Question Overview: The ideal candidate will have a positive and confident attitude about themselves. They will be able to explain why they are the best person for the job and how they will be a valuable asset to your company.
Sample Answer: I am a hard-working and enthusiastic inside sales representative with a strong work ethic. I have excellent communication skills and am able to build relationships with my clients.
Question Overview: The ideal candidate will have a positive attitude about their current employment and will be looking for a new job because they are ready for a new challenge. The applicant's answer to this question will allow you to understand their motivation for leaving their current job and how they feel about their current position.
Sample Answer: I am looking for a new job because I am ready for a new challenge. I have been working at my current position for two years and am ready to move on to something more challenging.
Question Overview: The ideal candidate will have experience selling a product or service to a customer. The applicant's answer to this question will allow you to understand their level of expertise and how they have used their skills in the past. Focus on the applicant's tone of voice when discussing their experience. Do they appear confident or nervous?
Sample Answer: I have six years of experience selling a product to customers. I have always been able to convince customers to purchase my product and have never had a problem closing a sale.
Question Overview: The ideal candidate will have a weakness that is not a deal breaker for the position. The applicant's answer to this question will allow you to understand their self-awareness and their ability to admit to their faults.
Sample Answer: I am a perfectionist and can be hard on myself when I make mistakes. I am always working on improving my weaknesses and am confident that this will not be an issue in the future.
Question Overview: The ideal candidate will have experience overcoming challenges in the workplace. The applicant's response to this question will allow you to see how they handle stressful situations and how they react to criticism.
Sample Answer: I was challenged with a large project that I had never worked on before. I was able to overcome this challenge by researching the project and asking my co-workers for help.
Question Overview: The ideal candidate will have a well-rounded background that includes experience in a variety of fields. The applicant's answer to this question will allow you to understand their personality and how they will fit into your company.
Sample Answer: I have a bachelor's degree in business administration and a master's degree in marketing. I am very interested in the field of marketing and have experience in sales, management, and customer service.
Question Overview: The ideal candidate will have a strong understanding of the qualities that make an inside sales representative successful. The applicant's answer to this question will allow you to understand their philosophy for success and how they view themselves as a sales professional.
Sample Answer: I think you're looking for someone who is confident, knowledgeable, persistent and personable. I believe that I have all of these qualities and will be a valuable asset to your company.
Question Overview: All inside sales representatives encounter difficult situations, but the ideal candidate will not let these situations get the best of them. The applicant's response to this question will allow you to understand their philosophy for dealing with stressful situations and how they handle difficult clients.
Sample Answer: A client was angry about the cost of a package, so I allowed the customer to explain why they are upset without interrupting them. I provided a discount to ensure their business in the future.
Question Overview: Inside sales representatives must have excellent interpersonal skills to work well with their management. The ideal candidate will explain how they handle difficult situations with their superiors and how they resolve conflicts. The applicant's response to this question will allow you to measure their ability to work with others and their ability to communicate effectively.
Sample Answer: I always try to talk with my manager about a difficult situation and attempt to resolve the issue. If that doesn't work, I ask for a meeting with the manager's manager.
Question Overview: The ideal candidate will explain why they are a good fit for the position and what they can bring to the company. The applicant's answer to this question will allow you to understand their confidence in their abilities and their desire to work for your company.
Sample Answer: I am a good fit for this position because I have experience as an inside sales representative and I am confident that I can help your company grow. I have a lot of experience working with clients and I know how to find new leads.
Question Overview: This question is designed to see how well the applicant thinks on their feet. The ideal candidate will have a witty response that will make you laugh and show their sense of humor. The applicant's tone of voice and personality will be apparent in their answer.
Sample Answer: I can water my garden, wash my car, clean my windows, and even fill my pool with a hose.
Question Overview: Every inside sales representative will encounter rejection at some point in their career. The ideal candidate will be able to explain how they handled this situation and what they learned from it. Focus on the applicant's tone of voice when discussing the rejection and how they felt about it.
Sample Answer: I was rejected by a prospect who said that they were not interested in my product. I was upset at first, but I realized that I could not change their mind. I decided to move on to other leads and focus on my existing clients.
Question Overview: A sales representative's job is to convince a customer to buy a product or service. The ideal candidate will have experience in this type of situation and will be able to explain how they handle it. Focus on the applicant's tone of voice when they describe the situation and how they handle it.
Sample Answer: I would ask the customer to explain why they are not willing to buy. I would then try to find out what I can do to change their mind. If they are still not interested, I would ask them if they know anyone who might be interested in the product.
Question Overview: The ideal candidate will be able to explain how they provide excellent customer service and what they believe makes a good customer service representative. The applicant's answer to this question will allow you to understand their philosophy for providing service and how they will interact with your clients.
Sample Answer: I believe that customer service is the most important part of my job. I always try to make my clients feel comfortable and confident in my abilities. I am friendly and helpful with all of my clients and always make sure that they are satisfied with my work.
Question Overview: The ideal candidate will be able to explain their concerns about working for your company and how they plan to overcome these challenges. The applicant's response to this question will allow you to understand their level of interest in the position and their ability to handle obstacles.
Sample Answer: I am concerned about the long hours that I will be required to work as an inside sales representative. I am confident that I can handle these long hours because I have experience working long hours in the past.
Question Overview: Inside sales representatives are often given goals to meet. The ideal candidate will explain how they were able to meet these goals and what they did to ensure success. Focus on the applicant's tone of voice and their ability to convince you of their skills. Do they appear confident or have leadership skills?
Sample Answer: I was behind on my goal of making 30 calls per day so I spent an extra hour each day making calls. I was able to meet my goal and even exceed it by the end of the month.
Question Overview: The applicant's answer to this question will allow you to understand their personality and how they view themselves. The ideal candidate will be confident and enthusiastic when describing themselves.
Sample Answer: I am a hard worker, a good listener, and a great problem-solver.
Question Overview: The applicant's answer to this question will allow you to understand their technology preferences. The ideal candidate will have experience using a variety of phone types and be familiar with the most recent technology.
Sample Answer: I use an iPhone because it allows me to easily access my email and calendar. I also use my phone to take pictures of potential clients and send them to my email for future reference.
Question Overview: This question is designed to gauge the applicant's personality and sense of humor. The ideal candidate will have a creative answer that shows their personality and sense of humor. Focus on the applicant's tone of voice when they answer this question.
Sample Answer: My autobiography would be called "The Adventures of a Sales Rep." It would be about my life as a sales representative and all the interesting people I meet.
Question Overview: This question is designed to measure the applicant's ability to work through a problem and their ability to communicate with others. The ideal candidate will explain how they handled a problem with a project and how they communicated with their team to overcome the challenge.
Sample Answer: I was working on a project with a team of three other people. We were all working on different aspects of the project and had to collaborate to ensure that everything was done correctly. I was able to overcome this challenge by communicating with my team members and making sure that we were all on the same page.