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Costly Interview Mistakes Made by Mid to Senior Level Sales Professionals

With years of sales recruiting experience, we have compiled a list of top interview mistakes. Before you are tempted to say, “I already know this” read through this list and circle the top mistake you “might” be making. Seek interview feedback, fine tune and continue making adjustments.

1. Lack of Preparation: Be over prepared, come up with a list of great questions. Understand how to sell the company’s value proposition. Know the target market and familiarize yourself with their service-offerings. Don’t wing it!

2. Dumping: This is a big problem for many sales professionals. Unfortunately, most people that have this problem know it on some level, but continue to do it anyway! Great sales professionals do more listening than talking. They ask good questions. Strike that, they ask GREAT questions. Come to the interview with great questions.

3. Tangents: Answer questions as clearly and precisely as you can and avoid going off on tangents. People that dance around questions come off as unprepared, unorganized, and ineffective. Not the lasting impression you want to leave!

4. Numbers….What Numbers? You need to know your numbers! What was your W-2 last year, were you/are you currently at quota? How many calls do you make in a day? How many leads do you get? How many deals do you close, what is your average deal size? If you don’t know your numbers you come across as an under or average performer. Top sales people know where they are and keep a close eye on their sales funnel.

5. Closing Questions: Every great sales person asks appropriate closing questions. The trick is to do this in a way that doesn’t come across too strong but still gets the point across. I can’t say it enough; if you don’t close the interviewer you will NOT be invited back.

6. Depending on Personality: You most likely have a high like-ability quotient, it will come in handy but it isn’t going to seal the deal! What you need to get across in the interview is desire and motivation. Secondly you need to prove that you have a track record of sales success. Other great personalities will also be competing for high-level sales positions, so concentrate on differentiating yourself from the pack!

7. Negativity: Under no circumstances should you say anything negative about your former/current employer or company. Sound like old news? It is—almost everyone has heard this but they just can’t help themselves in the interview and wind up doing it anyway!