20 Job Interview Questions and Answers for Sales Managers

Job interviews for sales management jobs can be very challenging. You’ll be asked a number of tricky questions about your skills, achievements, experiences and sales ability. In order to stand out from the competition, you need be ready to ace these questions.

This guide includes 20 common sales management job interview questions, as well as example answers and tips to help you succeeding in your job interview.

Study the questions in this guide and prepare your answers in line with our job interview tips to give yourself a better chance of standing out from the crowd.

This question lets the interviewer get to know you and learn a bit about your background, as well as your experiences as a sales manager.

Try to use your answer to demonstrate why you’re an ideal candidate for the job. Keep the focus on your career, rather than your personal life. You may want to touch on how you got into sales, your career experiences, your biggest achievements or your passion for sales.

Here is an example answer to this question:

‘I began my career in sales as a sales executive at Example Company in 2010. In 2012, I achieved promotion to the role of sales manager. Since then, I have been employed in sales management roles in the SaaS industry.

In 2014, I received an award from Example Company for Best Sales Manager of the Year as a result of my sales performance. I had successfully sold more SaaS solutions in 12 months than anyone else in the company’s history.

Since 2015, I have been working for example company, managing relationships with large customers and driving the sale of SaaS solutions across the Southwest region. I am passionate about SaaS, and I am now eager to commence a new challenge in this sphere.’

The goal of this question is to see if you are aligned with the company’s values and if you’ve actually researched the company.

Research is very important when answering this question. By conducting research, can tailor your answer to show how your values match the company’s values.

But how do you research the company?

You could conduct research by studying the job description, reading the job advert, looking at the about section on the company’s website or reading articles about the company.

Here is an example answer to this question:

‘One of the main reasons I want to work for your company is because of the opportunities for professional development. I am passionate about professional growth, and I am always seeking ways to improve my skill set and my capabilities. As such, I feel this job would give me plenty of opportunities for promotion and enable me to achieve my career goals.

Also, I recently read an article about the steps your company is taking to promote diversity in the workplace. During my career, I have executed a number of initiatives to promote diverse & inclusion, so I feel aligned with your company on this issue.’

The key to answering this question is to show how you have used the experience to improve. If you can show how the experience of failing allowed you to develop as a sales manager, you’ll make a positive impression on the interviewer.

Considering using the STAR method when answering behavioural questions such as this one. STAR, which stands for situation, task, action and result, is a method used to answer job interview questions. When using this method, you start by describing the situation, followed by the task, the action you took and the end result.

Here is an example answer to this question:

‘While employed as a sales manager at Example Company, I had been given a goal of achieving securing 25 new deals within the year. By the end of the year, I had only secured 23 new deals.

Initially, I was very disappointed in my performance. I spoke to my manager and we discussed where I may have gone wrong. We determined that I could have done more to build profitable relationships with potential clients.

Since then, I have always taken steps to build robust client relationships. This involves taking clients out to dinner and getting to know them personally. In the three years since I failed to meet my sales goal, I have exceeded all sales targets that I have been given.’

This question gives you the opportunity to stand out from the competition. In just a few sentences, you can show recruiters how you add value as a sales manager and why they should employ you.

If possible, use numbers to bolster your answer. Quantifying your achievement makes it stand out and more tangible.

Here is an example answer to this question:

When I was employed as sales manager at Example Company, I was given the target of securing three million pounds in sales within a set period. By the end of this period, I had achieved over eight million pounds in sales.

One of the keys to exceeding targets by almost 200% was my relationship building skills. I got to know potential clients on a personal level. I spoke with them about their needs and approached sales as a way of solving problems for clients.

As a result of my success during this period, I was presented with an award for Sales Person of the Year by Senior Management.

Interviewers ask this question to see if you understand what skills are needed to perform the role of sales manager. They also want to see if you possess those skills.

Here is an example answer to this question:

‘I believe all sales managers should have excellent relationship building skills. Building robust relationships with clients has enabled me to exceed sales targets year-on-year. Without strong client relationships, I believe sales managers will always struggle to hit targets.

I also think communication is a vital skill for sales managers. The ability to communicate effectively with potential clients to demonstrate a product or service’s value is crucial.’

Interviewers ask this question to see which sales style you are most familiar with. You may use a transactional sales style, a consultative sales style or a collaborative sales style, among many others.

They also want to determine if your approach to sales is aligned with their own.

Here is an example answer to this question:

‘Having worked in SaaS sales for over 10 years, I use a consultative sales style. Using this style, my approach to sales in built on solving problems for customers and helping them achieve their goals. I actively listen to client’s concerns and ask the right questions, which enables me to offer and sell the appropriate SaaS solution.’

Many interviewees find this a very daunting question, but it doesn’t need to be. We all have weaknesses. How we manage those weaknesses is the important thing.

The key to this question is to show how your weakness doesn’t have a negative impact on your role as a sales manager. You should also demonstrate the steps you take to improve on the weakness.

Here is an example answer to this question:

‘My biggest weakness is public speaking. I sometimes get shy when delivering speeches to large audiences. As a sales manager, I occasionally have to deliver product presentations. My shyness hasn’t stopped me from delivering presentations, but it does make me uncomfortable.

I have recently joined a public speaking club to improve my confidence in this area and learn public speaking techniques. Having already performed in two competitions, I have noticed that my confidence has improved greatly.’

Monitoring sales performance is key to achieving goals. Without monitoring sales performance, you won’t be able to see where you’re going wrong and make improvements.

Here is an example answer to this question:

‘I monitor sales performance by establishing goals and implementing KPIs. I also use CRM systems, including Salesforce, to track sales performance and gain a Birdseye view of how things are going. In my most recent role, I had sales KPIs displayed on a large TV screen to display the progress of teams’ sales performance.’

Data and analytics play a huge role in sales. Being able to utilise data and analytics can be the difference between achieving your sales goals and missing them.

For this reason, interviewers may want to know if you can exploit data to enable good decision-making and improve sales performance.

Here is an example answer to this question:

‘I am an expert with Google Analytics, which I use to analyse data related to lead generation and field performance. I also use Google analytics to perform A/B testing on various products in order to enable sound decision-making. Additionally, I analyse historical data gain valuable insight and learn about sales tactics that have been most effective.’

This question is designed to learn about your long-term goals and see if you plan to stay at the company you’re interviewing with.

Of course, if you don’t intend to stay with the company long-term, it may be a good idea to avoid mentioning it at this stage.

Here is an example answer to this question:

Within five years’, I hope to have improved my sales skills and achieved all the targets set for me. I also hope to have achieved promotion within your company and landed a role as a sales director. One of the reasons I pursued this role was because of the opportunities for professional development, so I would hope to have climbed the ladder within five years.

Interviewers ask this question to find out if your salary expectation matches theirs.

Initially, you would be wise to avoid providing the interviewer with a specific number. Instead, give them a range, such as between fifty-thousand pounds and sixty-five-thousand pounds. This will give you wiggle room for negotiation at a later stage.

Interviewers ask this question to find out if your salary expectation matches theirs.

Initially, you would be wise to avoid providing the interviewer with a specific number. Instead, give them a range, such as between fifty-thousand pounds and sixty-five-thousand pounds. This will give you wiggle room for negotiation at a later stage.

At the end of job interviews, the interviewer will ask if you have any questions. Always respond to this by asking at least one question. By saying no, you would indicate that have little interest in the job.

Questions that you could ask the interviewer include:

- What do people enjoy most about working at your company?

- Could you tell me about the opportunities for professional growth at your company?

- What career paths do you see for people who are employed in this role?

Hopefully you have found this guide to sales manager interview questions helpful. When pursuing sales management jobs, you’ll need a strong CV. View our ultimate guide to writing a sales management CV, which includes three sales management CV templates.