Many sales professionals neglect to prepare properly for their job interviews. They feel that their excellent communication and interpersonal skills will carry them through the interview. While these are a great asset in any sales job it is essential to prepare for your sales interview.

Plan good sales interview answers to these typical sales job interview questions.

What do you like and dislike about the sales process?

This question is asked to explore the candidate's self-awareness and motivation. Know your strengths in the sales process as these will translate into what you like. Your "likes" and strengths should correspond to the main priorities of this sales position.

For example, if your strength is negotiating, describe how you enjoy this aspect of sales and your satisfaction at coming up with win-win solutions. Highlight how this has resulted in both satisfied customers and increased sales which is what this position is looking for.

When responding to the "dislikes" go carefully! The best approach is to choose a characteristic of your present or previous company such as its poor delivery on the sales you made or its lack of flexibility when it came to negotiating sales solutions. Answer in a positive manner as someone who is able to take these sort of problems in their stride and constructively improve on them. For example if the delivery of company products was slow and resulted in angry customers, discuss how you instituted a follow-up process that accelerated delivery.

What is your psychology of selling?

This is where you demonstrate your understanding of the entire structure of selling. Focus on your view of selling as a professional service directed at showing the customer how your product or service meets their needs and improves their lives.

Prepare a concise sales interview answer that highlights your knowledge of how to communicate and build rapport with a client, ask the right questions, identify and understanding the client's values, motives and needs, offer the appropriate solutions, handle objections and close the sale. Include adapting to different personality types and using persuasive communication skills.

What do you think are the most important skills in succeeding in sales?

Put a number on the skills so that you can structure your sales interview answer around this. For example, "I think the 3 most important sales skills are ...". Rather than referring to specific sales techniques focus on competencies and abilities that every successful salesperson needs, such as:

• the ability to adjust your approach to different people and situations


• the ability to ask the right questions and listen carefully


• the ability to deal with disappointment and rejection


• the ability to stay motivated with a high energy level


• the ability to plan and prepare


• the ability to influence and persuade


• the ability to negotiate and reach agreement

Sell me this pen

This is a favorite sales interview question for trainee-type sales jobs. Sales interview answers to the "Sell me this product" question should clearly show your ability to uncover the customer's needs and wants, to select key features of the product and to sell the benefits of these features to the customer.

The benefits should meet the customer's needs and make the sale. A basic rule of selling is to sell the benefits the customer will gain from the product rather than the list of features the product has.

Candidates who are inexperienced in sales will often answer this question by listing all the attributes of the pen without finding out the customer's needs and wants or explaining the benefits of each of the features. Discovering these needs and wants relies on asking questions and listening and this is where you start with your answer.

Ask the interviewer/customer open-ended questions that identify his or her needs and wants about pens such as, "What is important to you when selecting a pen?"

Then select the features that provide the relevant benefits. For example if the buyer wants a pen that is comfortable to hold, the seller points out the pen's rubber grip and explains how this allows for greater comfort.

Practice this sales interview answer technique and you will impress as a seasoned salesperson!

Treat the sales interview like a sales meeting. Know your product - you! Consider your strengths and weaknesses, your key achievements, what makes you the right candidate for this sales job?

What is your unique selling proposition that makes you stand out from the competition? Research the companybeforehand, just as you would any client. Analyze the position and identify the needs. Prepare sales interview answers that persuade the interviewer that you are able to meet their needs.

The sales interview will also include questions about your knowledge and application of sales principles and practices such as overcoming objections, qualifying prospects and closing the sale. Get help with preparing interview answers to these questions at Best Interview Answers for a Sales Position.

Expect a number of behavioral interview questions in your sales job interview. Go through these Sales Job Behavioral Interview Questions with answer guidelines and be well prepared.

Retail Sales Job Description

View common job interview questions and answers to prepare good responses to typical interview questions.