because it provides varying perspectives and helps to eliminate biases. 

It is the preferred method over individual interviews because interviewer accuracy is improved, first impression biases are minimized, and it changes yes/no voting to evidence-based assessments. 

Your team of interviewers should be formed as soon as possible and should consist of a minimum of three members. When you’re hiring a sales representative, your new hire will likely interact with many people on your team and it’s important to have a range of interviewers in terms of position type and leadership level.

Understanding the Selection Matrix

A selection system matrix is a tool that lets you objectively compare an applicant’s qualifications to a job vacancy’s qualifications and functions, as well as compare applicants to one another based on established job-related criteria. 

In order to develop a selection matrix, you and/or your interview team will need to analyze the position’s qualifications and job functions. Next, you will assign each member of the interview team to a specifically targeted dimension. The interviewer will then evaluate the candidate and ask them specific questions based on their assigned targeted dimension. 

This tool is important because it not only lets you objectively compare a candidate’s qualifications to the open position’s requirements but also compares the candidates to one another based on the established criteria.

You can download the Selection Matrix Template here.

2. The Interview

After you’ve created the job description and assembled your interview team, you will need to start preparing for the actual interview. Find out which materials you’ll need for the interview, how to create the right environment, and interview best practices for hiring top sales representatives. 

We also included a sampling of interview questions based on 5 characteristics of top salespeople. 

Sales Interview Preparation 

1. All interviewers should have the following: Interview Schedule, Candidate Resume, Selection System Elements Matrix, Job Description, Interview Evaluation Form 

2. Review the Job Description for content, requirements, and qualifications. Also, you can bring a copy of the job description to the interview for reference. 

3. Review the Selection System Matrix and plan your time accordingly to cover your primary areas of focus. Make sure you know how your target areas related to the open position’s requirements and skills. 

4. Make note of the questions you would like to ask to tap into your areas of focus. Arrange the questions in the appropriate order leaving room for notes.

Create the Right Sales Interview Environment

1. Greet the candidate giving your name and position. Put the candidate at ease and begin with low-key questions. 

2. State the purpose of the interview. As an example, if you are interviewing for a management position and your focus will be on leadership skills, state the general purpose to the candidate. It will help establish the appropriate expectations for the interview. 

3. Provide the candidate with the appropriate background information on the nature of the position. For example, why it is open (growth, transfer, promotion, etc.) and the mission of the company, your department, and your team

4. Explain the interview process. State that you will be asking questions and taking notes. Let the candidate know they may take notes as well. Indicate that you will leave time at the end of the interview for the candidate to ask you questions.

5. Place your phone on “Do Not Disturb.”

Interview Best Practices

1. Stick with your plan. Cover the areas you have been assigned using the questions you planned to use. 

2. Let the candidate do most of the talking. Use an 80/20 rule. You should only do 20% of the talking. 

3. Use open-ended, situational, probing, and behavioral interviewing styles and questions. Your goal is to get the candidates talking in depth in all of the Selection System areas you have been assigned. You will see examples of these questions in the next few pages. 

4. Avoid questions that have no relevance to the characteristics you are interviewing for. 

5. Once you have covered your primary areas of focus you may cover any other relevant areas that you would like in the remaining time. 

6. Give the candidate a chance to ask questions. This is a great chance to “sell” your company. Remember that making great hires is a two-way process with both parties selling their strengths.

7. Try to remain on schedule. Escort the candidate to the next person on the agenda when you are finished. Thank the candidate for their time and wish them well.

Selection Characteristics and Sample Interview Questions 

The following section contains a sampling of interview questions aligned with 5 characteristics most common in top-performing sales representatives. Asking these questions will increase your chances of hiring sales representatives that will succeed at your company.

You can always tailor these questions and only ask the interview questions that best match the requirements of your position. 

Selection Characteristics

1. Learning-Centered
2. Self Management
3. Goal-Oriented
4. Interpersonal skills
5. Character Traits

1. Learning-Centered 

Professional Interest: Active pursuit of information in the professional area 

• To which industry or job-related organization do you belong? What is the extent of your participation? What do you get out of it? 
• How do you keep informed on what’s going on in the sales industry? 

Career Ambition: The expressed desire to advance to higher job levels with active efforts toward self-development for advancement 

• Why do you want a sales position? What type of self-development activities are you engaged in to obtain the necessary skills? 
• In what areas do you lack qualifications? What are you doing about them? 

2. Self Management

Self Organization: Ability to efficiently schedule own time and activities 

• How do you schedule your time? Set priorities? 
• What is your procedure for keeping track of matters requiring your attention? 

Management: Establishing a course of action for self and/or others to accomplish a specific goal

• How have you determined what constitutes top priorities in scheduling your time? Give examples. 
• Describe a typical day, a typical week. 

3. Goal-Oriented

Work Standards: Setting high goals or standards of performance 

• In your position, how do you define doing a good job? 
• Are you doing a good job? How do you know? 
• What are your standards of success in your job?  What have you done to meet these standards? 

Behavioral Flexibility: Modifying behavior to reach a goal 

• How have you gotten around obstacles that prevented you from completing projects? Describe the obstacle and what you did to get around it. 
• Describe a situation in which your first attempt to sell an idea to your boss failed. Did you try again? What approach did you use the second time? 

4. Interpersonal Skills

Controlled Demeanor: Skills in maintaining composure and objectivity when confronted with personally defense-provoking situations 

• When did you last lose your temper? Describe the reasons and the outcome. 
• What was your reaction the last time a person lost his or her temper? 
• Tell me about some situations in which you became frustrated or impatient when dealing with customers, colleagues, or boss? 

Adaptability: Maintaining effectiveness in varying environments and with varying tasks, responsibilities, or people 

• Tell me about a situation in which you had to adjust quickly to changes in organizational priorities. What was the impact of the change on you? 
• Which bosses have you worked most effectively for and why? Hardest to work for? 

5. Character Traits

Acceptance of Responsibility: A measure of the capacity to be answerable for personal actions

• Tell me about a time when it was necessary to admit to others that you had made a mistake. How did you handle it? 
• Give an example of a situation where others had made a mistake and you had to take the blame for their actions. How did you feel about doing that? 

Truthfulness: The ability to tell the truth and exhibit honesty in various situations 

• If I call your references now, what would they say about you? 
• Has a former boss ever asked you to tell a white lie? How did you handle it? 

3. The Decision Process

Finally, the third stage of hiring a star sales representative includes a post-interview discussion and interview evaluation. After all the interviews have been completed, the interview team should hold a group discussion where each interviewer will reveal their thoughts and comments about each candidate

Improve your chances of hiring the right sales rep by creating an efficient post-interview process and eliminate hiring bias by using the Interview Evaluation form.

Post Sales Interview 

1. After the interview wraps up, be very clear about when and how you are going to let the candidate know whether they received a job offer or not. If you are unsure of the specific date of when the hiring decision will be made, then give the candidate an estimated range.

Next, be sure to follow up with the candidate when you say you will. If you don’t it will be bad business and will make both you and your company look unprofessional. 

2. Complete your interview Evaluation Form as soon as possible. Filling out the form directly after the interview will make sure you don’t forget any important details or additional comments you want to remember. 

3. The post-interview evaluation is the time for all the interviewers to discuss their notes and advance the hiring decision. 

Interviewers should be prepared to back up recommendations with specific examples and notes from the interview. Use this time to discuss who will be moving forward in the hiring process and the next steps.

Group Discussion 

When using a team of interviewers during the interview process, oftentimes there can be varied opinions and recommendations about whether to hire a candidate or not. To avoid wasting time with a stalled hiring decision, follow these four steps. 

1. Make sure the interviewers have a solid understanding of what they’re evaluating the candidate against, both job-related skill sets and behavioral skill sets. 

2. Ensure an evaluation process that is based on rankings versus solely subjective thoughts and just feelings about a candidate. 

3. Make sure evaluations are turned into one person that is leading the hiring process. That person should be the hiring manager, human resources, or whoever has been facilitating the interviewing process. 

4. Facilitate an interview recap meeting with all parties that are interviewed to discuss and make the final decision. Whether it’s in person or a conference call, it’s key to gather everybody in that recap meeting.

Interview Evaluation Template 

Download the Interview Evaluation Template and other Hiring Templates Included in this guide.

Hiring sales representatives is not an easy task, but if you have a process and plan before you begin, then you will be much more successful in the end. You will need to tweak certain aspects of this guide for your own team, but it’s a great starting place for developing your own sales hiring and interviewing process.

Download the full pdf version with all of the sales interview questions and hiring templates.