Use these questions to identify a candidate’s technical knowledge and abilities
Use these questions to determine how a candidate handled situations in the past
Use these questions to assess a candidate’s personal traits and cognitive skills
Why this matters
Hiring new members of the sales team is a critical component of a sales manager’s role. A strong sales manager will be able to identify the skills critical for your company and describe how they would go about confirming these traits, including questions they would ask, and what would raise a red flag.
What to listen for
- Strong answers will include descriptions of successful hires the candidate has made in the past.
- Answers should highlight the steps they’d take to test candidates’ skills.
Why this matters
Good sales reps don’t just happen by chance. Even if a company has a training program in place, there are steps a sales manager should take to ensure a new hire’s success. These include training them on company technology and products or service lines, introductions to key people in the organization, team building exercises, and possibly mentoring.
What to listen for
- Candidates should show that they would set out concrete, time-specific goals, provide resources, and regularly touch base to evaluate progress.
- Answers should indicate a goal-oriented mindset.
Why this matters
This is a probe for proactive versus reactive management. You want to hire a sales manager who is proactive. After identifying an issue, they should put in place concrete steps to support the sales rep, whether it’s assigning a mentor, beefing up product knowledge, doing more technical training, or identifying networking opportunities.
What to listen for
- A good response will mention being aware of and proactively monitoring the situation.
- Candidates should demonstrate good listening skills and experience collaborating with their reports to identify problems and come up with a solution.
Why this matters
Firing people is often the hardest part of a sales manager’s job, but sometimes, it’s necessary. A good candidate will walk you through their reasoning for firing the employee, talk about how they mitigated the impact on the team, discuss lessons learned, and describe steps taken for hiring a replacement.
What to listen for
- Look for cues that the candidate can handle tense situations and make tough decisions.
- If they have no prior experience firing employees, probe for their idea of when this is required and how to handle it effectively.
Why this matters
Nothing ever stays constant. Maybe a big deal got held up, one of the manager’s reps had a family crisis, or their biggest competitor introduced a game-changing product. Sales managers need to respond quickly and decisively to changes in their environment, focusing not on what was, but what is.
What to listen for
- A great response will demonstrate adaptability, analysis, and humility.
- Great candidates will show an ability to switch gears quickly and take charge of the situation.
Why this matters
A good sales manager knows that data is king, and that success goes beyond quotas and revenue growth. The job requires them to assess sales pipelines, sources of lead generation, close rates, and trends. Gaining a deeper understanding of your candidate’s experience with and attitude toward data can help you find someone who truly appreciates its worth.
What to listen for
- The candidate should demonstrate a clear understanding of the importance of data in the sales process.
- A strong candidate will also have familiarity with industry-typical customer relationship management (CRM) software.
Why this matters
Being a strong leader isn’t the same as having a forceful personality. You’re looking for someone who fits with your company culture. If forceful and very hands-on is right for your company, then go with that. But if it your firm is more hands-off and encourages individuality, look for indications that this candidate will give reps leeway, while also providing the necessary support.
What to listen for
- Look for candidates whose leadership style aligns with your company’s values and culture—or signs they’ll add something new and beneficial.
- Probe candidate for examples of how they led in previous roles to get a sense for what their leadership skills look like in action.
Why this matters
While compensation is an important consideration for every candidate, it should not be their only driver. Only candidates who are very self-aware will be able to provide a thoughtful answer here. Do they understand their intrinsic motivation, whether it’s chasing a challenge, achieving specific results, or working as part of an energetic team?
What to listen for
- Candidates should display perseverance and passion for the work.
- Look for signs that your working environment is a good fit for them and will help motivate them to do their best work.
Why this matters
Look for the best alignment with your specific role. Is lots of travel appreciated or dreaded? What about working with numbers? Is this person confident in assigning sales territories? A candidate’s priorities need to be in sync with your company’s, or they may not stick around for the long haul.
What to listen for
- Top answers will show genuine enthusiasm and a willingness to learn and follow through, even on the less desirable aspects of the job.
- Aversion to critical components of the role may be a red flag.
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