Ricardo Barriga

How do we interview to find a sales superstar?

Once you are able to narrow your search by phone screening candidates and only accepting applications from those who are able to sell themselves to you, you are ready to start a face-to-face interview. In reference to Chet Holmes’s book, “The Ultimate Sales Machine”, the interview is broken up into three main parts: relax, probe, and attack.

In the first stage of the interview “relax”, and allow the candidate the opportunity to show their best side. Your role is to be a great listener, friendly, and take note of their behaviour as it will change drastically during the interview.

The second stage of the interview is “probe”. The purpose of this stage is to get to know the candidate. Pre-frame your questions by letting the candidate know that they don’t have to answer any questions that they do not wish to answer. This will allow the candidate to feel at ease, and they will understand that their personality profile is more important than their background. This portion of the interview will test their empathy. It is important at this stage not to ask questions that would be regarded as discriminatory. To determine your candidate’s background, you may wish to ask questions such as, “Tell me about a time in your life when the odds were stacked against you and you overcame them and succeeded?” or alternatively, “What was the toughest sale you have ever made?” Ask them to be as specific as possible, and finally query, “How would your work colleagues describe you?” The answers to these questions will differ, but what you are looking for is an overachiever who is proud of their accomplishments and who has the ability to self-reflect and bond with others.

Straight after, ask questions that will challenge them to determine how they think and if they have good judgment. Questions such as, “Why did you leave your last four roles?”; “Were you unhappy? If so, why?”; or; “Name two weak points of previous bosses and name two instances when a supervisor has criticized you”.

Lastly, as you approach the end of your interview, if you have found an overachiever, then challenge them by asking them to prove their worth. In his book, Chet Holmes provides the example that the interviewer should tactfully tell the candidate that they are not suitable for the role. This should prompt the candidate to argue and prove why they are the best candidate for the job.

In conclusion, understanding what makes a sales superstar, the requirements of the role and its offerings, using an effective sales assessment tool, and asking the right questions, will lead you to find your next sales superstar.