How to stay positive during a job hunt

Tuesday Tip! Follow up follow up follow up and never give up! Until someone tells you otherwise, if you’re on the job hunt and reaching out to a hiring manager or recruiter, it’s your job to continually reach back. People are BUSY. Silence doesn’t mean they are not interested, it may mean they are not ready, or maybe it’s time for a second interview. The best sales people never give up. The job hunt is a sales process. Don’t give up, stay positive!!

Walking into a sales interview isn’t just about charm and confidence, it’s a performance. The hiring manager isn’t looking for someone who can talk; they’re hunting for a closer, someone who can diagnose customer pain, communicate value, and move the deal forward. In this 2025 guide, we break down the 10 sales interview questions that hiring managers use to separate high-potential candidates from the rest. Whether you’re interviewing for an entry-level rep role or a senior account executive position, these questions reveal how well you understand the game of sales from discovery to close. https://lnkd.in/d6SThmhc

This hiring manager spent months filling one sales role. He kept blaming the candidates, saying "they were duds." But it was his grueling 4-stage interview process! He complained that every candidate was either a job-hopper or a dud. I’ve heard that before… and bad luck only explains so much. So I asked to see his interview process. That’s when his frustration made sense. It was a grueling, 4-stage marathon that included: A personality test A cognitive assessment A mock presentation A final interview with a panel of six people. All spaced out across a full month. And he couldn’t understand why strong candidates were ghosting or dropping out. I could help him understand… It’s simple. Top sales performers won’t jump through hoops to prove their worth. They’ve already done that in the real world. They’re not spending hours on mock decks when they’ve got three other offers. They’re not waiting four weeks to hear back. And they’re definitely not pitching themselves to six strangers like they’re on Dragon’s Den. If you want the best, respect their time. Create a process that is efficient, transparent, and respectful. Because if you don't, you're not just losing candidates. You're losing the best ones.

I prep every sales candidate before they interview with a client. I'm surprised that almost no one asks these questions about the hiring manager: - What's their personality like? - What do they like to talk about outside of work? - Do they even like small talk? I already sent them your resume and my notes from our screening call. Clearly they respect your sales background or they wouldn't be brining you in for an interview. The interview is now a test of: 1) Does this person actually know what they're talking about? 2) Can I trust this person to go represent us in the market and build relationships with our ICP? Whenever there's something particular about the hiring manager's personality that they should know, I tell them: "John is kinda stoic. You might make a hilarious joke and I can almost guarantee he won't even give you a chuckle. Don't take it personally... it might feel like you're bombing because he's not giving you much. That's honestly just how he is. I've known the guy for 2 years and idk if he even likes me" And guess what... right after the interview the candidate will call me and say: "You were absolutely right. I couldn't really get a read on him" About an hour later... John will call me saying he loved the candidate and wants to move forward with them. Yes, salary and commission structure are very important. But if you can't get that hiring manager's buy in... the commission structure won't even matter.

How To Answer Interview Questions 👀📝 When you’re interviewing for a tech sales role, hiring managers aren’t just listening to what you say. They’re listening for proof you can actually deliver results. Here’s what they’re looking for: ✅ Do you understand the product or service? ✅ Can you uncover a client’s needs and tailor solutions? ✅ Will you stay calm and credible when objections come up? The easiest way to approach any question is this 3-step process: 1️⃣ Be specific: Share details that prove you know your stuff. Instead of saying “I sold software,” explain the type of clients you worked with, the product you sold, and your role in the process. 2️⃣ Show results: Don’t just list tasks, show the impact. Did you hit quota, shorten the sales cycle, or help clients achieve measurable outcomes? Numbers and results stand out. 3️⃣ Connect it back: Always link your answer to the role you’re applying for. Show how your past experience directly prepares you to succeed in this company’s sales environment. Follow for more proven strategies to stand out and land your first role in tech sales! #techsalesinterview #saleshacks #salescalltips #objectionhandling

Sales interviews reward prep, not talent. ⇢ Get the cheat sheet: https://lnkd.in/ehHAEcuW — You don’t get extra time to make your case. You get one shot to sound like a seller, not just a candidate. Here’s how to prep like a pro 👇 🎯 “Tell me about yourself.” → Walk through roles with revenue ownership → Keep it <2 min and relevant to their motion 🏢 “Why do you want to work here?” → Mention industry/product fit → Show you’ve done the research → Tie to your strengths 🌟 “What sets you apart from other reps?” → Skip “I’m a hard worker” → Talk buyer empathy or how you think in systems → Tie to real outcomes 💥 “Give an example of handling a difficult prospect.” → Share how you shifted the convo → Focus on insight > charm 🎯 “What’s the toughest deal you’ve closed?” → Walk through how you won it → Emphasize thinking, not just grind 🔥 “How do you handle pressure or slumps?” → Be real (missed target, lost deal) → Talk process + recovery → Show ownership 🌍 “How do you build pipeline in new territory?” → Start with ICP, signals, outbound plan → Show you can hunt, not just farm 💔 “Tell me about a lost deal.” → Be direct, no dodging → Highlight one key lesson 🔍 “What’s your biggest weakness?” → Pick a real one (e.g. overqualifying) → Show how you’re fixing it → Coachability > perfection 💪 “What are your strengths?” → Objection handling, discovery, storytelling → Tie each to outcomes or numbers 💡 “Do you have questions for us?” → Ask about quota, ramp time, what separates top reps → Sell yourself through curiosity 🚪 “Why did you leave your last role?” → Keep it honest + strategic → Never bash - ever — Save this. Practice it. Own the room. 📬 Subscribe for proven sales frameworks, daily insights & free resources: https://lnkd.in/ehHAEcuW (already 40,000 sellers are on board)

$ How to Crush Sales Interviews at Any Level — Even When the Stakes Are High $ Whether you’re going for your first SDR role or a VP of Sales position, one thing never changes: the interview is the close. And just like any sale, the key isn’t talking more — it’s saying what matters. 💡 The truth? Most candidates walk into interviews trying to get hired. Top performers walk in to prove they can sell. 🔥 Here’s how to stand out at any level: 💬 Treat the interview like a discovery call. Ask the right questions and uncover pain points. 🧠 Quantify everything. Numbers beat adjectives — talk metrics, not buzzwords. 📈 Sell outcomes, not yourself. Show how your skills create results. 💪 Be calm under pressure. The best closers make hard questions look easy. 🚀 Finish strong. End every interview with a clear, confident close — just like a deal. 💬 No matter your level, interviewing for sales is about proving one thing: You don’t just want the job — you can deliver results. 👉 Get ready for your next big opportunity at SalesJobs.com 📩 Or DM me “Sales Interview” and I’ll send you a breakdown of what hiring managers are really looking for right now.

Salespeople are the hardest people in the world to interview. And if you’ve ever had to hire one, you’ll know exactly why. I’ve interviewed a lot of salespeople over the years. And let me tell you… salespeople are the hardest people to interview. Why? Because the good ones are really good at selling — especially selling themselves. So how do you know if someone can sell your product, not just themselves? Here’s what I’ve learned: ✅ Take everything with a pinch of salt. Numbers can be “massaged.” Stories can be polished. Don’t get dazzled by how much they say they sold, most of it can’t be verified anyway. ✅ Watch how they handle silence. I always include an awkward pause or two. If they can’t handle the silence and rush to fill it, they’ll do the same thing on a sales call. ✅ Notice if they talk too much about themselves. If the interview is all “me, me, me,” guess what their sales calls will sound like? ✅ Pay attention to curiosity. Do they ask questions? Are they genuinely interested in your product, your customers, your team? Curiosity is the most underrated sales skill there is. ✅ Check the ego. Overconfidence might look impressive, but it’s dangerous. You want someone who represents your company’s values, not just their own. ✅ Always, always check references. It’s amazing how many people skip this. Speak to at least one or two people they’ve worked with before. You’ll learn more in five minutes than an hour-long interview. Salespeople are often the first true impression of your business, the energy they bring will reflect your values out in the world. So yes, hiring salespeople is tough. But if you stay curious, stay calm, and stay silent a little longer than feels comfortable, they’ll tell you everything you need to know.

Here's something I do in every sales interview that tells me more than their entire resume. I learned this from Brandon Taylor. I say: "Take five minutes and walk me through your resume. Focus on the parts that apply most to this position." Then I shut up and watch. About 50% of candidates can't do it. They'll talk for 20 minutes. They'll wander through every job they've ever had. They'll give me their life story starting with where they grew up. I've literally sat there thinking "did they hang up?" while they pause to gather their thoughts. Here's what I'm actually testing: #1 Can they communicate with discipline? If someone can't stick to five minutes in an interview... what happens in a sales meeting when a prospect says "give me the quick version"? #2 Do they respect constraints? Five minutes is a constraint. So is a 30-minute discovery call. So is a prospect's attention span. #3 Can they prioritize information? If they spend three minutes on a job from 2015 that has nothing to do with what we do... they don't know what matters. #4 Do they follow instructions? I said focus on relevant experience. If they ignore that... they'll ignore your sales process too. The candidates who nail this? They're usually the ones who close business. They understand their audience. They edit themselves. They make choices about what to include and what to leave out. I worked with a manufacturing company last year. They were hiring two reps. One candidate talked for 30 minutes about his background. The other gave a tight five minute summary and then asked about the role. Guess which one they hired? Guess which one hit quota in their first six months? Look... I'm not saying someone who goes long can't sell. Maybe they were nervous. Maybe they didn't hear the time limit. But I am saying that in two decades of doing this... the pattern holds. The people who can't control themselves in an interview usually can't control themselves in front of prospects. Try this in your next interview. You'll see what I mean. Looking to upgrade your sales talent, or build a team? Let’s talk.