Regional Sales Manager

Say that you remember that it is always about the overall score. If on average you are hitting your sales targets, then it does not matter if you have a bad patch. Understanding that this is normal helps to prevent you becoming despondent; staying positive always results in success.

Do some research and say that you understand the territory well and feel that it is a great opportunity to make an effective contribution to the business by operating in a new territory.

Say that you enjoy being part of a team working towards a unified goal and you love to see team members develop and flourish. Talk about how you enjoy the camaraderie and banter of working with others in a sales team.

Do they start their answer with their likes or dislikes? One of the important sales manager qualities is to be positive. You can tell a great deal about someone's workplace personality if they immediately start answering with all of their dislikes and the list goes way beyond three! If their dislikes seem petty or personal it's a red flag that they may not gel with company culture.

This is for a management role, so you must say that developing new strategies to improve the sales funnel is your passion, but you will monitor the progress that your sales team makes and this will provide you with exposure to frontline activities. Explain that you will always be willing to step in and provide assistance if required.

This question quickly separates individuals who are committed and passionate to our vision from those who are simply looking for a job. We find that our best hires have thoroughly researched us, determined the general and specific impact(s) they could have on the organization, and expressed this to us confidently in their first interview.

You need a well-prepared answer for this. An interview is the ultimate sales test. Some interviewers believe that if you cannot sell yourself you cannot sell a product. Be very positive about sales; say it is your passion and that you love the challenge of closing deals.

There is no better way to test the guts, authenticity and smarts of a potential sales manager for your company than to ask them to look you in the eye and tell you what they think you- the CEO- should or could be doing better. If they falter and have no answer- it is a deal breaker for me. If they come right back at me with feedback and ideas- they get big points!

A great salesperson has the ability to sooner identify when a conversation is most likely to lead to a success deal and when it will fall on deaf ears. A good salesperson may be great at closing deals but they often waste time chasing customers that will never buy.

We ask candidates interviewing for sales manager positions how they predict the company will be different in two years, and how they see themselves shaping that change. We want to hire a sales manager who is thinking about ways to help our company grow and evolve every day, not candidates who are comfortable with the status quo.

I love to ask this question to find out how much they've thought about our sales process. The answer isn't that important. What is important is that they've done the research on our process.

Here you need to do some research on the company before the interview. Read their annual reports, their website and advertising material. This should provide details of who they are targeting. Make it clear that you have done your research and suggest a brief sales strategy.

Say that you are confident that given the opportunity you will thrive in this environment. You are eager to show what you can bring to the team and to pass on your experience and knowledge to the younger members of the sales team.

This may seem like an odd question, but it can give you great insight into what traits the candidate values. By asking them to describe someone they know personally, you'll be more likely to get a genuine answer. Ask for specificity. Answers to this will vary, but you are looking for a candidate who values the same traits you and your company value.

An honest answer is required here; if you are going for a sales manager role it is expected that you have an outstanding track record in sales. Mention a couple of highlights as this makes you appear even more experienced.

A great sales manager is a natural leader and teacher, with genuine enthusiasm to help others succeed. If they're only driven by meeting quota or closing deals, they may be better suited for a sales rep position. This question will help you see what kind of mentor the candidate will be, and how they will help your team grow and evolve.

Look for a candidate who has a desire to help others, not someone who gives you a generic answer. Look for personal stories--the candidate should be able to demonstrate her ability to connect with people on a personal level.

Ideally you will be able to answer this honestly based on experience. If not, say that you kept a log of questions, answers and success rates in one of your first roles and streamlined the questions asked to increase success rates.