Sales interview

Sales Interviews 101

Written by Samrat Parasnis

Here are the Top 10 Questions you should ask a candidate in a sales interview to assess their skills, experience, and suitability for the role:

1. Can you walk me through your sales process from prospecting to closing?

Evaluates their structured approach, strategic thinking, and familiarity with the sales cycle.

2. Tell me about a time you turned a “no” into a “yes.” How did you do it?

Tests their resilience, objection-handling skills, and persuasion techniques.

3. What do you know about our company and our product/service? How would you sell it to me?

Checks their preparation, research skills, and ability to tailor a pitch.

4. How do you handle rejection in sales? Give me an example.

Assesses their emotional intelligence and ability to stay motivated despite setbacks.

Sales interview

5. What has been your biggest sales achievement so far?

Reveals their track record, key accomplishments, and sales performance.

6. How do you prioritize and manage your pipeline effectively?

Evaluates their time management, organization, and CRM usage.

7. Describe a difficult customer you’ve dealt with and how you handled the situation.

Measures their conflict resolution, adaptability, and customer relationship skills.

8. What sales tools and technologies have you used? Which ones do you prefer and why?

Tests their familiarity with CRM systems, automation tools, and digital selling techniques.

9. If we gave you a sales quota, how would you plan to meet or exceed it?

Analyzes their goal-setting, strategic planning, and execution mindset.

10. Why do you want to work in sales, and what keeps you motivated?

Reveals their passion for sales, intrinsic motivation, and long-term career goals.

Published May 1, 2025

Samrat Parasnis

Samrat Parasnis is a seasoned entrepreneur and recognized thought leader in B2B Sales. He is the founder of NovaVente, a sales advisory and operations firm that builds, trains, and manages high-performance sales teams for global organizations. Now in its ninth year, NovaVente has partnered with leading companies worldwide to enhance their inside sales, presales, field sales, and strategic sales functions.Before founding NovaVente, Samrat held sales leadership roles at major technology enterprises, driving business across European markets. He is a frequent speaker on B2B Sales at top business schools and industry platforms such as NASSCOM.