“I typically connect with prospects after they’ve made contact with a customer service representative or outreach coordinator in the prospecting phase. New and experienced hiring managers alike can benefit from switching up their interview questions every now and then. So before your next appointment, consider updating your questions to learn more about the person behind the resume. This question demonstrates the candidate’s personality and their long-term career goals.

There’s never a perfectly defined path a sales development representative can take to find success. But by relying on their gut, they can determine the best course of action no matter the situation. This question identifies candidates with a growth mindset who learn from the sales industry’s best. This question helps understand which candidates can learn about products quickly. You’ll learn a lot about what the candidate values, how they work with others, and what kind of leadership they thrive under.

“Have you ever been in a customer service role? What were your favorite and least favorite parts?”

Key questions will determine whether or not the prospect is worth their time. A great candidate will have a clear understanding of what types of customers are the right fit—and which questions will provide that insight. The most effective sales development representatives are resourceful and motivated to hit or exceed quotas. They should be aware of any performance shortfalls and proactively fix them.

An excellent sales manager must have done many appraisals and identified their superpower over the years. This might seem like a huge ask, but the answer illustrates your candidate’s values and motivations. You’d also want to know if their previous employer had a culture that was inclusive or accepting of people from different backgrounds. You want to bring on talent that is already familiar with your team culture. If the client was not in an inclusive environment, look for a constructive response on how the last company could have done better. Collaboration might be less important at some organizations than others, but candidates who aren’t willing to collaborate at all likely won’t make pleasant co-workers.

Executive Interview Questions to Help Find the Right Fit

Sales managers want to ensure that you understand the importance of tracking progress and measuring success in a sales role. By asking about KPIs, they want to gauge your ability to identify the most relevant indicators and demonstrate your commitment to continuous improvement. Ultimately, they want to know that you’ll be data-driven and focused on achieving results that align with the company’s goals.

If the candidate was able to keep their cool under pressure, they’re likely well-equipped to field objections and handle rejection as an SDR. They don’t have to believe that the customer is always right, but they should maintain that the customer always deserves to be heard and supported. To hire a well-rounded sales rep, you have to ask the right questions to see how a candidate really thinks. This will help you improve your team’s performance and help you hit your business goals.

Sales Development Representative Interview Questions (With Example Answers)

A great sales development representative can open doors to lucrative new business. What makes a strong sales development representative—and how do you spot them? These interview questions will help you find and hire an ideal sales development representative for your company.

You’ll see how candidates handle objections and their ability to treat tough conversations with potential clients effectively. Many salespeople get into the profession because they’re aspiring entrepreneurs. You’ll learn about their future goals and motivators by asking candidates about a fictional company. Selling to everyone and anyone — especially if a salesperson the prospect isn’t a fit — is a recipe for disaster. Make sure your candidate is comfortable turning business away if the potential customer isn’t a good match.

How do you handle a difficult customer?

You’ll see which candidates can find gaps in software and propose solutions. This question shows how the potential sales director uses feedback to iterate on their processes and drive results. This question reveals a candidate’s ability to enact change and handle resistance from reps who want to stick to the old processes. This question proves customers love the awesome personality of your potential hire.

An ideal candidate should have the capacity to explain what they learned from their rejections, and how they impacted their sales approach going forward. A sales development representative candidate should be vigilant about current trends in the sales world. If the candidate’s processes, knowledge base, and methodologies lag behind the competition, https://wizardsdev.com/en/vacancy/sales-development-representative/ their sales pitch won’t sway many customers — and they may take their business elsewhere. From time to time, a member of a sales team may miss their projected sales goals. It’s important that sales development representative candidates be analytical and reflective in recognizing areas of improvement to meet goals the next time around.

If an SDR is unable to identify qualified leads, it will ultimately waste the time of the sales team and could result in lost sales. Sales can be a tough game, and hiring managers want to know that you’re prepared to face challenges head-on. Common objections are a routine part of the sales process, and how you handle them can make or break a deal. Building rapport with potential clients is essential for sales success, as it fosters trust and connection, ultimately leading to more closed deals.

• With our interview question-finding tool, you can access 300+ interview questions that you can filter by competency, department, and role.
• The ability to explain complex concepts is an art for software sales reps. Have the candidate discuss a hypothetical situation where they explain a software offering to you in easy-to-understand terms.
• A job analysis forms the basis of many HR practices such as compensation, performance management, and – you guessed it – how to interview and hire candidates.
• From time to time, a member of a sales team may miss their projected sales goals.
• The applicants should know the best features of your company’s product or service to guide leads toward purchase.

As a leader, establishing trust with a new team is essential to the job description. The answer to this question will tell you how your candidate approaches building trust and how important teamwork is to them. An effective sales executive should be able to manage and inspire a team.