Interviewing sales people…… always a special situation.

1.         An interview with a sales person is a sales call (for them). They are there to sell you on hiring them if they are good, they should be using most of the same techniques as they would use representing your business.

2.         Sales people are hunters, not farmers. Look for a higher ego (a high ‘I’  on the DISC scale)  than you would seek in other employees, one that will be fuelled by recognition.   

3.         An experienced sales person will know how to qualify a prospect…in this case, YOU are the prospect. Is he/she asking you qualifying questions? Is he attempting to identify your needs in the position?

4.         Prepare yourself for less control in a sales interview. It is better to let the prospect take over the interview than struggle over the agenda.

5.         Know what type of sales person you are seeking. Poodles and pit bulls are both dogs! A friendly type may be good at institutional selling, but less so for extensive cold calling.

6.         If you are looking for a closer---then make them close on you! Observe how they wind up the interview.  Do they move towards a decision point? Do they ask closing questions?

7.         Check if the sales candidate is able to analyse their own selling technique. Ask: “With what you NOW know about the company, how would you change the responses you gave during the first 5 minutes of this interview”.

 Working with you…..        

Chris Wilkinson.                                                                                                                         

Certified Business Behaviour & Attitudes Analyst.               

Business Coach.