Sales Job Interview Answers

Sales jobs require perseverance because you are likely to hear "no" a lot.

Interviewing for a sales job requires a skill set that is distinct relative to other types of interviews. Sales organizations and companies looking for sales employees require certain traits and experiences that you want to demonstrate during your interview. Answering common questions with effective answers and responding to sales-specific questions with skill in an interview gives you the best chance for success.

Strengths and Weaknesses

Questions about your strengths and weaknesses are universal to interviews. Strong responses in a sales interview are especially important because you are effectively selling yourself with your answers. Thus, your answers confirm or dispel your sales abilities. When responding to a question about your strengths, center on two to three major abilities that you can provide examples for and that match up well with the sales you want. On the weakness question, provide one genuine example of something that you have struggled with but have shown improvement on. Avoid divulging a weakness in a skill or trait that is highly important to the interviewing organization.

Negotiation

Negotiation skills are not only important for a sales job, but the general perception of best practices in negotiations has evolved over time. The Best Job Interview site offers the sample interview question, "Describe a recent situation where you negotiated terms with a tough customer." In the 21st century, salespeople generally have moved away from aggressive, win-lose negotiations. A win-win approach to negotiation is more often preferred because it assists with long-term relationship building. You want to convey your understanding of win-win and ability to put it into practice with a specific example.

Motivation

Another topic area that sales job interviewers are going to address is motivation. Good sales employees are typically self-motivated. The Best Job Interview site proposes the question, "What do you enjoy and what do you dislike about sales?" This a way for the interviewer to explore your motivation. You need to research the company to learn the philosophies it uses in selling. Then, offer a genuine response that demonstrates your enjoyment in helping customers resolve issues by helping them through the sales process. Salespeople are problem solvers. Also note the personal satisfaction of a successful sale. Although money is likely a motivator as well, noting that in an interview is not advisable.

Perseverance

A very importance trait that sales job interviewers want to draw on in an interview is resilience or perseverance. Sales employees deal with the reality of hearing "no" on a regular basis. Customers often say "no" multiple times even when they end up buying. Thus, the interviewer might ask you to provide an example of a time when you faced a struggle and worked through it effectively.

References

• Best Job Interview: Sales Interview Questions and Answers
• Sales Careers Online: Sales Job Interview