What motivates you are sales person?

What sales skills would you like to

The interviewer wants to know what gets you up improve?
in the morning. Keep it high level and think about This question provides insight into how you
what they are looking for from a sales person. perceive yourself. Start with something posi-
Examples might be; the opportunity to earn bo- tive that you are good at and then talk about
nus, the thrill of closing deals, meeting new per- an area you struggle with. This might include
spective clients and being recognised for doing a negotiation skills, account management or
good job. presentation skills. Interviewers want to see an
acceptance that no one’s perfect and you are
Why are you looking to leave? willing to learn and improve. They are looking
This question is almost certain to come up and is for realistic self-awareness.
onewhich must be handled carefully. Whilst you
may be leaving because your boss is a total con- What sales targets are you
trol freak or the business is being mismanaged, it accustomed to?
is important to convey your reasoning in a posi- If you are too woolly and you don’t go into de-
tive way. Remember, more often than not, inter- tail, you won’t be credible. You could talk about
viewers will affiliate themselves more with your turnover, profit margins but also activity based
previous boss than they will with you. Answers KPIs such as meeting rates or number of calls.
might include ‘I’ve enjoyed working for the com- Know your figures!
pany but the strategic decisions being made are
taking me away from what I enjoy doing’ or ‘I love What does consultative selling
my job but I haven’t had the opportunity to use mean to you?
my skills in the way I wanted, so I’m looking for a Consultative selling means different things to
new opportunity’. Be mindful that if your answer different people. There are many definitions
lacks depth it won’t satisfy the interviewer. depending upon where you look. Essential-
ly though it involves thorough questioning of
What traits make an effective a client in such a way that you lead them to
clearly define their own situation and ultimate-
sales person?
ly self diagnose short comings in their set up.
A good sales person is someone that can
You, the sales person, then have an opportunity
influence others. They are looking into your under-
to present your solution in such a way that you
standing of what’s required to be influential. Write
address and satisfy their highlighted need.
down a list of the traits you think the company
wants to see based on the role and then think
Give me an example of when you’ve used
about the ones you have. Examples might be:
your initiative to generate an
strong communicator, good listener,resilient, goal
opportunity?
orientated, credible, ambitious, strong relationship
First you need to think of an example and then
builder and approachable.
break it down into three key parts: How did you
find the opportunity? How did you get your-
What challenges are you facing self into the frame? And how did you stand out
right now? from the competition?
Unfortunately they are not interested in your
problems, but rather your approach and attitu- ‘‘Have your questions you want to ask the
deto overcoming them. Think about specifics and
company written down and have them in
how you’d address problematic situations. An ex-
front of you during the interview. You can
ample might be to explain how you’re handling a
difficult customer or breaking into a new account. then tick them off your sheet as you ask
Do your best to display a positive approach. them or if the answer comes out. This will
show the hiring manager/interviewer your
levels of preparedness for their interview.’’
Dean Richards,
National Account Manager, BMS Performance
How would you describe your ideal How do you define success?
sales manager? They are looking into your attitude. There are
This question is used to find out how a man- many different ways to measure success in-
agement team will get the best out of you, cluding bringing in business, exceeding targets,
how you’ll fit into their company structure, and greater recognition and managing a team. Fo-
whether or not you’ll be a pain in the neck to cus on the positivity of the role and what they
manage. Do you need structure or do you prefer are looking for. For example, if the role is for an
to be more autonomous? How much support do account manager you may define success as
you need in planning your week? What kind of upselling to your existing account base and
behaviours does your manager need to have to taking on larger accounts as you grow. Always
get the best out of you? provide a balanced answer that shows your
ambition but also in line with the growth of the
What does your typical day look like in company. You want to be regarded as being
your current role? ‘successful’ within the confines of the role.
You need to provide evidence of your ability to
plan, organise and prioritise your time. Think Why should we hire you?
about the steps you currently take and what They are looking to see if you understand what
the company might be looking for. Things to it takes to do the role. You want to be confident
mention could include how you prioritise what but not arrogant. Think about the job, compa-
accounts you visit or call. How do you record ny culture and the personalities of the people
information in your CRM to help guide your you’ve met. What skills, experiences and be-
activity? How do you organise your calendar so haviours do you possess that make you a good
you know what’s next? They will also be look- fit for the role? Good examples include specific
ing for someone with the right attitude and account experience, product knowledge and
self-discipline. experience or the right attitude to fit with the
team and company. Ultimately you need to
Give me an example of how you’ve handled demonstrate your ability to add value to their
a difficult client in order to get the sales business
and did you learn?
A very common question at interview. The aim Where do you see yourself in one, three
is to understand how you build rapport and and five years?
empathise with clients as well as your ability to Be mindful of who’s interviewing you and also
learn and adapt. An example might be dealing what the company can realistically deliver.
with an awkward individual, a complex buying Ambitions of becoming the next CEO or taking
process or a situation where expectations are the job off the person interviewing you won’t
unrealistic. Outline what you did to bring them always get you the job; indeed it may some-
on side and what you’ve taken from the expe- times cost you the job. They want to hear you’re
rience. If you can provide an example of where ambitious but that it aligns with the company
you’ve put these learnings into practice, even success as well. Irrespective of what they can
better! or can’t offer in one, three and five years, you
want to be regarded as a successful individual,
‘‘Consider the interview to be a sales meet- a valued employee and someone they’ll want to
ing, with the interviewer representing the build around in the future.
customer and you representing the product
you’re selling. You’ll demonstrate the essen-
tial skills that the interviewer is looking for
if you follow the classic sales cycle. Fact,
find, sell, objection handling, and closing.’’

Robert Coombes
Market Development Manager, BMS Performance