P R O F E S S I O N A L . . . C O N T R O L L E R S
SALES PERSON’S INTERVIEW
(Advice to Colleagues)
To help us evaluate the skills for being a Sales Person please be prepared
to discuss issues related to the following questions, and more. If this looks like it might be a tough
interview, that’s our intent. There are
potentially thousands of people from whom to choose. What fits for one client does not necessarily
work for another.
CONTEXT ----- COMPLUS Professional Controllers
serve clients (owners of "for-profit" businesses in the Chicagoland
area - McHenry to
- Please describe the ideal company for which you would like to work (eg., size, location, industry, product/service, etc.).
- How do you define the function of “sales?”
- Describe your perception of the selling cycle.
- Under what circumstances would you be willing to work for incentive-only compensation?
- Under what circumstances should a company probably hire employees rather than independent representatives?
- What support (people, office facilities, vehicles, equipment, documentation, etc) resources should we expect to provide for you to maximize your value?
- What fraction of the product/service sales price should go to pay for selling it?
- If you had job offers from two companies in the same market space, with the same compensation potential to you, how would you choose between them?
- Why do you want to sell for my company?
- Under what circumstances might you quit my company to work for my business rival?
- What do you think of salesman/businessman Ross Perot?
- While working for us what kind of car do you expect to be able to afford?
- How do keep track of all the people you know?
- What are your preferred lunch-time arrangements?
- How do you define a legitimate business expense? What do you expect to do to be reimbursed for what you spend for business expenses?
- What licenses, professional credentials, etc. do you have?
- What is your continuing education strategy?
- With what business associations and professional societies do you participate actively (more than just paying dues)?
- Please provide references.
If you're an employer looking for a sales employee, you might find some of the above questions helpful. Current laws and "best practices" demand that questions asked of a candidate be relevant to reasonable expectations for a successful applicant. Employers must offer "equal opportunity" and must not discriminate based on race, color, creed, national origin, gender, disability, etc., but may based on skills.