Successfully pass an interview for a manager job. What do you think is the most important thing you will need to convince someone to become a client? Remuneration Negotiations

Good afternoon, dear friend!

There are things that most job seekers don't even know about. Today your humble servant will sit on the other side of the “barricades”. To your usual place, opposite the applicant. This will make it easier to answer the question “ How to properly pass an interview for a leadership position?

It would be more accurate to talk about one tool that is used by experienced, competent recruiters. Sometimes you'll come across some like this :)

This method is reading the candidate's metaprograms.

These are mental models, filters through which a person passes information and draws conclusions. They determine his thinking and behavior.

Everyone knows the example of a glass that is half full of water. One person thinks it is half full, another thinks it is half empty. They have different poles of metaprograms.

The idea is that managers have certain preferences in the meta-program profile. My task as a recruiter is to determine this profile and compare it with the optimal one for the position for which the candidate is applying.

I do this: I invite the interlocutor to talk about himself and record the meta-programs for constructing his phrases.

Then I ask and also watch his speech. After the conversation I draw conclusions.

Now let's talk more about meta-programs. There are many of them, but we will look at 4 of the most important.

You don't need to delve too deeply into this topic. Just understand the meaning and relationships of the poles of the meta-program in order to try to monitor your speech.

1. Type of motivation: desire/avoidance

For a person, the main incentives are either achievements or avoidance of problems.

“People who are achievers” pay more attention to their goals. They face problems with an open visor, considering them an inevitable companion and even an assistant in their work.

Those who are prone to avoidance focus their main efforts on avoiding problems and punishment.

The question might be: “Describe your ideal place to work.” Or similar.

The first type will say: work with interesting, complex tasks, prospects for professional growth.

Second: working with clear indicators, criteria for reward and punishment, in a non-conflict team.

The first one uses “leadership verbs” in his speech. I organize, I delegate, I motivate.

The second prefers careful wording, phrases such as “I had to do...”, “I had to...”.

For most leadership positions, an achievement-oriented profile is preferred.

The ratio of the poles of this meta-program is 8 to 2. That is, in 8 cases out of 10 I would like to record behavior characteristic of a person of “achievement”.

This does not mean that it is time for a leader with a prevailing avoidance motivation to shed his career. Such people can perform well in positions related to control and auditing. They are usually attentive to details.

2. Type of reference: internal/external

It shows whether a person is more focused on his own or someone else’s opinion when making a decision. What is more important to him?

People with internal reference usually decide for themselves what to do, based on their experience and intuition. “I decided to do this:...”

Managers with predominant internal reference good at positions of TOP managers, project managers, creative areas of work.

At predominant external reference, the manager relies more on the opinions of colleagues, management, and some statistical data. “Based on the analysis, I proposed... the executive director supported me.”

People with a predominance of external reference are more suitable for working with clients, as well as for positions that require high executive discipline.

Answers: “Experience suggested”, “I just see it this way...” are recorded in the internal reference.

For most positions in my “talmud” preferred pole ratio internal/external reference 6 to 4.

Your task is to determine what type of reference is preferable for the position for which you are applying and build your examples and phrases from this.

3. Focus in work: process/result

A question like this is asked: “What do you enjoy most about your job...?”

A process-oriented person primarily describes the process itself. In his speech, the lion's share is occupied by verbs of the imperfect form - organized, analyzed. Or nouns: provision, attraction, etc.

The person of “results” uses verbs of the perfect form: built, organized, accomplished. They are also called “leadership” verbs.

An attraction to the process is not a drawback, but for a manager, what is primarily important is effective work. We talked about this in the article

That's why The preferred ratio of process/result poles, for most positions, is 3 to 7.

4. Level of activity: activity/reflexivity (passivity)

Here, I think, it is clear without detailed comments.

The question could be: Describe your first day at work?

Active in his speech uses the first person in the active voice. “I do, I propose, I begin.”

Reflexive people prefer the plural: “We do, we offer.” Uses phrases such as “We must do”, “They will tell us”, impersonal forms such as “It will be done”.

For a leader, the preferred ratio of activity/reflexivity poles is 8 to 2.

Much depends on the position you are applying for. Based on this, select examples and how you will answer the questions.

But still. The manager must have leadership qualities. You will never go wrong if you build your image as a leader on a leadership basis.

In the meta-programs we are talking about today, the leadership poles are aspiration, internal reference, result, activity. Start from this.

1. When talking about your professional experience, place more emphasis on the topic than on solving current problems. Choose relevant examples.
2. In your speech, try to use less cautious phrases: “It seems to me,” “As if,” “Probably.” They conflict with the image of the leader.
3. Try to use the particle “not” less. It is not perceived by our subconscious. For example, many people hear “not difficult” as “difficult”.
4. Eliminate words with a strong negative meaning from your speech: Horror, trouble, nightmare, etc. They create unnecessary tension.
5. Use more “leadership verbs.”

For example

It may not work out right away, because it is very difficult to consciously control your speech. But with training and practice, you will eventually learn to structure your speech in the right way. And broadcast the image of a manager-leader not only to pass an interview, but also in everyday work.

Paying attention to the construction of your speech is important not only for an interview. Your internal attitudes towards leadership behavior will gradually change.

Thank you for your interest in the article. I would appreciate your comment (at the bottom of the page).

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Have a nice day and good mood!

To select personnel, the recruiter needs to conduct an interview. A meeting between a potential employee and a future employer is usually carried out through dialogue. The recruiter’s task is to find out all your positive and negative qualities, determine your professionalism and competence. After the interview, the recruiter will decide whether the candidate is suitable for the vacancy or not. In this article we will tell you how to pass an interview for a sales manager. Let's find out what questions a potential employee may face.

Sales Manager: who is he?

First of all, this is a seller who knows how to competently, beautifully and tasty talk about the product. While managers abroad can manage entire departments, in Russia the definition of a profession is slightly distorted. Initially, the employee not only sold, but also regularly performed analysis. He noted the increase or decrease in sales volume and controlled the shipment of material goods. Now this profession is being modified, and more emphasis is being placed on honing public speaking skills.

A manager is a specialist who is entrusted with the responsible job of managing the company's sales. The employee’s main goal is to competently offer the product to the buyer, and then sell it profitably. Let's find out how to pass an interview for a sales manager.

What qualities should a specialist have?

To successfully pass an interview for a sales manager, you need to know what qualities a specialist should have. The key to success in the profession is the ability to surpass oneself, know the psychology of the client and strive for constant career growth. The main feature of a “salesman” is unlimited earnings, which depend only on completed transactions.

• The sales manager is a speaker and a skilled speaker. He must be able to talk with any clients and competently convey information regarding the product.
• Desire and motivation. Many companies offer excellent working conditions: salary + percentage of each transaction. This means that a specialist can earn as much as he wants. One “but”: a manager must constantly develop his strengths, work on his shortcomings and analyze his failures.
• To be active. You will not pass an interview for a sales manager if you answer the recruiter's questions sluggishly. Every company requires active, cheerful specialists. The reason is simple: a “sales person” works directly with clients and often the financial growth of the company depends on his mood and positivity.
• Stress resistance. Clients are different, and accepting this fact is very important. A professional manager never dwells on the negative and knows how to easily discard conflict situations and resolve controversial issues.

How to prepare for an interview?

Questions and answers for a sales manager interview

• “Tell us about your experience in trade and education?” I graduated from a university with a degree in Accounting and Auditing, and today I am studying remotely and receiving a master’s degree. I have no experience in sales, but I am always ready to learn new things.
• “Where do you see yourself in 5-10-15 years?” I improved my trading skills, perhaps opening my own firm or becoming a head of finance.
• “A client came to you, clearly not in good spirits. He reacts extremely negatively and sharply to all your answers, and at the same time you feel tense. How will you behave?” First of all, I will smile, act lightly and calmly. I will not respond to anger with aggression, and I will not let all the negativity pass through me. Despite this, I will continue to advise the client. I know how to abstract myself in such situations - this is my main advantage.
• "Tell me about your positive and negative sides?" My best traits are determination, thirst for constant growth and activity. My worst traits are arrogance, stubbornness and introspection. Perhaps the negative aspects of sales, on the contrary, will become my advantages.

What questions should you ask a recruiter?

How to pass an interview for a sales manager? It's simple: ask counter questions, show interest. If the recruiter conducts a one-sided conversation, then your candidacy will definitely not suit the company. In this case, all questions should be relevant:

1. Responsibilities of a specialist. An important question, because it often happens that unscrupulous companies hire a specialist as a sales manager, and in the end the new employee does the work of both a secretary and a cleaner. Ask the recruiter to provide you with a list of responsibilities that are signed by the director and specialists.
2. Client base. Find out who is looking for clients. If there is a marketing department, it means the company is successful and the manager will not have to waste time searching for buyers. In some offices, the specialist is given responsibility: he himself places advertisements and tries to attract a client base, while the salary does not increase.
3. Funnel and sales norms. Find out what the average cycle is for an ordinary manager. Ask the recruiter to provide you with an analysis in the form of a chart, which indicates the growth and decline of sales, as well as standards for specialists.
4. Bonus system and salary. In accordance with the law, the company is obliged to provide the specialist with a minimum salary. The rest of the salary comes from completed sales. For this purpose, bonus schemes are being thought out. For example: an employee will receive 5% from each transaction, and when completing 10 sales, he receives an additional bonus of 3,000 rubles.

How does an interview for a sales manager go? As a rule, in small companies a recruiter will meet you in a small office, where they do not always pay attention to the dress code, but in large companies all the details are important:

• The date and time of the interview are set by the recruiter, so it is highly undesirable to be late. A company cannot rely on an irresponsible or unpunctual candidate.
• Watch your appearance: sneakers, greasy hair, bad breath or smeared mascara are a sign of untidiness. The sales manager is the face of the company.
• Bring your portfolio and resume, as well as your degrees and work history. The recruiter may not need a huge folder of documents, but it will be your trump card.
• A quiet voice, shaking hands, a twitching eye are a sign of uncertainty. If you cannot control yourself in front of a simple recruiter, then what can we say about how your behavior will change when you see a client. Pull yourself together and realize that a sales manager is a vacancy that requires maximum confidence from you.
• Answer questions competently, clearly and clearly. Don’t fuss, don’t avoid answering, speak as honestly and openly as possible. Yes, the recruiter may take you by surprise with questions about your personal life. This is why it is important to prepare before the interview using your treasured notepad.

What happens if you lie?

Many people ask the question: “How to pass an interview for a sales manager?” It's simple: don't embellish your answers, don't invent non-existent facts. If you say that you are a stress-resistant and non-conflict person, but in reality you throw your fists at everyone who looks in your direction, then you have no place in trading. Don’t waste yours, your recruiter’s, or your mentor’s time. Remember that before you are sent into the hall to work with clients, the company will conduct training that lasts several days. Therefore, it is recommended to be as honest as possible about your qualities, or to allow a truly worthy candidate to take your place.

This does not apply to all answers: some companies practice Western answers where questions regarding the candidate’s personal life are often used. If you don’t want to say that you are planning children in the next two years, then just let the recruiter hear what he wants.

How to learn to sell cars?

Let's find out how to pass an interview for a car sales manager. This vacancy is considered the most profitable, and all specialists have the opportunity for career growth. To do this, the recruiter must understand how well you know the product being offered. You must understand the models and characteristics of the car. The main task of the “sales person” is to tell the client about all the advantages of the car, using all the eloquence and oratory skills.

Summing up

Now you know how to pass an interview for an active sales manager. Remember that the main thing in this profession is the ability to remain confident. Fear of the public, tightness or modesty are bad qualities that definitely will not help you achieve success in trading.

For several years now, a sales manager has been leading two ratings at once - the most sought-after specialists and the most difficult vacancies, so finding a truly smart sales person is the cherished dream of any HR. How to assess the level of sales at the entrance to the company? After all, the test of selling a pen has not been indicative for a long time.

Description of the situation. How to determine the level of a sales manager during an interview, what competencies and how to test to understand whether he will be successful?

Task. Develop a list of questions that will help identify the skills and abilities required for a salesperson/sales manager.

Tatyana Kopylova, independent HR consultant:

Since sales managers are usually divided into two categories (those who are looking for new clients and those who work with regular clients and clients who have applied themselves), it is first of all important to understand which of these categories the specialist belongs to. If the candidate was involved in both, you need to determine which sales prevailed and which was closer to him.
Standard questions in this block:
Describe your typical work day.
Why did you choose this profession?
Have you ever had to search for clients?
What percentage of the total time was spent searching for clients?
How many calls and meetings do you make daily (weekly)?

An idea of ​​how developed the candidate is client search skills and information processing skills, gives the answer to the following question:
The position of sales manager in our company involves searching for new clients. Tell us how you will find clients?

A good salesperson will determine who potential customers may be (based on the company's field of activity and products), list the sources from which it plans to obtain information, talk about methods for processing this information and how it will identify decision makers, and will outline a plan for its further actions in relation to these clients.

Knowledge
It is also important to understand whether the candidate sells intuitively or has mastery of sales technology. To clarify this point, ask the applicant how he evaluates his knowledge of sales techniques, say, on a five-point scale? Ask him to talk about the stages of sales.

Observation: if a candidate talks about sales technology in his own words (not from books or training) with comments based on his own experience, this means that the knowledge he received at the training or from the book successfully transferred into skills and abilities (and did not end up “on the table” together with training handouts).

It is ideal when the candidate demonstrates mastery of technology during the interview process (because an interview is the same as a sale: greeting, identifying a need, presentation, working with objections, completing a deal).

Experience
Predicting the success (performance) of a candidate can largely be based on his previous experience, which is clarified by the following questions:
How often did you meet your sales targets? How often did you overfulfill?
How did your results compare to others in the department?
Give examples of clients whose attraction to work with the company is your merit.
Tell us about the biggest deal you've ever closed.
Which deal was the most difficult? Why?

Additionally, it is worth asking clarifying, specific questions: how did this or that client appear, with whom the candidate negotiated, what were the difficulties, etc. This helps to understand the real role of the applicant - only the one who conducted the transaction step by step remembers it to the smallest detail. Conversely, if the candidate says “I don’t even remember” or answers vaguely, his merits are probably not as great as he is trying to present it.

It is worth further expanding the question about the largest clients and transactions with them. After the candidate has given examples of such clients, select any of those listed and ask them to tell you in more detail about what kind of project it was, where the client came from (how and by whom he was found), what exactly was sold to him and at what cost (“drain” at the lowest price does not mean being a good seller), what were the difficulties/features of this project, how were they solved, etc.

Observation: Based on the answers (their depth and detail), one can conclude whether this deal is really the merit of the candidate. During the conversation, also be sure to ask who was the decision maker on the transaction in the client’s company. As a rule, the candidate names the position of a specialist, to which a small test-provocation can be arranged in response: “Yes, yes! Alexey Ignatievich? He is a wonderful specialist!” (I choose a name at random, avoiding common combinations of first and middle names; if the candidate’s client was a Western company, I name some not very common, but not extremely rare name). If the candidate really worked with this client, he will either ask a question about who Alexey Ignatievich is, or say that he does not know such and such and worked with such and such. If he starts actively assenting (this also happens!) - draw the appropriate conclusions...

Motivation
The desire to continue your sales career and the direction of that career can be clarified by asking questions like:
What do you like most about being a sales manager? Why?
What, in your opinion, is the most difficult and/or unpleasant part of being a salesperson? Why?
What level of income would you like to reach in a year?
Where do you see yourself in a year, three, five years?
Define the concept of “successful salesman (sales manager).” If the candidate says that he is not very successful and/or there is something to strive for, ask a clarifying question: “What do you lack in order to confidently say that you are successful?”

The answer to the first question allows you to understand how results-oriented the candidate is. The answer must contain words denoting results: “deal”, “sales volume”, “effective”, “achieving goals”, etc. The answer to the last question gives an idea of ​​how the candidate assesses himself as a salesperson.

After reading this article, you will be able to select employees who will not shift responsibility to others, see the true motives of the candidate hidden behind lofty words, and find a leader who will manage firmly but fairly.

It is not your job to correct the shortcomings of humanity. If you hope to change your life partner over time, it is better not to get married. This also applies to work: do not hire people who will have to be remade. Continue interviews until a worthy candidate emerges. In the article we will consider sales manager interview questions, which will help you find a worthy candidate.

The interview tests prepared by the editors of the Commercial Director magazine will help determine the key character traits of your candidate.

MDMQ test, which in 10 minutes will show how a person will act in a difficult situation

Finding real talent takes effort. For example, the giants Google and Microsoft conduct unusual interviews for this. Applicants are asked few questions, but they are “tricky.”

So, Google asks candidates:

• “How many golf balls can fit on a school bus?”
• “You have been reduced to the size of a coin. Your mass has decreased proportionally, but you have retained your original density. Then you were thrown into an empty blender. The blades will start moving after 60 seconds. What will you do?
• “How much does it cost to clean every single window in Seattle?”

Microsoft asks these questions:

• “Why is the manhole cover round?”
• “You have an opaque box with three light bulbs in it. Switches outside. How do you determine which switch corresponds to which light bulb if the box can only be opened once - and only after the positions of all the switches are fixed?
• “How to check the operation of the salt shaker?”

What is of interest to employers is not the answers, but the candidate’s way of thinking and his reasoning. Domestic managers do not lag behind their Western colleagues and give applicants a real shake-up.

• Interview rules: recipes for competent self-presentation

What interview questions will help determine in advance the usefulness of a sales manager?

At Splat, during interviews they ask questions: “What can you teach us?” and “Who is your authority?” Open-ended interview questions give the prospective sales manager the opportunity to show their true colors. Any answers are interesting, the main thing is to see how a person thinks. Some answer that they will help you learn MS Excel, and others say that they will teach you to see beauty or unite people. The answers to the question about authorities are also assessed. This could be parents, someone close to you, a friend, a famous person, etc. It is important that there is such a person. The absence of authorities speaks of narrow-mindedness, unwillingness to think and learn broadly, or pride.

11 questions you should ask during an interview at least once in your life

Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, Reid Hoffman and other CEOs of the world's most famous companies ask unconventional interview questions to see how candidates think and handle problems in real time. Some questions may seem strange to you, but they really work.

Download a list of non-standard interview questions in the article in the electronic magazine “Commercial Director”.

How to check a candidate's honesty during an interview

During interviews at Glinopererabotka, candidates are tested for honesty. To do this, they ask one question: “You have plans for the evening - you are going to go somewhere with your family (girlfriend, boyfriend). But you receive an urgent task that will force you to stay late at work. Personal plans will have to be cancelled. What will you do?” There is no single correct answer - the main thing is that it is honest and reasoned. The falseness is always felt. Sometimes they also ask: “You are faced with unfair reproaches from management against you. How will you react? The answer is evaluated similarly to the first.

• 6 tricky interview questions that will catch you off guard

How to find out if a person is ready to look for solutions

There are people who blame everyone around them, but not themselves. This habit also manifests itself at work. For example, the company “Aibolit Plus” was faced with the following situation: one of the candidates, having decided to prove herself, began to criticize the organization’s strategy and approaches to work. She stated that the Moscow company has nothing to do in the region. At the same time, she did not give any arguments, although she was asked why she thought so and what she would advise. The conclusion is this: the applicant saw only the bad, but did not offer options on how to do better. This suggests that a person will always find reasons why the plan is not fulfilled and the branch does not develop. Such an employee should not be hired.

How to understand the applicant's thoughts

In work, it matters how coherently and logically people express their thoughts. Communication skills and clarity of presentation are especially important in sales. Often the outcome of a transaction depends on the ability to speak. To assess such skills, Barcelonaner asks applicants to write an essay on any topic. Written speech shows the ability to think structurally, designate and develop an idea, and support it with arguments. If a person writes in this style, then he works the same way: sets a goal, identifies stages and consistently moves forward.

A written test is the key to a person's character. If a candidate claims that he is a responsible employee and an expert in his field, but leaves out elementary commas, this is an indicator. Negligence in writing will sooner or later manifest itself in a negligent attitude towards one’s duties.

How to test a candidate's leadership qualities during an interview

At the Glinopererabotka company, to evaluate candidates for a management position, they ask the question: “The subordinate did not complete the task on time. Your actions?". If the answer is “I’ll do it myself in the interests of the company,” they refuse to cooperate with such an applicant. It doesn’t matter what he adds to what was said (for example, he promises to punish the employee). A manager should not fulfill the duties of his subordinates.

To understand how tough a person came to the company, they ask: “A subordinate was rude to you. What will you do?” If a candidate says: “I will educate and explain that the rude person did wrong,” he is cut off. The following answer is expected from a potential manager: “I will stop you severely, I will impose penalties, and if it happens again, I will fire you.” There is no place for liberalism in production.

• Leadership Development: Ways That Will Change Your Mind

Interview questions to test the self-esteem of a sales manager

HR managers ask applicants to name three of their shortcomings. Candidates talk about perfectionism, excessive demands on themselves and others, a large share of time devoted to work at the expense of their personal life, etc. These are cliched phrases that do not correspond to reality. BBDO Group asks people to tell us about two personal growth trainings and two professional trainings that they would like to attend, given an unlimited budget and time. The answer shows the potential employee’s weaknesses and desire to develop. For example, if an applicant names time management training, it means he has problems with self-organization.

Four non-standard questions and two interview tasks

“If you could be any superhero, who would you choose?” The answer will allow you to understand what qualities a person considers the most important and valuable.

“Graphically indicate your professionalism.” Draw a square and explain that this is a “professional field.” Say that a person who has mastered a profession 100% shades the entire square. Ask to paint the portion of the figure that corresponds to the candidate’s professional level. Usually no one shades the square completely. Then ask why the part was left unpainted, and the person will tell you about his shortcomings.

“What is the main reason that pushes you to change?” When choosing a new job, a person wants to change something in life, and perhaps in the work environment or in relationships with people. This way you will find out what the candidate’s priorities and motivation are.

“If I call your former boss, what will he say about you?” When answering this question during an interview, the applicant for the position of sales manager should look at himself from the outside. In addition, he will have to give a reason for changing jobs.

“Explain to your eight-year-old nephew what a database is in three sentences.” Instead of “database,” you can use another term related to the candidate’s work. How quickly and clearly a person explains the essence to the uninitiated will help evaluate professionalism.

“How will you become part of our team?” A new employee requires attention because he still doesn’t know much about the technology of working in the company. To do everything correctly, you will have to interact with a team that will explain something, give advice, and help. The answer to such a question will show whether the candidate thinks about this, whether he understands how his behavior in the first months will affect future relationships with colleagues.

Based on materials from the magazine “General Director”

Every manager is familiar with the problem of hiring sales staff.
One of the most important stages in selecting candidates is the first interview.

And now, the candidate is in front of you. You can start the interview by monitoring how thoroughly the candidate answers questions, whether he hears the interlocutor, and how he reacts to clarifications.

When conducting an interview, it is necessary to pay attention to the movement of the candidate’s hands, his facial expressions, voice parameters, and body position. This will allow you to find out what is hidden behind the words, confirm or refute the information received from the candidate.

We offer you some questions for such an interview.

1. Why are you interested in this particular offer?

This question touches on the candidate's values. Any manager is interested in ensuring that an employee works not only for a salary. An employee who views their work as an opportunity for self-expression and growth will be more successful and purposeful.

Speaking about his true goals and values, the candidate will highlight them with his voice and gestures.

And your task is to decide whether they coincide with the goals and values ​​of the company.

2 . How do you imagine your typical working day?

No knowledge of sales techniques, no past experience will lead to success if the employee does not have the desire to work hard.
The work schedule of a sales manager involves early starts and late ends of the working day, and a large number of telephone contacts and personal meetings with clients.

If the candidate is not prepared for such a busy schedule, then further conversation is useless. This is clearly not your candidate.

If the candidate is ready to work with full effort and time, we continue the interview.

3. How do you determine that you have achieved success?

Suppose the candidate answers: “I can see from the result that I got what I planned.” This is Internal Reference. Another may answer: “As the manager evaluates,” or “If the client is satisfied...” This person has an external reference.

You need to understand how your own opinion and the opinions of other people compare when making decisions and a person’s self-esteem. Some may be oriented towards their own opinion, vision and position - these are people with internal reference. Others are focused on the opinions of others, objective results, accepted norms, and public opinion. These are people with external reference. Good salespeople must be able to take into account the views and needs of the client and at the same time have a clear vision and advocacy for their positions.

When finding out the reference, it is better to ask several questions and, based on the answers received, draw appropriate conclusions.

For example:

“Do you easily adapt to another person’s communication style? Why do you think so?"

“How do you determine whether negotiations with a client were successful?”

4. Do you manage to earn as much as you deserve?

The answer to this question will show how much the candidate values ​​himself and whether he is able to take responsibility for his earnings. A person who is unable to accept responsibility will look for those to blame. Psychologically mature people answer: “It all depends on me: how much I earn, I deserve.”

5. Please name your strong and weak personal qualities.

Judgments without a predominance of increased or decreased self-esteem are a sign of personal maturity.
Often a person, answering this question, inevitably attracts incidents from his life related to relationships in the team, with clients, with management.
Your job is to listen carefully to this story, and then compare it with everything else the candidate says and does in the interview.
For example, if he says that his strength is the ability to work hard, ask a clarifying question: “How does this manifest itself in your behavior?”

6 . What are your strengths as a sales employee?

This question gives you an opportunity to assess how much the candidate knows about sales.
Positive personality traits go a long way toward making a good salesperson, but there are some characteristics that are especially important for success in sales.
These are organization, the ability and desire to listen, self-discipline, and perseverance.

7 . What do you think is the most important thing you will need to convince someone to become a client?

Listen to what the candidate has to say in response, and then explain your point of view. It's good if the candidate says something like: "I must inspire confidence in myself, confidence in the product and the company."

8. How do you think you can convince potential clients of this?

Here you have the opportunity to evaluate the candidate’s sales skills, his ability to be flexible and at the same time persuasive.

If the applicant is lost and cannot give examples from his practice, then he is either a novice seller or not a seller at all. If you have not received an answer to this question, then you need to decide whether you are ready to train new, inexperienced employees.

9. Why should I hire you?

Now you just listen. This question will give you an excellent opportunity to evaluate his sales skills. The most important sale a candidate can make is to sell you on the idea that they are the right person for the job.

10. If you dream, where would you see yourself in a year, three, five years?

The answer to this question will let you know what prospects the candidate is building for himself: this job is just an episode in his life, a step in development, or hopelessness.

If a sales manager candidate tells you that in a few years he wants to open his own business, then rest assured that he will open this business by stealing the company’s client base.

11. What makes you work hard every day?

A well-planned remuneration system is not always the decisive motivating factor in work. Perhaps money will be the least effective motivator in the early stages, when the employee's daily efforts - searching for new clients and trying to establish relationships - do not lead to immediate financial rewards. To succeed in sales for each specific employee, you need to identify his values, motives, and intentions. Don't guess, talk to him about his desires and aspirations. And he himself will point out to you his key motives with his voice, gestures, and facial expressions.

12. What issues have we not discussed yet?

You give the candidate the opportunity to ask questions that interest him.

And at the same time, evaluate his ability to ask questions, which is very important in the sales process.

The interview is over - don't rush to make a decision. Now ask yourself questions:

“Am I satisfied with this candidate as a specialist?”

“What about the subordinate?”

“And as a member of our team?”

Good luck with your decisions and the best employees!