Account Executive

You should say that you believe to be a good account executive, because you have all the skills, such as communication skills, sales skills, etc. You can add your own list.

You can also say that you like the job description, and are motivated to do the job. Please remember, motivation is always an important factor, especially when we speak about entry level jobs.

It is not possible to work on one’s own in this position. You have to create and maintain effective relationships with other departments such as sales, marketing and development. Teamwork is definitely important as one cannot work effectively without departmental support.

This interview question tests the sales executive candidate’s self-awareness and coachability.

It is a statement that states all the liabilities and assets of the company at certain point.

Premises refer to fixed assets that are shown in the balance sheet.

Accounting is all about recording daily business activities while auditing is the checking that whether all these events have been noted down correctly or not.

Actually I believe my previous job dealt with interpersonal communication perhaps even more than the account executive position will. When I was working in sales, I would spend hours at a time doing nothing but talking with clients. Through that experience I gained significant communication skills, so I am not worried about this requirement at all. I was a successful salesperson and gained a reputation for the long-lasting relationships I would build with the customers. You could even say communication was my specialty.

I was a leading salesperson from 2005 to 2012, meaning I have nearly seven years of experience closing sales. At this point, I consider myself a master at reading clients’ tone and figuring out how I can meet their needs. I know the account executive position has a much lower focus on making sales, but I still believe I am qualified whenever that need arises. Truth be told, I’m relieved that I will still have the opportunity to practice making sales.

With this question, I’m trying to get a sense for how succinctly and clearly the candidate can describe his or her responsibilities. Additionally, for a sales role, how success is measured should be pretty straightforward and it’s a red flag when the success metric is murky.

Yes, I have used Advanced Business Solutions and AME Accounting Software in my previous jobs.

Yes, both are different terms in accounting. Inactive accounts means that accounts have been closed and will not be used in future as well. While, dormant accounts are those that are not functional today but may be used in future.

VAT means Value Added Tax.

It is the abbreviation of Institute of Chartered Accountants in India.

A reconciliation statement is prepared when the passbook balance differs from the cashbook balance.

I have not held an official leadership position, but that does not mean I don’t have experience in management. Because I was a leading salesperson, I was given the opportunity to head up a new calling technique project. I only had four employees working under me, but I really felt that I learned a lot about leadership and managing information indirectly through another employee. I’m confident that I am ready to apply these skills to the account executive position.

Another coachability and self-awareness question. Additionally, this helps me understand how the candidate was previously coached, as well as whether he or she was receiving feedback.

I’m no stranger to jobs that require strict organizational skills. I’ve managed multiple accounts simultaneously before and I know how important it is to keep the information from each of them separate. To make sure no mistakes are ever made, I’ve made a habit of using spreadsheets to organize all the data associated with different clients. It takes a little extra work, but I end up saving time in the long run, plus I completely eliminate the chance of making a mistake that could influence the opinion a client has of the company.

☛ What do you find most satisfying about this job?

☛ How do you handle rejection?

☛ Are you comfortable with cold-calling?

☛ What methods do you use to discover sales opportunities?

☛ What does a demo/presentation need to be effective?

☛ How do you build a successful business relationship?

☛ How familiar are you with CRM?

☛ Do you use social media to identify prospects?

☛ If a prospective client kept presenting you with excuses not to buy, what would you do?

☛ Imagine you have to solve problems for multiple clients at the same time. How do you prioritize?

☛ Recall a time when you faced a dissatisfied and aggressive customer. How did you handle it?

☛ Describe a time you solved a client’s problem

☛ What was the most difficult deal you had to close?

☛ Tell me about a time you successfully negotiated a customer contract

☛ Describe a time you managed to reach an objective when odds were against you

☛ What was your most complicated sales cycle in past positions?

☛ Was there a time when you lost the chance to engage a prospect? What happened and what did you learn?