Sales supervisor interview questions

Sales are an integral part of any organization.
The goal of the Sales Manager is to keep the sales staff informed and inspired, and ensure a good supply of sales material. The Sales Manager must also train, guide and advise as needed. Then, the sales force can generate the sales to meet the company’s goals.
This article portrays the sales manger’s job description, tips and interview questions for sales manager position.

Sales Manager – Job Description

The sales manager must manage the sales force of the company, in order to generate maximum sales.

1. Single point of contact: In fact, the sales manager is the single point of contact for all the salesmen when it comes to any questions and queries about the product or the company.

2. Team leader: The sales manager is the team leader for the sales team and should possess all the qualities that a team leader should have.

3. Team person: The sales manager should also be a team person, who understands any differences that crop in his or her team and work towards solving them in an amicable and quick manner.

4. Strong sales background: Other than these internal qualities, the sales manager should have a strong sales background and should be able to lead his or team from the front utilizing their unique sales expertise and talents.

5. Hiring new sales personnel: The sales manager is also expected to hire new sales personnel. Therefore, the sales manager should be experienced and knowledgeable enough to determine whether an applicant will succeed in sales or not. The manager must bear in mind that although some possess an inborn quality and have a salesman personality, successful salesmanship can be taught. A business administration degree can be very helpful as well, even for those people that just naturally have it in them to sell a product. As a sales manager, you should know how to bring out the best in each type, helping every salesperson excel in sales.

Sales Manager Interview Questions

Presented here are some sample questions generally asked in a sales manager interview:

1. What is your best strength at the job?
2. What were you main duties in the previous job?
3. What do you like the best about being a sales manager?
4. How do you arrange your daily work?
5. How many first sales appointments a week are considered as a successful week?
6. Describe a typical sales process (or sales cycle) for big ticket items and for smaller ones.
7. What are your selling techniques, how do you present/launch a new product? What presentation’s skills require?
8. What are your goals in term of professional development and advancement?
9. How did you develop your best-selling techniques?
10. Describe some success stories and some difficulties. How did you handle the difficulties?
11. What have you found to be the most important skills in negotiating and succeeding in sales?
12. How do you handle rejections?
13. Describe sales-teamwork; how did you handle your team challenges?

► Answer: Consider possible answer to these questions; select the most impressive. Consult with colleagues and friends, prepare and rehearse your responses so that you make smooth presentation. Sound positive and confident; prepare to share some telling experiences. If you have pertinent volunteer experience, relate one as well. Remember that the same qualities needed for a sale manager can be utilized to ensure you a job offer as well!