When preparing for sales interview questions, it's all about showing how your skills and experience align with what the company is looking for. This guide gives you useful tips on how to answer questions in a way that highlights your strengths and past successes.
It’ll help you turn your sales experiences into compelling stories that show you can bring value to the team. Keep reading, and you'll find practical advice on tackling tough questions, explaining your sales process, and impressing the sales rep and the hiring manager with your confidence and expertise.
What To Expect During A Sales Interview
During an interview for sales, you’ll be asked to talk about your previous sales experience and how you approach different parts of the sales process. You’ll discuss cold calls, cycles, and targets. The hiring manager or sales representative will want to hear about specific deals you’ve closed and how you handle challenges like rejection or tough customers.
They’ll also want to understand your sales skills – how you approach the hiring process from prospecting to closing deals and how you handle objections. You may be asked to explain how you’ve worked with sales teams in the past and how you would fit into their sales process.
You’ll talk about how you contribute to the overall success of sales efforts – hitting sales quotas, working with marketing, and bringing in new customers. It’s all about showing how your experience and sales strategies align with the company’s goals and the specific sales role itself.
Сommon Questions For A Sales Interview
Here are a few common questions and answers sales interview questions that often get asked in a sales job interview:
What do you know about our company?
When you’re asked about the company in an interview, start by mentioning what you like about the company's products, or services. For example, you might say how they help sales teams automate tasks like lead tracking and CRM to increase productivity and close more deals.
Then show you understand their sales approach. If they do consultative selling where they tailor solutions to client needs and prioritize relationships, mention that. That shows you’re on the same page as them.
You can also talk to the sales manager or sales professional about their company culture. If they value employee growth or collaboration, share how that resonates with you and how important it is for you professionally.
Lastly, if you know about any recent successes or industry trends that they’re into like new technologies or new markets, bring that up too. That shows you’re paying attention to where the company is going.
Example:
Can you tell me about your sales skills experience?
When talking about your sales experience start by giving a quick rundown of your sales background first. For example, you could say you’ve been in sales for 3 years, B2B software sales, lead gen, and closing deals with mid-sized businesses. Next talk about the skills you’ve developed – managing sales pipelines, overcoming objections. If you’ve worked with sales tools or CRMs mention that. You can even share a quick story about how you closed a deal with a hesitant prospect after a few months of building the relationship.
Don’t forget to mention any achievements – consistently hitting your sales targets or growing your customer base. For example, when preparing for a sales call, you might say you exceeded your sales goals by 20% last year.
Finally, tie it all back to the role you’re applying for. Let them know you’re confident your prospecting and relationship-building skills will help you make an impact on customer success for their team.
Example:
What kind of sales environment motivates you?
When asked about the kind of sales environment that motivates you think about what makes you feel energized and driven in your work. For some it’s a high-energy atmosphere where there’s always something happening, for others it’s a collaborative team-oriented space where everyone works together towards common goals.
You might be motivated by a company that invests in your growth, provides the tools and resources you need, and supports you every step of the way. It could be about the balance between competition and teamwork where you have the freedom to push yourself but still have a team that’s there to back you up.
In the end, it’s about aligning your preferences with an environment where you feel you can do your best work, contribute, and keep growing.
Example:
What kind of sales job cycles are you used to?
When asked about the sales cycles you’re used to you can start by sharing the types of cycles you’ve worked with in sales positions in the past. For example, you might explain you’ve been involved in longer consultative cycles, especially in B2B sales where building relationships and understanding the client’s needs can take several months.
If you’ve also handled shorter transactional cycles mention that as well. You can talk about how you’re comfortable working at a faster pace, focusing on efficiency and quick turnarounds.
What’s important is showing you’re adaptable and can thrive in both long complex sales cycles and shorter quicker ones.
Example:
How do you deal with rejection in your sales career?
When asked how you deal with rejection you can explain that you view it as a learning opportunity. Rejection is part of sales and instead of taking it personally, you focus on understanding what went wrong and how you can improve next time. You might say something like, “I stay positive and view rejection as a chance to learn and grow. I take feedback seriously, adjust my approach if needed, and move on quickly to focus on the next opportunity.”
Try to mention that you stay resilient by keeping your goals in mind and remembering that each ‘no’ brings you closer to a ‘yes.’
Example:
Why are you looking for a new role?
When asked why you’re looking for a new role it’s a good opportunity to talk about wanting to grow and take on new challenges. You can explain that while you’ve learned a lot in your current role you’re now looking for something that will help you advance your skills and responsibilities.
You might also mention that you’re excited about the opportunity to work for a company that shares your values and career goals. It’s all about showing you’re motivated by growth and ready to contribute to a new team.
Example:
Describe a time you lost a deal and how you followed up
When talking about a time you lost a deal and how you followed up be honest about the situation. For example, you could say the deal didn’t go through because of budget issues or changes in the prospect’s needs.
The key is to focus on how you followed up. You could explain that you made sure to stay professional and maintain the relationship by reaching out afterward with a thank you note. In your follow up you might have asked for feedback to improve and offered to keep in touch for any future opportunities. This shows you’re not just focused on the lost deal but on building lasting relationships and learning from every experience.
Example:
How do you keep up with current trends within the industry?
When asked how you keep up with current trends in the industry you can mention a few different ways. For example, you could say you regularly read industry publications or follow key thought leaders on social media.
Attending webinars, conferences, or networking events is another great way to stay updated. You could also mention you engage with sales communities, whether online or local meetups, to discuss sales trends and share knowledge. This shows you’re proactive about staying informed and always looking to learn about new tools, strategies, or shifts in the market.
Example:
Tell me about a time you met your sales goals
When asked about a time you met your company's sales process, goals start by talking about the specific goals you had and the timeline you were working with. For example, you could mention working to close a certain number of deals or hit a revenue goal in a given period.
Then share the steps you took to reach those goals. Maybe you focused on high-priority leads at a previous job, tweaked your outreach strategy, or leaned on your CRM to stay organized and manage your pipeline.
Finally, highlight how your sales and marketing efforts have paid off. Whether you hit or surpassed your goals make sure to point out the positive results, like new clients or bigger deals. This shows you’re not just chasing numbers but being thoughtful and strategic in your approach to the hiring manager.
Example:
Conclusion
Preparing for sales interview questions is really about showing your skills and experience in the best light. With the right mindset and sales interview tips, you’ll be able to confidently explain what you bring to the table. Bluedot is one of the best sales tools for getting ready, especially when it comes to recording and reviewing your interviews.
It captures everything, even if you’re sharing your screen, and it’s not just about transcribing your sales calls. You’ll also get automatic summaries, helpful sales meeting templates, note-taking, and secure storage for your recordings to revisit later.
With the new AI chat feature, you can fine-tune your responses and feel even more ready when the time comes. It's a great way to make sure you're fully prepared and can handle any question that comes your way.
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