Top 10 Interview Questions for a Sales Manager

The right interview questions help you find the ideal candidate. Here are 10 questions we use when recruiting Sales Managers.

1. Tell me about your most difficult deal

**What it reveals:** - Ability to handle objections - Persistence - Analytical thinking

**What to look for:** - Specific numbers and details - How the candidate overcame difficulties - What conclusion they drew

2. How do you plan your day?

**What it reveals:** - Organization - Prioritization - Discipline

**What to look for:** - Whether they use a CRM - How they allocate time across tasks - Whether there's a system or everything is spontaneous

3. How do you react to a client rejection?

**What it reveals:** - Stress tolerance - Positive mindset - Ability to learn from mistakes

**What to look for:** - Whether they fall into despair - Whether they try to understand the reason for rejection - Whether they're ready for the next call

4. What was your highest income?

**What it reveals:** - Real results - Ambition - Motivation

5. How do you find new clients?

**What it reveals:** - Proactivity - Market knowledge - Ability to work across different channels

6. Describe your ideal client

**What it reveals:** - Understanding of target audience - Market segmentation skills - Strategic thinking

7. How do you use CRM?

**What it reveals:** - Organization - Systems proficiency - Documentation discipline

8. Tell me about a conflict with a colleague

**What it reveals:** - Teamwork ability - Conflict resolution skills - Self-awareness

9. Why do you want to work with us?

**What it reveals:** - Motivation - Company knowledge - Interest in the role

10. What questions do you have for us?

**What it reveals:** - Interest in the role - Critical thinking - Proactivity

How to Evaluate Answers

Use a 1–5 scale: - 5 — excellent answer, specific, with examples - 4 — good answer, but not very detailed - 3 — average answer, some gaps - 2 — weak answer, many questions - 1 — unacceptable answer

If a candidate averages 4 or above — they're a strong candidate.