Top 20 Essential Questions to Ask First-Time Sales Management candidates during the Interview Process
Matt Trzesniewski, Recruiting Manager – GRN Coastal
For Hiring managers, adding a new management position is very important and often includes several candidates who are trying to take their first step into management. Employers can benefit from understanding common queries to better evaluate potential hires, but also get an important sense of what qualities a new hire may need help with to be an effective leader.
Below is a guide to typical sales manager interview questions that you will want to know the answer to, and we have included some sample responses to reference.
Key Sales Manager Interview Questions
- Why is now the right time for you to become a manager?
This question aims to gauge readiness and career progression. We like to see candidates highlight experiences that have prepared them for a managerial role. For example, demonstrating an understanding of various business departments and how they interconnect can show preparedness for increased responsibilities and collaboration skills.
They also may be at a point in their sales career where they want to be a team leader versus individual contributor.
In addition, think about your risk of losing this person if they are an internal candidate. Does this represent the type of advancement they seek elsewhere if not promoted?
Sample Response:
“I’ve spent the last few months enhancing my understanding of our business operations. This comprehensive insight has equipped me with the knowledge to make impactful decisions and guide our team toward achieving our revenue goals.”
- How would the top performer on your team describe you?
This question helps understand their intended leadership style and team dynamic. Sharing specific examples of how they’ve supported top performers can be impactful to understand they can add value to everyone’s success.
Sample Response:
“Our top performers would likely describe me as encouraging and resourceful. Recently, I assisted a sales rep in closing a significant deal by coaching them on effective follow-up communication and product presentation.”
- How will you handle managing former colleagues or someone more senior than yourself?
Internal promotions often require managing former peers, which can be challenging. It’s crucial to establish credibility and clear expectations from the start.
Sample Response:
“I would hold an all-hands meeting to set clear expectations and ensure everyone understands my new role. It’s essential to maintain open communication and continue participating in team activities while making necessary changes.” Even though I would now be the team leader, I want them to know I am still a teammate.
- What makes for a successful coaching session with a sales rep?
Effective coaching involves reviewing performance and setting actionable goals. Drawing from personal experiences provides a clear picture of their coaching methods.
Sample Response:
“Successful coaching sessions include reviewing sales calls, creating action plans, and sharing both wins and losses. These elements help reps understand their strengths and areas for improvement.”
- Are you comfortable analyzing data?
Sales managers need to leverage data to drive decisions. Showing familiarity with data analysis tools and methodologies is crucial.
Sample Response:
“Data analysis is integral to my approach. I use tools like [A] and [B] to evaluate past sales and forecast future performance, which helps set realistic quotas and inform sales strategies.”
- Tell me about a time you didn’t meet your quota. How did you handle it?
Handling setbacks gracefully and proactively is essential. Finding a way to gauge their problem-solving skills is beneficial.
Sample Response:
“During a slow quarter, I missed my quota but promptly informed my manager and sought advice. Together, we developed a strategy that helped me meet my targets in the subsequent quarter. I developed a clear roadmap to success.”
- What are your salary expectations?
This is very important to understand early in the process because many top performing salespeople are used to quality commission structures that can at times exceed what managers make. This is to set the tone up front to see how they can adjust to a base plus bonus structure. Must be careful how you legally ask any salary related questions. The basic “salary expectation” question is a good indicator.
Sample Response:
“I have done well as a salesperson which resulted in great commissions. However, I am at a point where I would like stabilization with a higher base salary and still push for attractive bonus incentives, even if the overall earnings potential may not be as high.”
- Why do you want to manage people?
Understanding the candidate’s motivation for pursuing a managerial role is crucial. Emphasis leadership and team development is key, because it is not good to simply have it be a natural career progression in their eyes.
Sample Response:
“I find immense satisfaction in mentoring and collaborating with my peers. Managing a team would allow me to foster a supportive and productive environment.”
- What training method is most effective for new reps?
Being able to help new additions is pivotal as growth is usually a big factor of a team’s future success.
Sample Response:
“I benefited greatly from peer shadowing, mentoring, and role-playing scenarios. I would incorporate these methods while also tailoring my approach to individual learning styles.”
- How will you manage the different personalities on your team?
Successful management involves adapting to various personality types and working styles.
Sample Response:
“I would start by getting to know each team member through one-on-one meetings. Understanding their communication preferences and working styles would help me create a positive and collaborative environment.”
- How will you turn a C player into an A player?
Fostering underperformers into top performers requires strategic coaching and support.
Sample Response:
“I believe in asking questions to help reps think critically about their performance. By setting realistic goals and providing tailored coaching, I can help C players improve their skills and confidence.”
- What do you think motivates sales reps?
Being able to analyze motivating factors and developing plans to bring out the team’s best is essential for a manager that will exceed expectations.
Sample Response:
“While financial incentives are important, I believe helping clients achieve their goals is equally motivating. Sales reps are often driven by the satisfaction of solving customer problems.”
- What makes a good leader?
This is a very direct way of asking the candidate to outline what they can expect from you, and what you should expect from them.
Sample Response:
“Effective leaders are excellent communicators. They clearly articulate goals and expectations, fostering a transparent and supportive team environment.”
- How would you describe our product to someone outside the company?
Demonstrating knowledge of your company’s product is essential for earning respect of the team and being able to step in when needed. This question also shows you if the candidate has done some research and is prepared.
Sample Response:
“[X] is a product designed to support tech industry professionals by providing insights into job opportunities and educational content to enhance their skills.”
- What do you find most rewarding about sales?
Highlighting what the candidate enjoys most about sales gives you an idea on how they will try to mold their team.
Sample Response:
“I thrive in a team environment where we push each other to succeed. Celebrating collective wins and learning from challenges is incredibly rewarding.”
- What do you dislike about sales?
Acknowledging the challenges they’ve encountered, while showing how they overcame them demonstrates resilience needed in leading others.
Sample Response:
“While the pressure can be intense, I find breaking down tasks into manageable steps helps me stay focused. I would encourage my team to adopt a similar approach.”
- In six months, how will you know you’re successful?
Consider both quantitative and qualitative measures of success. If the candidate has not thought about what success looks like in this position, then they may not be ready.
Sample Response:
“Success means consistently meeting performance targets and maintaining high team engagement. I would also evaluate the effectiveness of our onboarding and training programs.”
- Tell me about a challenging sales call you had. How did you handle it?
This question is another example of how to tie in multiple important qualities a manager needs to understand when supporting a team such as honesty, humility, and problem resolution in front of customers.
Sample Response:
“During a challenging call, I paused to understand the client’s frustration and walked them through our product step by step. This approach helped regain control of the conversation and provided clarity.”
19.What would you do in the first 30-60-90 days on the job?
Here you want the candidate to tell you how they can hit the street running, give you a visible roadmap to success. Plot out what they feel is necessary to be successful right away.
Sample Response:
“The first thing I would like to do is sit down with upper management and get a clear vision of the long-term goals of my team. Then, I would sit down with each member of the team individually to understand their strengths and weaknesses, so I could look at the quickest things I can do to set them up for success. Following that, I would get the team together to establish common goals we will all be working towards. Once the team understands that I am there to support them, I plan on meeting with channel partners for introductions and an understanding of what can be done to improve our relationships. By month two, I plan on scheduling joint sales calls with the team to make sure I meet our key accounts and mentor the team where needed. During the third month, I will have enough data on the team and business to implement strategies that start making a significant impact on reducing our bottom line and effectively growing sales in areas that are needed.”
- Why should we hire you?
The ultimate question for a salesperson to give themselves a shoot-out. See how they sell themselves!
Sample Response:
“Thank you for the opportunity to discuss why I believe I am an excellent fit for this position. Here are a few reasons why I believe I would be a valuable addition to your team: I have [X] years of relevant experience in this market, a proven track record of success in not just growing sales and establishing new business but also fostering growth in my colleagues, strong problem solving abilities to make sure we can win not just the easy opportunities but also get creative to win opportunities you don’t currently have, strong team collaboration and leadership to listen to others and develop the best plan of action from every angle, and the passion and commitment to provide the results you would not see without me.”
Tips to Hire a Successful Sales Manager
- Watch for Red Flags: Investigate the candidate’s transparency and ability to lead others through great times and hard times – have they overcome hurdles that will help others grow.
- Do Your Research Around Compensation: Understand the market and be prepared to negotiate based on the type of manager you need in place.
- Revisit Past Deals: If a candidate does not have concrete examples of the ways they’ve grown and succeeded then it may be difficult for them to win respect from the team.
- Look for signs of great communication and emotional intelligence skills: First time managers will need to be assertive when instructing, but empathetic when coaching. But the bottom line is they will always need to be available for everything in between.
- Look for Leaders Before They Have the Title.
