Questions For Inside Sales Interview

What Is The Biggest Challenge You Foresee In This Job

The biggest challenge in this field is the trend in which technology is evolving. Technology is replacing human labor as well as making sales work easier. However, automation and artificial intelligence cannot fully perform the roles of an inside sales representative. The challenge that employers will have is knowing how to balance human labor and AI in the workplace.

If An Annoyed Customervisited Your Store How Would You Handle Him

Some situations are inevitable while working as an inside sales representative. For instance, if I encounter an angry customer, I will begin by listening and allowing him or her to vent. This will demonstrate that I care for the customer. Whatever the case might be, I will restrain from blaming the company as well as the customer. After the customer has calmed down, I will try to solve the problem without taking it personally. However, I wouldnt make promises that I cant keep at the expense of pleasing our customers.

What Is It About Getting Into Sales That Interests You

Interviewers ask this because:

They want to know you know what to expect, and that youre in it for the long haul. They want someone who will fully commit to the role and take their team up a level.

How to answer:

Be specific and elaborate about why youre drawn to sales.

Dont be afraid to mention financial opportunity that is a huge reason many people get into sales.

Use it as an opportunity to showcase your strengths and why you are a good fit for your first sales role.

Stay away from things like I like building relationships and I love people those are said all the time and wont make you unique.

Example answer:

My aunt is in sales, and does very well for herself. She has been able to send my three cousins to college, and live comfortably. I like the idea of a career that allows me to live the life I want and provide for myself.

I also like the idea of being in control of my fate. I know that in a sales career the outcomes I produce are directly related to the work I put in.

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What Steps Will You Take To Go Above And Beyond The Expectations For This Role

If an inside sales rep is only interested in checking off a list of job responsibilities, good luck reaching those big scary goals you set as a team. Try to get a feel for what they plan to bring to the table that no one else can or will.

What to watch for:

Are they actually willing to go above and beyond the job description and the standard 9-to-5 schedule? They dont need to be logging 14-hour days all week long, but they should be willing to hop on the occasional evening call if itll help close a deal. Try to gather as much insight as you can on what their plan is to crush the standard expectations of the role.

Inside Sales Manager Interview Questions

Inside Sales Managers monitor quotas, suggest ways to increase customer engagement and improve a sales teams performance. They also ensure that the sales administration process runs efficiently.

This is a senior-level position, so look for candidates with relevant work experience. Behavioral questions will help you understand how candidates approached challenges in the past. Successful Inside Sales Managers are driven by goals but are also proactive. They suggest improvements and features to increase client satisfaction.

This individual usually trains, evaluates and motivates a sales team. Candidates with solid communication skills who are able to set goals and assign tasks will stand out. They should also be comfortable working in team environments and collaborate with various departments to help meet company objectives.

• Source Inside Sales Managers using our Boolean Search Cheat Sheet.

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Are There Any Recent Technologies Youve Learned Or Heard About That Are Particularly Exciting To You

Interviewers ask this because:

A natural sense of curiosity is a critical criteria for being a strong seller, and wanting to learn about technology that helps us improve shows that curiosity. It also shows that as buyer needs and preferences change, you are ready to meet them where they are.

How to answer:

How To Prepare For A Sales Interview

As a sales representative, you’re uniquely situated to succeed at an interview. Just think of yourself as the product, and apply the same principles you would use in any sales meeting, demonstrating that you’re a good fit and selling yourself to the interviewer.

Arrive at the interview with a sense of the company’s sales strategy and some examples of how your previous sales experience has prepared you to contribute.

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Imagine A Customer Asked You Not To Follow Up With Them After Making A Sales Pitch What Would You Do

While inside sales representatives typically look for ways to connect with customers, it’s important they respect boundaries. This question reveals whether a customer would respect your target audience’s choices. What to look for in an answer:

• Interpersonal skills
• Understanding of when to stop making sales pitches

Example:

“If a customer asked me not to follow up with them after making a sales pitch, I’d agree not to reach out again. I’d also politely ask why they want to stop receiving product information. From their response, I’d know what aspects to improve on as an inside sales representative. I understand the importance of respecting people’s boundaries, and would focus my attention on other customers.”

Sample Questions To Ask During Your Sales Interview

To learn more about the position, the company and its clients, here are some common questions to ask during your sales interview:

Related:7 Tips To Succeed in Your Next Sales Interview

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Why Did You Apply For This Position

Related: Interview Question: Why Are You Looking For a New Job?

In this video, Sinéad showcases a powerful and memorable way for answering the question: What are you looking for in a new job?

Tip: This answer could overlap with the first question, but this is where studying the job description will pay off. Tailor your answer to the company and the research you conducted before going into the interview.

Example:”I believe this position aligns with my previous experience in sales while also making room for an expansion of my current skill set. I can take more ownership of responsibilities like creating status reports and reporting leads within the customer relationship management system as well as the chance to work in different departments.”

+ Crucial Sales Interview Questions To Hire The Right Salespeople

Salespeople are particularly good interviewees and its no surprise why. Theyre skilled at connecting with their audience, speaking to pain points, and overcoming objections. They can apply those same sales tactics to another goal: nailing their interview and getting the offer. And many sales job seekers are getting more interview experience than usual in the COVID-impacted job market.

This isnt a bad thing by any means. However, it does make it challenging for your team to narrow down candidates and understand whos really the best fit for the role.

Were here to help. In this blog, weve curated a list of proven sales interview questions to evaluate applicants and put them to the test. Well also go over interviewing best practices to help your company shine, convert top talent, and improve employee retention.

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What Major Challenges Did You Face During Your Last Role How Did You Manage Them

The organization I was working with was in its initial stage of growth. The management did not have properly designed roles for an inside sales representative. The management could switch responsibilities regularly and this would cause confusion in the workplace. However, I remained flexible and I would take upon every responsibility that was given to me. I would research on the internet to learn the roles that were a bit complex. At the end of the day, I remained above the curve until when the organization got its ground.

List Of Sales Representative Interview Questions

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Where Are You In Your Search

Interviewers ask this because:

They want to know how quickly your process needs to move and how seriously you are taking the job search.

How to answer:

Just be honest. If you are interviewing with other companies, if you arent, if you got a verbal offer, if you havent completed interviews yet just be honest.

What Are The Core Values Every Salesperson Must

There are certain sales skills that are required to persuade a prospect and convert them into paying customers. It is necessary to be aware of these sales skills and assure the interview that you have these sales skills.

Possible Answer

In my 3 years of experience in sales, there are few of the important sales skills that helped me convert many potential buyers into paying customers.

So I feel every sales rep should possess these skills-

• Active listening
• Storytelling
• Critical thinking

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How Do You Deal With A Full Day Of Rejections

This question will speak to an inside sales reps resilience and their willingness to keep pushing through the struggle even when theyre in a sales slump or wading through a bad batch of leads.

What To Watch For:

Find out how they process rejection and what they do to move forward. If an inside sales rep is easily shaken by a handful of nos from prospects, how well do you think theyll rebound from a day or two of rejection?

Explain The Strategies You Can Use To Make A Vendor Who Is Selling Our Competitors Product Sell Our Products

This is not an easy task to do. However, I am an inside sales representative who rarely takes no for an answer. I would try strategies such as giving that vendor a suitable margin ensuring that I do not compromise on the quality as well as offering him numerous giveaways and offers. While doing this, I will also ensure that my product is well marketed. I will allow the vendor to sell the other product along with mine and analyze the results.

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Questions About Experience And Background

Interviewers also ask numerous questions to learn more about your level of experience and background relevant to inside sales roles. They can use these insights to assess whether you have the skills or qualifications needed to perform in the role successfully. You can prepare for these questions by reviewing the job posting to understand the role’s typical responsibilities and its associated skills. Some examples of experience or background questions include:

• Why did you decide to pursue a career in sales?

• Do you have prior inside sales experience?

• If you have prior inside sales experience, what was your quota? What products or services did you sell?

• What do you enjoy most about working in inside sales?

• What do you find most challenging about working in inside sales?

• Do you have experience using customer relationship management tools? Which ones?

• How comfortable do you feel making cold calls?

• How do you use social media to aid your sales process?

• How did you generate sales leads at your last job?

• How well have you met sales targets or quotas in the past?

• What tools or resources do you use to stay updated on your target market?

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What Motivates You To Sell

The answer to this question will give your interviewers a chance to see what drives you. While answering, try to align your answer with the companys vision or future growth plans. Incentives like a financial bonus based on sales percentage can be a big motivating factor for you, but try going beyond this in your answer.

Sample Answer:

Every quarter, my aim is to go beyond my assigned targets. I am self-motivated by the strife to beat my personal best results from previous periods. I will ensure that my sales records grow with every quarter, with the help of productivity systems and more, so that it moves in tandem with the projected sales growth of your company.

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How Do Team Leaders Support Sales Staff

Sales might seem like a solitary pursuit, but teamwork is essential to sales. A culture that works toward an overall company goal is likely to be more supportive. You want leaders who share strategies and help you succeed. In a supportive work environment, mentorship opportunities are available to help both you and the business progress.

What Data Entry Tool Do You Use To Track Sales

Although soft skills are vital for any inside sales representative, some technical skills are also necessary. This question assesses a candidate’s ability to use technology and other tools to monitor sales in your company. What to look for in an answer:

• Experience using data entry tools
• Ability to keep up with advances in technology and relevant software
• organisation skills

Example:

“I use Microsoft Excel to track my sales. The software makes it easy to organise data, search for previous records, and edit entries. I’m open to learning other tools your company uses to track sales, too.”

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What Are Some Challenges Your Current Sales Team Faces

Sales is not a job that produces steady results without certain obstacles and objections to overcome. This question will give you some insight into the challenges you may face in your sales process. It will also help you assess the competition you may have in your new colleagues and how they are currently performing.

What Do You Love About Sales

It would make sense to ask questions like What is your favorite thing about sales? or, for those who seem uninterested in the work, Im offering them, Why do you want to be a part of this team? Whats your passion?

What To Look Out For:

When looking for a salesperson, you want to see someone excited about solving problems instead of focusing on money. Look for an answer that isnt all about the paycheck.

If the candidate is more interested in money than doing a good job, thats not what you want. Youre looking for someone who cares about your company and wants to do well by it.

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Tell Me About A Criticism That Your Last Manager Gave You And How You Responded To It

If an inside sales rep wont accept criticism, you should run the other direction. But heres the thing: If you simply ask them if theyre open to criticism, theyll nod and smileafter all, whod answer no to that? By asking for a specific example, youll gain better insight.

What to watch for:

When theyre telling their story, pay close attention to how they describe their manager. Are they painting that manager as an unreasonable enemy who was out to tear them down, or as someone who was genuinely looking to help them improve? No matter the story they tell, youll be able to get a feel for how well they actually receive criticism by keying in on that one aspect.

Sales Manager Interview Questions

• If business goals had to change, how would you communicate that to your team and get them on board with the new goals?
• Tell me about a time when a team member missed their quota. How did you handle it?
• What qualities make a successful sales rep? How does this influence your management style?
• What skills and qualifications would you look for when hiring a sales rep?
• Tell me about how you coach junior team members. What’s your coaching style?

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