As the economy expands and the competition for quality salespeople becomes intense it's important to realize that you have to use different tools to screen for the right candidates. Use these interview questions to help you discover the right people to join your company.
- Do you have written goals you want to accomplish and if so, tell me about them? You are looking for indications of maturity, focus, planning ability and desire for achievement.
- How did you earn your first paycheck, how old were you, and what did you do with the money? With this question you are probing to check their work ethic.
- What are the top three leadership traits that you look for in a manager? With this question you are attempting to gauge their expectation and ascertain their preferred management style.
- Have you ever failed at something and if so, why did you fail and what did you learn from the experience? This question lends itself to a discussion on resiliency, personal responsibility and tendencies under pressure.
- Everyone has strengths and weaknesses as employees. What are your strong points for this position? This question gives them the opportunity to tell you what assets they bring to the table and how they see themselves fitting into your organization.
- What is the one thing you would improve about yourself? This question gives you an indication of his or her self- assessment capability.
- Other than family members, who has been the greatest influence in your life and why?
- If you were to fail in this business, what do you think the reason would be?
Use these questions as a guide and add to them as you wish. By having a set list of questions it helps you move the interview process through efficiently and effectively. Based on the candidates' answers to these and other questions you may provide, you'll have a good idea if you're ready to take the next step with this person.
Good luck