10 typical inquiries from entry-level sales interviews
It takes a lot of work to get a job, particularly if you’re starting out in a new field with an entry-level position. Strong communication abilities and confidence are crucial for a position in sales, and proper preparation can help you show these qualities during an interview. In this post, you can review our summary of 10 typical entry-level sales interview questions and sample answers. entry-level sales interviews
10 inquiries for a sales interview at the entry level
Following are 10 common questions asked during entry-level sales interviews, along with advice on how to answer them and examples:
1. What inspires you to achieve success, in your opinion?
When the hiring manager asks you this question during an interview, they might be interested to discover how you approach your goals, whether you’d be a good fit for the present corporate culture, and what your passions are. You can reply by outlining your actual passions and areas of interest in respect to the post.
Example: “My motivation comes from making and attaining goals, and I constantly work to improve my skills. Deadlines help me stay motivated since they enable me to keep track of each objective along the way. I feel satisfied when plans for efforts are realized.”
2. How would you describe yourself in a few sentences?
Even though this question could seem introspective, it actually gives your prospective employer a chance to get to know you better and determine how aware you are of your assets and abilities. With this interview question, you may show that you can juggle personal and professional information. Prior to explaining why you are interested in a career in sales in general and with this company in particular, consider making a brief introduction, noting your hometown and place of school.
Example: “Although I was born in Tampa, Florida, I was raised in Denver, Colorado. I earned my undergraduate degree in business management from the University of Washington. There, I discovered my love for sales, and ever since then, I’ve been looking for a firm with a great working culture that actually loves its employees. I’m really happy to be working at F&J Technology for this reason.”
3. What do you see as your biggest strength?
With this query, you can outline your contributions to the team and highlight your abilities. If the interviewer uses this question to test your level of self-awareness, it may be helpful to respond with a quality that the employer would find valuable or that would make you a good fit for the position. It may also be beneficial to avoid characteristics like “perfectionist” or “workaholic,” as these can come off as flaws or sound overly generic. After asking friends and family to identify your greatest strengths for you, pick one.
Example: “perseverance and drive. I enjoy establishing goals and achieving them. I’m committed to constantly improving myself since I consider myself to be my only opponent. That is why I made the decision to seek a career in sales, where there are clear goals and expectations that I am dedicated to meeting.”
4. What are your long-term professional objectives or aspirations?
Those who set realistic goals are more likely to be viewed favorably by recruiting managers as motivated and logical thinkers. With this question, you may show a potential employer that you have an eye on the future and how your personal growth can benefit their company in the long run. When submitting an application for an entry-level employment, it may be useful to include your professional aspirations and devote extra effort to communicating your excitement and interest in a future with the organization.
Example: “In the long run, I want to rise through the ranks of the same company for more than ten years and work in sales management and administration. Within the next five years, I hope to become one of your top regional salesmen and an expert on F&J Technology’s digital goods.”
5. Which teams and in what capacity have you previously worked?
One of your most important professional skills is your ability to communicate and operate in a team. You can participate in a team by working on a group project in college or by having prior work experience. Because you’re applying for an entry-level position, you can pick a project where another team member took the lead and instead highlight your distinct skills and contributions.
Example: “In college, I participated on the policy debate team, and by the time I graduated, I had supported over 50 newcomers in joining the team and succeeding. As a result of this experience, I now feel comfortable taking on leadership roles and am more understanding of brand-new team members.”
6. How would you help your group understand when priorities shift?
Although this question could seem to be industry-specific, you can use your answer to show your adaptability and leadership skills. Consider developing a solid plan that takes into account every staff engaged. Display your self-assurance in your ability to be flexible and your enthusiasm in finding out the details of the shift.
Example: “I’d like to emphasize how excited I am about the prospect of evolving and growing with my coworkers. I would inform everyone of the change and try to determine why it took place so that we could all collaborate to meet the changing goals of the organization.”
7. List the three factors that, in your opinion, have helped you succeed in life.
Be sure to highlight how other people have influenced both your success and your life in your response. Hiring managers who might use this question to pick out haughty candidates might be impressed if you emphasize the influence of mentors, educators, family, or coworkers. This will show hiring managers that you are a humble and compassionate team member.
Example: “I would have to start by giving credit to my parents, who taught me the importance of perseverance and diligent work. They also gave me the chance to enroll in a university, where I met Dr. Jones, who later became my mentor and provided me with the information and direction I needed to pursue my ideal career. Last but not least, I’m really grateful that I ran into my previous manager at work, as it pushed me to pursue my interest in sales professions more seriously and made me feel valued and appreciated.”
8. How do you keep up with the most recent market sales trends?
Even though this could seem challenging, especially if you lack prior industry expertise, you can include online research or freshly released books you’ve read about the sales industry. No matter what business experience you have, your employer is probably interested in knowing how seriously you are committed to a career in sales and what independent work you undertake to keep current.
Example: “Early on, I realized that if I wanted to keep up with industry norms, I had to be proactive outside of work. Because of this, I now read a book every month about best practices and useful sales tips, and I also subscribe to the National Online Business Journal.”
9. How did you react to a review of your work?
Employers want to know how you’ll handle criticism because you’ll likely receive a lot of it in an entry-level position. Keep a positive attitude and show that you are eager to learn. Write about a time when someone offered a critique of your work, and even though you didn’t agree with what they said, you still paid attention to it. You have the opportunity to show that you were receptive to criticism, that you voiced your ideas, and that you changed your work or behavior as a result by answering this question. Share your findings and how the event helped you grow as a final thought.
Example: “My ability to learn from criticism is something I value, but when my former employer critiqued how I set up the new filing system, my natural reaction was to defend my strategy and the reasons I changed how things were organized. After learning the rationale behind the criticism, however, I realized that I could change my file system to take my manager’s recommendations into account and that doing so would be best for the entire company.”
10. What makes this company and this role desirable to you?
This is your moment to showcase your deep expertise of the business and the position, as well as to convince the interviewer that you are enthusiastic about the task and eager to get started. If you conduct some prior research on the position and firm and develop a list of the things that interest you or stand out to you, it might help when you respond. Justify your suitability for the job if the position plays to your strengths.
Example: “I’m passionate about supplying consumers with worthwhile items, which is why I’m interested in this position. I have a great speaking voice and a compassionate ear, which helps me comprehend the client and adapt your services to their technological needs. The thing that most excites me about the firm is that it gives opportunity for professional development within a group of dedicated individuals who are all working toward the same purpose.”
