There are sales jobs that have six-figure salaries, six-figure commissions, and six-figure bonuses. I know this because I've hired them before. I know this because I've recruited them before. I know this because my previous students have gotten these jobs. And I'm here to share with you and give you insights on how to ace your next sales interview, how to ace your interview by someone who's been interviewing, who has interviewed, who has hired.
I literally, at my desk, have the first interview questions for one of the top sales companies in the world. I have a roller deck of 300 questions that they use at their disposal. I have the systems that they follow. I have the questions they ask, the answers they're looking for.
We do that training on how to ace your six-figure sales interview exclusively in the Catapulting Commission Sales Academy. You do not want to miss this. Here's a snippet of the top three.
There are my top three out of the top 20 interview questions you should be prepared for in your next sales interview. Now, this is for sales jobs that are high paying, high salaried, high income, and high bonuses. This is not, ‘hey, I'm going to get my first sales job down at Blank's Mechanic shop.’ No, this is the big boys, where your email has clout.
Question #1
One of the very first questions you're going to get in the sales interview process is a question along the lines of asking you about your sale.
Have you ever had the leverage of a relationship to get a sale? Have you ever had to go over someone's head to get a sale? Or can you share with me a recent sale you've had in your industry?
Many reps make the mistake and they tell a good sales story. Like, “I went and visited XYZ Company, generated a six-figure, seven-figure contract. It was awesome. It was amazing.” That's cool. I got to tell you something. Everybody else we interviewed had that same story. Everyone else told me the glory story. So far, you have done zero to stand out from your competition.
So when it comes to telling a story in your interview about how you generate the sale, tell a story that is entertaining. Think of it like a movie. Tell a story that has a climax. Tell a story that has adversity. Tell a story that overcomes the odds.
Tell a story that has a happy ending. As an interviewer, I'm looking for a story that shows me you've been able to get kicked in the face and you're able to deal with adversity. That you've been able to convert that adversity to potential interest, and you've been able to convert that potential interest into a paying customer. So the next time someone asks you, ‘tell me about a previous sale or some question about a previous sales opportunity,’ tell them an entertaining story.
Question #2
Tell me the greatest adversity you've ever faced and what did you do to overcome it.
Your answer to this can definitely be personal or professional depending on your comfort. Nine out of ten interviewers are going to say whatever they're comfortable telling me. That means personal, right? That means tell me a story. Tell me something that is going to wow me.
Tell me something that's going to be memorable again. When you're interviewing for these types of jobs, at this type of caliber, everybody is good. There isn't a bad person in the interview pool, and if there is, the recruiting department has an issue. But usually, you have a team of quality candidates you're interviewing again. So when you tell the greatest adversity you've ever overcome, you have to share a story that can demonstrate your ability to get kicked in the face, overcome it, and rise to the occasion.
Many times in this, people would share some boring adversity story, “oh, in high school I got an F and then I was really disappointed and I went home and then I came back and I finished the school year with the B plus.” That's not going to get it done. Instead, think of an adversity story that is going to wow that person. The more vulnerable, the better. You want your interviewer to know you can get kicked in the face and overcome it.
Question #3
It's a trick question, and it's really how we separate true sales professionals from entry-level sales professionals.
“What is more important, generating revenue or building a relationship with the customers?” If you are an entry-level salesperson or you aren't a salesperson, you're going to say something along the lines of this building a relationship or both. And I'm sorry, both of those are wrong answers because you can definitely generate a relationship. But not every relationship you generate or develop is going to generate revenue. It can't be both because that means you're not fully committed to one.
Your job in a six-figure sales job is to generate revenue, period. Everything else is a lie. Your job is to generate revenue. So when the question gets asked, ‘what is more important, to generate revenue or develop a relationship with my customers?’ The answer is now and always generate revenue.
That is what high-performing sales professionals do. And when you're in that interview stage against other high-performing sales professionals, it's not the resume that's going to make you win the job. It's not the brag book that's going to make you win the job. It's not even the letters of recommendation that are going to make you win the job.
It's who can tell a better story in an interview process that convinces the interviewing team that you are the absolute perfect fit for that job.
And to ace your next interview and get the interview coaching, come join me in the Catapulting Commissions Academy.
It's a two-day, two-hour workshop for $17. If, for whatever reason, you don't love it, let me know. We'll refund you 100% of your money back.
But if you do love it, you can get admitted to the Catapult and Commissions Academy, which is a twelve-month program designed to help you generate five extra incomes this year.
Register and get your slot here.
