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Interviewing Sales Leaders: 20 Key Questions to Hire Top Performers
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Interviewing Sales Leaders: 20 Key Questions to Hire Top Performers

Written by Darren Timmins

Darren is a Co-founder of Animate Search and Talent Management industry elder (sadly). Living in Barcelona and working across Europe he is inspired by the different challenges the diverse region brings up every day for his clients.If you have a Talent Management challenge and need some advice feel free to reach out on darren@animatesearch.com

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Interviewing Sales Leaders for your organization is essential for driving growth and success in the sales department. With top candidates being highly sought after, it’s crucial to ask the right questions to separate the good from the great. In this article, we’ll be exploring 20 key questions that will help you assess the leadership, selling abilities, strategy, personality, and culture fit of potential sales leaders.

 

Hiring junior salespeople? Here are some killer questions for you too.

 

Leadership

Effective leadership is a critical factor in determining the success of a sales team. Asking questions that test a candidate’s leadership skills will provide valuable insight into their ability to motivate and mentor their team, adapt to different team dynamics, and drive results.

1. Can you give an example of developing and mentoring a high-performing sales team?

2. How have you adapted your leadership style for diverse team members and what was the impact on performance?

3. How do you approach creating a sales culture that emphasizes innovation, risk-taking, and accountability?

4. Can you share a situation where you had to effectively deal with an underperforming sales team?

5. How have you built and maintained a top-performing sales team in a competitive market?

Selling

The primary goal of a sales leader is to drive customer satisfaction, increase sales and revenue, and be more efficient in the process. Asking questions that test a candidate’s selling abilities will help you determine if they have the right methodology and experience to lead your sales team to success.

6. How do you build trust and credibility with customers in complex or long-term sales cycles?

7. Can you share an example of a challenging deal negotiation and the strategies used to reach a successful outcome?

8. Can you give an example of a successful sales campaign you planned and executed?

9. How have you effectively introduced a new product to the market?

10. Can you describe a time when you disrupted a traditional sales market and created new opportunities?

Strategy

A well-defined sales strategy is crucial for maximizing sales team efforts and driving business success. Asking questions that test a candidate’s strategic skills will help you determine if they have the ability to stay ahead of the competition, accurately forecast sales, and effectively manage sales risks.

11. How do you stay on top of industry trends and stay ahead of competition?

12. How do you approach sales forecasting and what methods have you found to be most accurate?

13. Can you describe a time when you had to pivot your sales strategy and what influenced your decision?

14. Can you share a situation where you made a significant investment in sales resources and what factors were considered?

15. How do you effectively manage and mitigate sales risks?

Personality and Culture Fit

Asking questions based on personality traits and cultural fit will provide valuable insight into a candidate’s ability to lead a team, connect with customers, and navigate complex environments. Assessing these traits will help you determine if a candidate is the best fit for your organization’s values and goals.

16. How do you maintain a positive outlook in challenging situations?

17. Recall a moment when you worked outside your comfort zone and how you handled it.

18. How do you maintain high ethical standards in your sales practices?

19. Discuss a instance where you were faced with a difficult political situation and the measures you took to keep the team on track.

20. Illustrate a situation in which you had to make a decision between hitting your sales target and prioritizing the customer’s needs.

 

We hope you find this guide useful when interviewing sales leaders. What do you think about our questions? Also, if you have a killer question of your own, please leave a comment below.

Written by Darren Timmins

Darren is a Co-founder of Animate Search and Talent Management industry elder (sadly). Living in Barcelona and working across Europe he is inspired by the different challenges the diverse region brings up every day for his clients.If you have a Talent Management challenge and need some advice feel free to reach out on darren@animatesearch.com

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