Sales interview questions: 22 questions and a scorecard for interviewers
The short answer
Good sales interview questions test how a candidate builds pipeline, runs discovery, handles objections, closes and forecasts, and how they respond to a lost deal or a hard quarter. Ask for specific deals and numbers, such as quota and attainment for each recent period, then ask how the candidate could back them up, for example with a performance review, a ranking report or a reference from the manager who set the quota. A short role-play, such as a cold-call opener or a common objection, shows skill better than a description of it. Score every candidate against the same five criteria so the decision rests on evidence.
All 22 questions with why you ask each one, what a strong answer shows and follow-ups, plus the sales representative scorecard and rating guide. Free to download and adapt; no sign-up needed.
When to use these questions
Sales representatives are hired to produce revenue, so an interview needs evidence of results and of the activity behind them: how the candidate finds prospects, qualifies them, moves deals forward and closes. Confident talk is easy to find in sales interviews; the strongest evidence is a specific deal walked through stage by stage, with numbers the candidate can explain and support.
Before the competency interview, match the candidate’s background to the role: inbound or outbound, new business or account management, short or long sales cycles, the buyer they sold to, and the CRM and tools they used. Then confirm the practical must-haves, including territory and travel, any agreement that limits who they can sell to, the start date and the pay expectation for this role.
22 sales interview questions
Grouped by what they test. Pick the questions that match the role, ask every candidate the same ones in the same order, and score each answer against the scorecard below.
Prospecting and pipeline
Ask how the candidate fills their own pipeline. Look for a repeatable method and activity they can describe in numbers.
Question 1: Walk me through how you built pipeline in your last role, from finding a prospect to booking the first meeting.
- Why ask it:
- Shows whether the candidate can create their own opportunities.
- A strong answer shows:
- A clear method covering target lists, channels, follow-up sequences and the weekly activity they ran.
- Follow-up:
- Which part of that produced most of your meetings?
Question 2: Let’s role-play a cold call: I’m a busy [buyer title] at [type of company], and you have one minute.
- Why ask it:
- Shows the opener, relevance and composure live.
- A strong answer shows:
- A short, relevant opener, a question that earns the next minute, and a clear ask for a meeting.
Question 3: How do you research a prospect before you reach out?
- Why ask it:
- Tests preparation and the relevance of outreach.
- A strong answer shows:
- Specific sources they use and how what they found changed the message.
Question 4: How do you decide which deals deserve your time?
- Why ask it:
- Tests qualification.
- A strong answer shows:
- A consistent way of checking need, budget, the decision-maker and timing, with an example of a deal they dropped early.
Discovery, objections and closing
These questions show how the candidate moves a deal forward. Ask for real deals, not general approaches.
Question 5: Tell me about the best discovery conversation you have had. What did you learn that changed the deal?
- Why ask it:
- Tests questioning and listening, which shape every later stage.
- A strong answer shows:
- Open questions, a real business problem uncovered, and a proposal built around it.
Question 6: What objection do you hear most often, and how do you respond to it?
- Why ask it:
- Shows objection handling grounded in experience.
- A strong answer shows:
- Acknowledging the concern, asking a question to understand it, and answering with evidence rather than pressure.
- Follow-up:
- Let’s try it: I’ll raise that objection now.
Question 7: Walk me through a deal you closed that nearly fell apart. What did you do?
- Why ask it:
- Tests persistence and problem solving late in the cycle.
- A strong answer shows:
- Specific actions, such as finding a new stakeholder, reworking terms or dealing with a risk, and the result.
Question 8: Tell me about a deal you lost that you expected to win. What did you learn?
- Why ask it:
- Shows self-awareness and learning.
- A strong answer shows:
- An honest account of what they missed and a change they made in later deals.
Question 9: How do you handle a buyer who asks for a discount?
- Why ask it:
- Tests negotiation and protecting value.
- A strong answer shows:
- Trading any concession for something in return and holding value rather than discounting at the first request.
Results and evidence
Ask for numbers, then ask how they could be confirmed. Strong performers know their figures without guessing.
Question 10: What was your quota for each of the last [four quarters or two years], and what did you attain in each period?
- Why ask it:
- Tests results against target over time, not one good quarter.
- A strong answer shows:
- Specific numbers for each period, a straight explanation of any misses, and context such as territory or team changes.
- Follow-up:
- How could we confirm those figures, for example with a performance review, a ranking report or your manager as a reference?
Question 11: How was your quota measured, and what were your typical deal size and sales cycle?
- Why ask it:
- Puts the numbers in context so they can be compared with this role.
- A strong answer shows:
- A clear explanation of the measure, such as new revenue, renewals or units, with a deal size and cycle that fit what they sold.
Question 12: Where did you rank against peers with similar territories, and why?
- Why ask it:
- Ranking shows performance against people working in the same conditions.
- A strong answer shows:
- A specific position they can explain, and what separated them from the top performers.
Question 13: How do you build your forecast, and how close was it last quarter?
- Why ask it:
- Tests pipeline discipline and honesty.
- A strong answer shows:
- A forecast based on deal stage and evidence from the buyer, and a straight answer on how close they came.
CRM, process and coachability
Check how the candidate runs their week and works with their manager and team.
Question 14: Which CRM and sales tools have you used, and what did you keep updated in them?
- Why ask it:
- Matches tool experience and shows pipeline discipline.
- A strong answer shows:
- Named tools and specific habits, such as logging activity and updating stages and next steps after every meeting.
Question 15: Walk me through a typical week. How do you split your time between prospecting, meetings and admin?
- Why ask it:
- Shows work habits and self-management.
- A strong answer shows:
- A planned week with protected prospecting time and a clear sense of priorities.
Question 16: Tell me about coaching from a manager that changed how you sell.
- Why ask it:
- Tests coachability.
- A strong answer shows:
- Specific feedback, the change they made, and the effect on later deals.
Question 17: Describe a time you worked with another team, such as marketing, solutions or customer success, to win or keep an account.
- Why ask it:
- Tests collaboration in a team sale.
- A strong answer shows:
- Clear handoffs, shared credit and a better outcome for the customer.
Must-haves and logistics
Ask these of every candidate before the competency interview, and confirm the answers.
Question 18: The role is [inbound or outbound, new business or account management], selling [product] to [buyer]. How closely does that match what you have sold?
- Why ask it:
- Confirms relevant sales experience early.
- A strong answer shows:
- A direct comparison of product, buyer, deal size and cycle, with honest gaps.
Question 19: The role is based at [location], [on site, hybrid or remote], covering [territory and travel, such as driving to customer sites]. Does that work for you, and do you hold a valid driver’s license if the role needs one?
- Why ask it:
- Rules out location, territory and travel mismatches early.
- A strong answer shows:
- A clear yes, or the specific constraint stated up front.
Question 20: Are you bound by any agreement, such as a non-compete or non-solicitation clause, that would limit the customers or markets you could sell to here?
- Why ask it:
- Surfaces restrictions that could affect the territory before an offer.
- A strong answer shows:
- A clear answer, with the agreement available for the employer to review if one exists.
Question 21: Are you authorized to work in [country] for this employer? We ask every candidate the same question.
- Why ask it:
- Confirms eligibility the same way for every applicant.
- A strong answer shows:
- A clear answer, with documents checked later through the employer’s normal hiring process.
Question 22: When could you start, and what base pay and on-target earnings are you looking for in this role?
- Why ask it:
- Confirms timing and that expectations fit the compensation plan, without asking about pay history.
- A strong answer shows:
- A firm start date and a clear expectation for base pay and commission.
Sales representative interview scorecard
Five criteria for this role, with what a score of 1, 3 and 5 looks like. Scores of 2 and 4 sit between them.
| Criterion | What it means | Score 1 looks like | Score 3 looks like | Score 5 looks like |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prospecting and pipeline | Creates and qualifies their own opportunities. | No clear method; relied on leads handed to them and cannot describe their activity. | A repeatable prospecting method with weekly activity they can describe in numbers. | Consistent pipeline from several channels, sharp qualification, and examples of dropping poor-fit deals early. |
| Discovery and objection handling | Uncovers real needs and answers concerns with evidence. | Pitches before asking questions, or meets objections with pressure. | Asks good discovery questions and handles a common objection well in the role-play. | Shapes deals around the buyer’s problem and turns objections into a clearer case for buying. |
| Closing and negotiation | Moves deals to a decision and protects value. | Cannot explain how deals closed, or discounts at the first request. | Explains a closed deal step by step and trades concessions rather than giving them away. | Rescues deals at risk, manages several stakeholders and holds price with clear reasons. |
| Results with evidence | Hits targets over time and can back up the numbers. | Vague or shifting numbers, or no quota figures at all. | Specific attainment for each period, with reasonable context for any misses. | Consistent attainment or ranking, explained clearly and supported by a review, ranking report or reference. |
| Process and coachability | Runs a disciplined week and improves with feedback. | Treats CRM updates as a chore and cannot name feedback they acted on. | Keeps the CRM current and gives an example of coaching they applied. | Forecasts accurately, plans the week around pipeline and seeks out coaching. |
The 1–5 rating scale
The same scale for every criterion and every candidate.
| Score | Level | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Well below requirement | No relevant evidence, or an answer that contradicts the requirement. |
| 2 | Below requirement | Partial evidence with important gaps. |
| 3 | Meets requirement | Clear, relevant evidence at the level the role needs. |
| 4 | Above requirement | Strong, specific evidence beyond the expected level. |
| 5 | Exceptional | Repeated high-quality evidence with clear impact. |
How to run the interview with these sales interview questions
- 01
Step 01
Agree the must-haves first
Confirm the essential credentials, experience and availability with the hiring manager or client before any interviews. - 02
Step 02
Pick 8 to 12 questions
Take the must-have questions, then the questions that test what this role needs most. Use the same set, in the same order, for every candidate. - 03
Step 03
Ask for real examples
When you hear “we” or “I would”, ask what the candidate personally did, and what happened in the end. - 04
Step 04
Score before you discuss
Rate each criterion on the scorecard with the evidence behind it, then compare with other interviewers. - 05
Step 05
Verify before you submit
Check licenses, certifications and right to work against the original source before you put the candidate forward.
Red flags, and questions not to ask
- Quota and attainment figures that are vague, change during the interview or cannot be supported.
- Every win credited to themselves and every loss blamed on product, pricing or territory.
- For an outbound role, no prospecting method, or only experience working leads handed to them.
- Pushes past objections in the role-play instead of asking what is behind them.
- Dismisses CRM updates and forecasting as someone else’s admin.
- Age, marital or family status, pregnancy or plans for children, religion, ethnicity or national origin, sexual orientation or gender identity. These are protected characteristics under the UK Equality Act 2010 and US federal law, and they say nothing about whether someone can do the job.
- Health, sickness absence or disability before an offer. You can ask whether the candidate needs any adjustments for the interview, and whether they can do the essential tasks of the job.
Screen sales representative applicants before the first call
Add these questions to a Beatview AI interview and every applicant answers them on video or audio, with the same time limit. Beatview scores each answer against your criteria and shows the reasoning, and you can share the shortlist with your client through a password-protected link. AI interviews are on the Pro plan; the Free plan screens resumes for one active job.
Sales interview questions: frequently asked questions
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Ask for specific deals that test prospecting, discovery, objection handling, closing and forecasting, and for quota and attainment figures over several periods. Add a short cold-call or objection role-play and must-have questions about territory, travel, start date and pay expectations, and ask every candidate the same questions in the same order.
Ask for attainment in each period alongside the quota behind it, then ask how the candidate could support the figures, for example with a performance review or ranking report they are free to share, or a reference from the manager who set the quota. Check that the deal size, sales cycle and activity they describe fit the headline number.
Yes, keep it short and relevant to the job: a one-minute cold-call opener, part of a discovery conversation, or the objection buyers raise most often. Brief the candidate on the buyer first, and score the role-play against the same criteria for every candidate.
For new business roles, weight prospecting, cold outreach and closing new customers. For account management, weight relationship building, renewals, expansion and handling problems with existing customers, and ask for retention and growth figures with the same evidence you would ask for on quota.
Get the sales interview questions template
All 22 questions with why you ask each one, what a strong answer shows and follow-ups, plus the sales representative scorecard and rating guide.
Opens in Excel, Google Sheets or Numbers. Version 1 October 2026.