How to interview for a sales manager? Questions and answers

2024 Author: Howard Calhoun | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 10:16

In order to recruit staff, a recruiter needs to conduct an interview. The meeting of a potential employee and a future employer, as a rule, is carried out through a dialogue. The task of the recruiter is to find out all your positive and negative qualities, to determine professionalism and competence. After the interview, the recruiter will decide whether the candidate is suitable for the job 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 this

First of all, this is a seller who knows how to competently, beautifully and tasty talk about a product. If abroad managers can manage entire departments, then in Russia the definition of a profession is slightly distorted. Initially, the employee not only sold, but also regularly analyzed. He noted the growth or fall in sales, 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 a responsible job - managing the company's sales. The main goal of the employee is to competently offer the product to the buyer, and then sell it profitably. Let's find out how to pass a sales manager interview.

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, to know the psychology of the client and strive for constant career growth. The main feature of the "salesperson" is unlimited earnings, which depends only on completed transactions.

• Sales manager is a speaker and a skilled speaker. He must be able to talk with any customers, competently convey information regarding the product.
• Aspiration and motivation. Many companies offer excellent working conditions: salary + percentage from 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.
• Be active. You will not pass a sales manager interview if you are sluggish in answering the recruiter's questions. Every company needs active, cheerful specialists. The reason is simple: the "salesperson" works directly with clients and often depends on his mood and positive attitude.financial growth of the company.
• Stress resistance. Clients are different, and it is very important to accept this fact. A professional manager never dwells on the negative, he can easily discard conflict situations and resolve controversial issues.

How to prepare for an interview?

We offer you a list of questions for a sales manager interview. Use the advice to get the recruiter to notice your candidacy: get a notebook, write down the questions below, and then answer them honestly, beautifully and competently in writing. Study carefully all your phrases, get rid of parasitic words and jargons. Practice your answers in front of a mirror or a friend, and don't be afraid to get creative with additional information. You can also record your monologue on a voice recorder and listen to the voice setting, volume and diction. These parameters are taken into account by the recruiter, because, as mentioned above, a "salesperson" is a skilled speaker.

Sales Manager Interview Questions and Answers

• "Tell us about your experience in trade, education?". I graduated from the university with a degree in Accounting and Audit, today I am studying remotely and getting a master's degree. No sales experience, but I'm always willing to learn new things.
• "Where do you see yourself in 5-10-15 years?". I improved my trading skills, maybe started my own firm or became the head of the finance department.
• "The client came to you is clearly not in a good mood. He reacts extremely negatively and sharply to all your answers, while you feel heated. How will you behave?". First of all, I will smile, carry myself lightly and calmly. I will not respond with aggression to anger, and I will not let all the negativity through me. Despite this, I will continue to advise the client. I can abstract in such situations - this is my main plus.
• "Tell me about your positive and negative aspects?". My best features are purposefulness, a thirst for constant growth and activity. My worst traits are arrogance, stubbornness and introspection. Perhaps the negative sides in sales, on the contrary, will become my pluses.

What questions should a recruiter ask?

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

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 the secretary and the cleaner. Ask the recruiter to provide you with a list of responsibilities, which are signed by the director and specialists.
2. Customer base. Specify who is looking for clients. If there is a marketing department, it means that the company is successful and the manageryou have to spend time looking for buyers. In some offices, the specialist is responsible: he places ads himself and tries to attract a client base, while wages do not increase.
3. Funnel and Sales Rates. Specify what is the average cycle for an ordinary manager. Ask the recruiter to provide you with an analysis in the form of a chart showing the growth and decline in sales, as well as the norms for specialists.
4. Bonus system and salary. According to 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, bonus schemes are thought out. For example: an employee will receive 5% from each transaction, and when 10 sales are made, he receives an additional bonus - 3,000 rubles.

Helpful tips

How is the sales manager interview going? As a rule, in small companies you will be received by a recruiter 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 is set by the recruiter, so being late is highly undesirable. The company cannot rely on an irresponsible or unpunctual candidate.
• Watch your appearance: sneakers, greasy hair, halitosis or smudged mascara are signs of untidiness. The sales manager is the face of the company.
• Bring your portfolio and resume along with your diplomas and track record. Possibly a huge folder withthe recruiter will not need documents, but this will become your trump card.
• Quiet voice, shaking hands, twitching eye - a sign of insecurity. If you can’t 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 job that requires maximum confidence from you.
• Answer questions correctly, clearly and clearly. Do not play around, do not avoid answers, speak as honestly and openly as possible. Yes, it is possible that a recruiter will take you by surprise with questions about your personal life. That is why it is important to prepare before the interview using the treasured notebook.

What happens if you lie?

Many people ask the question: "How to pass an interview for a sales manager?". It's simple: do not embellish your answers, do not invent non-existent facts. If you say that you are a stress-resistant and non-conflict person, but in fact you throw your fists at everyone who looks in your direction, then you have no place in trading. Don't waste your time, your recruiter's time, or your mentor's time. Remember that before you are sent to 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 let really worthy candidates take your place.

This does not apply to all answers: some companies practice Western negotiating techniques, which often usequestions relating to the personal life of the candidate. If you don't want to tell that you are planning children in the next two years, then just let the recruiter hear what he wants.

How to learn how to sell cars?

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

Summing up

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