5 Commonly Asked Sales Interviews Questions And How To Answer Them

This past week alone, we have had over 20 new sales positions in Kenya and I believe you have applied for some of them with off course the expectation of getting invited for an interview.

Well, have you planned and researched on how to handle the interview process? Worry no more as here are tips that are guaranteed to help you ace that interview.

Interviews for sales positions are much like a sales meeting where you have to sell your products to investors. The difference is that this time you are the product so you need to know how to sell yourself during the interview.

1. What motivates you to sell?

This is the question that will be used to highlight your attributes as a sales representative. Most people go for the general answers like I have always loved sales. The question was meant to be personal so it is right that you answer it as such. This is the time to prove to the employer that you are fit for the position.

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The answer you give to this question will tell your interviewer what sort of person you are. So, you need to come up with an answer show your passion about sales and that you are not in it just for the commission.

2. Have you consistently met your sales goals?

Obviously the interviewer needs to know your history as a sales person. Do you meet your targets? How often do you do this?

This is an opportunity for you to shine as a sales rep. you should talk about your greatest achievements in terms of numbers and percentages. Ensure you are quoting the right figures so that you do not end up looking like a liar.

For example you could say, yes, last year I was able to increase my sales numbers by 26%. My target was 15% and this was during a very difficult year. Most of my colleagues could not reach their targets.

Remember you should not exaggerate things as it always makes you look bad. Keep your figures truthful and you will appeal more to the interviewer.

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3. What types of products/services have you sold and how did you sell them?

This is the time for you to list all your achievements and say how you were able to sell the products. For example you could say you went door to door selling pharmaceutical drugs and this is what enabled you to meet your sells targets.

4. What do you consider the most important skills in sales?

Here instead of giving just one skill and limiting yourself you can try to give like 2 or 3 skills you think are important for any salesperson to have.

For example you could say something like, a salesperson requires the ability to adjust your approach to different people and situations to ensure you appeal to different kinds of people as well as the ability to deal with disappointment and rejection as this happens sometimes and one should not get discouraged.

5. Sell me this Product

This is a very common question for sales interviews.

The interviewer might pick a random product in the room say a laptop or book and ask you to try and sell it to them. Even though you have told them what you have achieved in the industry, most interviewers want to see how you react under pressure and if you truly can sell or if you were just bluffing.

The important thing to remember here is to stay calm and ensure you sell your ability in the process. Before rattling off all the features the product has, you can try and figure out how it could be beneficial to the interviewer. Use this angle because most people are inclined to buy something that will benefit them.

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The only way to become better at answering such questions is through a lot of practice. Visit for the sales jobs available for you to apply for. All the best.

By Michelle Wanjiku

Michelle is a Communications Officer/ Digital Marketer at Career Point Kenya.