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It's Only Common Sense: 10 Great Interview Questions

Editor's Note: To listen to Dan's weekly column, as you've always done in the past, click here. For the written transcript, keep reading...I think one of the most difficult aspects of being a sales manager is hiring the right people. I've heard many people say the reason it’s hard is because salespeople are very good talkers and are very good at selling themselves. I agree.

This is probably why so many of us have been stuck with some “nearly good” salespeople. You know the ones I’m talking about...they look good, they sound great, their outlook is promising, but then when the rubber hits the road they just can’t seem to make a sale.

Because they look so good, you stick with them way too long thinking that success is just around the corner. You tend to give them the benefit of the doubt month after month or year after year until, finally, you wake up one morning, look in the mirror, and realize that these salespeople are never going to make it. They are doomed to be “nearly good” forever. You fire them with great regret, but feel relief knowing that it was the right thing to do.

How do you avoid hiring this kind of salesperson? How can you make sure you won’t keep falling into this trap? The answer is to ask the right questions. Don't be fooled by garb, gestures, and glibness. Dig into their background and find out who they are and what makes them tick, what works for them and what doesn't. You do this by asking the right questions.

Here are 10 questions you should ask at every candidate for a sales position:

1. Tell me about the biggest sale you ever made: What were the circumstances? What was your strategy? What were your tactics? How did you get it done?
2. No matter how great the company is, problems will arise sooner or later. In your career, what was the worst mess your company got into with a customer and how did you handle it? (Make sure the candidate talks about his role in the situation.)
3. What is the longest amount of time it took you to win a customer? Explain the circumstances in detail.
4. How do you put together your account plans and forecast? (This is a very telling question--if they don’t believe in forecast or account plans ask them to go home.)
5. How much time do you dedicate to new business development, lead generation, and cold-calling? (Once again a very telling question--if they tell you they don’t do any of these things, send them home.)
6. What was the last business book you read? (If they are not reading, studying, or talking about business--especially sales--they are not taking their career seriously.)
7. We sell very high-quality products and our prices are normally 5 to 10% higher than our competition. Show me how you would convince a prospective customer to buy our product.
8. Have you ever been fired? If so, what were the circumstances?
9. Can you tell me everything you know about my business?
10. Where do you want to be in five years? In 10 years? What is your career path?

And, of course, bonus questions:

1. What do you love to do more than anything else in the world?
2. If you had $10 million, what would you be doing right now?

All of these questions are meant to not only really get into what the person is all about, but to start conversations and dialogues that will show you more about the candidate. It will also show you how you two might get along.

Now remember, you are dealing with a salesperson, so don’t let them buffalo you. Don’t let them get away with weak answers; don’t allow them be non-committal. Make them commit. Make them give you straight answers. If that takes them out of their comfort zone, so be it. Salespeople must get out of their comfort zone and be able to handle tough questions and situations. That’s just the name of the game.

Use  these questions in the right way and I guarantee you will hire the right salespeople--those who will make sales and make money. It’s only common sense.