Advertisement
5 Tremendous Interview Questions for Sales Candidates: A Critical Analysis
Author: Dr. Emily Carter, PhD in Industrial-Organizational Psychology, specializing in sales talent acquisition and assessment.
Publisher: Harvard Business Review (HBR) – A highly reputable publication known for its insightful articles on business strategy and management.
Editor: John Smith, Senior Editor at HBR, with 15 years of experience in publishing business-related content.
Keywords: 5 tremendous interview questions for sales candidates, sales interview questions, sales candidate assessment, hiring sales professionals, sales interview best practices.
Summary: This analysis critically examines the impact of five frequently touted "tremendous" interview questions for sales candidates on current hiring trends. While these questions offer a starting point, the analysis argues for a more nuanced approach that considers the evolving sales landscape, the need for behavioral assessments, and the importance of assessing soft skills alongside sales acumen. The analysis concludes by suggesting supplementary strategies for a more effective and equitable sales recruitment process.
Introduction: The Evolving Landscape of Sales Interviewing
The quest for effective sales talent is a constant challenge for businesses. Finding individuals who not only possess the technical skills but also the personality and drive to succeed in a competitive market is crucial. Many resources promote "5 tremendous interview questions for sales candidates" as a silver bullet solution. While these questions might offer some insights, relying solely on them is insufficient in today's dynamic sales environment. This analysis will delve into the effectiveness of these frequently cited questions, assess their limitations in light of current trends, and propose a more holistic approach to sales candidate evaluation.
Examining the "5 Tremendous Interview Questions"
The five questions often presented as "tremendous" for sales candidates typically revolve around:
1. Tell me about a time you overcame a significant sales objection. (Focuses on problem-solving and resilience)
2. Describe your ideal sales process. (Reveals understanding of sales methodologies)
3. How do you handle pressure and tight deadlines? (Assesses stress management and performance under pressure)
4. What is your biggest sales accomplishment? (Highlights achievements and quantifiable results)
5. Why are you interested in this specific role and company? (Gauges motivation and company fit)
These questions are undoubtedly valuable and provide a foundation for assessing key sales competencies. However, simply asking these "5 tremendous interview questions for sales candidates" without further context or follow-up can be misleading.
Limitations and Criticisms of the "5 Tremendous" Approach
Several limitations hinder the effectiveness of solely relying on these five questions:
Lack of Behavioral Depth: While question 1 and 4 touch upon past experiences, they lack the depth of a structured behavioral interview. Behavioral questions, using the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result), provide a more reliable predictor of future performance than general inquiries. The “5 tremendous interview questions for sales candidates” framework often omits this crucial element.
Bias and Subjectivity: The interpretation of answers to these questions can be subjective. What constitutes a "significant" sales objection or a "biggest accomplishment" is open to interpretation and may vary significantly between interviewers. This subjectivity can lead to unconscious bias impacting hiring decisions.
Ignoring Soft Skills: While question 3 touches upon stress management, the "5 tremendous interview questions for sales candidates" often neglect the crucial soft skills necessary for successful sales, such as communication, empathy, active listening, and collaboration. In today's customer-centric environment, these skills are paramount.
Lack of Contextual Relevance: The ideal sales process (question 2) can vary drastically depending on the product/service, target market, and sales strategy. A candidate's response needs to be assessed within the context of the specific role and company.
Surface-Level Understanding: The questions, while probing certain aspects, may not reveal the candidate's true abilities or work style. They primarily focus on past performance rather than potential and adaptability.
Current Trends in Sales Candidate Assessment
Current trends in sales recruitment emphasize a more holistic and data-driven approach. This involves:
Behavioral Interviewing: Utilizing structured behavioral questions to assess past behavior as a predictor of future performance.
Skills Assessments: Employing assessments to measure specific sales skills like communication, negotiation, and closing.
Situational Judgment Tests: Presenting hypothetical scenarios to evaluate decision-making and problem-solving capabilities.
Personality Assessments: Using validated personality tests to identify traits associated with sales success.
Reference Checks: Conducting thorough reference checks to verify claims and gain additional insights into the candidate's work history.
A More Effective Approach: Beyond the "5 Tremendous Interview Questions for Sales Candidates"
To improve the sales hiring process, organizations should move beyond simply asking the "5 tremendous interview questions for sales candidates" and incorporate these strategies:
1. Develop a Comprehensive Interview Guide: Create a structured interview guide that incorporates behavioral questions, situational judgment tests, and questions assessing soft skills.
2. Use Multiple Interviewers: Employ a panel of interviewers with diverse perspectives to reduce bias and gain a more holistic view of the candidate.
3. Integrate Assessment Tools: Use validated assessments to measure specific skills and personality traits relevant to sales success.
4. Focus on Cultural Fit: Assess whether the candidate's values and work style align with the company culture.
5. Conduct Role-Playing Exercises: Simulate real-life sales scenarios to observe the candidate's skills in action.
6. Prioritize Diversity and Inclusion: Implement strategies to attract and hire a diverse pool of sales candidates.
Conclusion
While the "5 tremendous interview questions for sales candidates" offer a basic framework, relying solely on these questions is inadequate in today's complex sales landscape. A more effective approach involves a multi-faceted assessment strategy that incorporates behavioral interviewing, skills assessments, situational judgment tests, and a focus on soft skills alongside hard skills. By adopting a more holistic and data-driven approach, organizations can significantly improve their ability to identify and hire top sales talent.
FAQs
1. What is the best way to assess soft skills in a sales interview? Use behavioral questions focused on teamwork, communication, empathy, and conflict resolution. Observe the candidate's communication style and active listening abilities throughout the interview. Consider role-playing exercises.
2. How can I avoid bias in my sales interview process? Use standardized interview questions, a structured scoring system, and multiple interviewers. Blind resume reviews can also help mitigate unconscious bias.
3. What are some examples of situational judgment tests for sales candidates? Present hypothetical scenarios like handling a difficult customer, missing a sales quota, or navigating a competitive situation.
4. How important are sales certifications in the hiring process? While helpful, certifications shouldn't be the sole deciding factor. Prioritize practical experience and demonstrated skills.
5. What's the best way to evaluate a candidate's understanding of sales technology? Ask about their experience with CRM systems, sales automation tools, and other relevant technologies. Inquire about their ability to adapt to new technologies.
6. Should I focus more on past performance or future potential? A balance is crucial. Past performance provides evidence of capabilities, but future potential indicates adaptability and growth.
7. How can I assess a candidate's resilience and adaptability? Use behavioral questions focusing on overcoming challenges and adapting to changing circumstances. Inquire about their approach to setbacks.
8. What's the most effective way to assess a candidate's understanding of the target market? Ask about their research on the target market, their understanding of customer needs, and their approach to market segmentation.
9. How can I ensure the interview process is fair and equitable for all candidates? Use a standardized process, ensure all interviewers are trained on bias awareness, and provide equal opportunities to all candidates.
Related Articles
1. Mastering the Sales Interview: A Guide to Asking Effective Questions: This article explores various types of interview questions for sales candidates and provides examples of effective questions for assessing different skills and attributes.
2. Beyond the Resume: Using Assessment Tools to Identify Top Sales Talent: This article examines the use of personality assessments, skills tests, and other assessment tools to identify high-potential sales candidates.
3. The Importance of Soft Skills in Modern Sales: This article highlights the critical role of soft skills like communication, empathy, and relationship building in achieving sales success.
4. Behavioral Interviewing for Sales Professionals: A Practical Guide: This article provides a step-by-step guide to conducting effective behavioral interviews for sales candidates, including example questions and best practices.
5. How to Conduct Effective Sales Role-Playing Exercises: This article offers a comprehensive guide to designing and conducting effective role-playing exercises to assess sales candidates' skills in action.
6. Building a Diverse and Inclusive Sales Team: This article focuses on strategies for recruiting, hiring, and retaining a diverse workforce in the sales department.
7. The Future of Sales: Adapting to a Changing Landscape: This article explores emerging trends and challenges in the sales industry and how organizations can adapt to these changes.
8. Leveraging Data to Optimize Your Sales Hiring Process: This article discusses the use of data analytics to track the effectiveness of the hiring process and improve the selection of high-performing sales candidates.
9. Negotiation Skills for Sales Professionals: A Comprehensive Guide: This article explores the importance of negotiation skills in sales and provides practical tips and strategies for improving negotiation effectiveness.
5 tremendous interview questions for sales candidates: Hire Like You Just Beat Cancer Jim Roddy, 2012-05 When I was a young manager, I thought I understood the importance of hiring top-notch people. Then, at age 32, I got cancer. Being forced to step away from my co-workers for an extended period of time (with one of the options being stepping away forever) made me realize that the people you hire truly make or break your business. In Hire Like You Just Beat Cancer, you'll read short, easy-to-digest chapters filled with detailed examples and time-tested best practices that you can implement immediately at your organization. The lessons I learned when cancer knocked me down helped build me up as a hiring manager, and I apply those lessons aggressively every time I interview a potential employee. AUTHOR JIM RODDY A portion of the proceeds from sales of Hire Like You Just Beat Cancer will be donated to: The Kanzius Cancer Research Foundation and the American Cancer Society through Coaches vs. Cancer. |
5 tremendous interview questions for sales candidates: Hiring for Attitude (PB) Mark Murphy, 2011-12-02 Build a high-performance workforce by abandoning skills-based hiring practices and focusing on employee attitude Hiring for Attitude offers a groundbreaking approach to recruiting, assessing, and selecting people with both tremendous skills but, more importantly, an attitude that aligns with the organization’s culture. Murphy cites his own company’s research and examines recent scientific studies about the practical effects a person’s attitude has on the outcome of his or her job performance. Clear and practical lessons are illuminated by numerous case studies of organizations like Microchip, Southwest Airlines, and The Ritz-Carlton. |
5 tremendous interview questions for sales candidates: 101 Smart Questions to Ask on Your Interview Ron Fry, 2018-07-31 To ace a job interview, you need to give the right answers—and ask the right questions. 101 Smart Questions to Ask on Your Interview is for every job candidate who thinks “Do you have any questions for me?” marks the end of an interview. In Ron Fry’s view, it marks the beginning of the last, and perhaps most important, interview phase, one that’s so important that failing to properly prepare for it can undo all your hard work, including providing great answers to tough questions. It’s your moment to shine—to show off the depth and breadth of your research, to remind the interviewer of how perfectly your credentials fit the job description, and to actually ask for the job! Fry shows you how to take charge of the interview process, presenting yourself as the self-managing, versatile, and confident candidate most employers are seeking. He demonstrates how to use the interview process to sell the company on you while obtaining the information necessary to make sure you are sold on them. From what to ask, when to ask it, and the kinds of answers to expect, 101 Smart Questions to Ask on Your Interview gives all candidates, from first-timers to seasoned pros, the practical information and advice they need to ace entire interviews . . . and get their dream jobs. |
5 tremendous interview questions for sales candidates: Ask a Manager Alison Green, 2018-05-01 From the creator of the popular website Ask a Manager and New York’s work-advice columnist comes a witty, practical guide to 200 difficult professional conversations—featuring all-new advice! There’s a reason Alison Green has been called “the Dear Abby of the work world.” Ten years as a workplace-advice columnist have taught her that people avoid awkward conversations in the office because they simply don’t know what to say. Thankfully, Green does—and in this incredibly helpful book, she tackles the tough discussions you may need to have during your career. You’ll learn what to say when • coworkers push their work on you—then take credit for it • you accidentally trash-talk someone in an email then hit “reply all” • you’re being micromanaged—or not being managed at all • you catch a colleague in a lie • your boss seems unhappy with your work • your cubemate’s loud speakerphone is making you homicidal • you got drunk at the holiday party Praise for Ask a Manager “A must-read for anyone who works . . . [Alison Green’s] advice boils down to the idea that you should be professional (even when others are not) and that communicating in a straightforward manner with candor and kindness will get you far, no matter where you work.”—Booklist (starred review) “The author’s friendly, warm, no-nonsense writing is a pleasure to read, and her advice can be widely applied to relationships in all areas of readers’ lives. Ideal for anyone new to the job market or new to management, or anyone hoping to improve their work experience.”—Library Journal (starred review) “I am a huge fan of Alison Green’s Ask a Manager column. This book is even better. It teaches us how to deal with many of the most vexing big and little problems in our workplaces—and to do so with grace, confidence, and a sense of humor.”—Robert Sutton, Stanford professor and author of The No Asshole Rule and The Asshole Survival Guide “Ask a Manager is the ultimate playbook for navigating the traditional workforce in a diplomatic but firm way.”—Erin Lowry, author of Broke Millennial: Stop Scraping By and Get Your Financial Life Together |
5 tremendous interview questions for sales candidates: 301 Smart Answers to Tough Interview Questions Vicky Oliver, 2005 Packed full of the toughest interview questions and the savvy answers today's managers are looking for, this is the definitive guide to landing a job. |
5 tremendous interview questions for sales candidates: 96 Great Interview Questions to Ask Before You Hire Paul Falcone, 1997 Supplies questions for employers to ask during a job interview and during the decision-making process, and shows how to interpret answers and spot warning signs. Includes advice on illegal interview questions, telephone screening interviews, and reference checks. For managers and human resource professionals. Annotation copyright by Book News, Inc., Portland, OR |
5 tremendous interview questions for sales candidates: The Ultimate Guide to Job Interview Answers: Behavioral Interview Questions & Answers Bob Firestone, 2014-02-17 |
5 tremendous interview questions for sales candidates: Strategic Interviewing Richaurd Camp, Mary Vielhaber, Jack L. Simonetti, 2002-02-28 Interviewing is one of the most effective ways to identify and attract employees who will be successful enough to stay. But few managers are adept at the skill. This book helps eliminate expensive errors of judgment by presenting readers with a set of behaviorally based interviewing strategies. Written by the faculty of the prestigious University of Michigan Executive Education Center--and based on one of their most popular courses--its seven-step Strategic Interviewing Approach helps interviewers define the competencies candidates need to possess and make hiring decisions based on accurate predictions of the candidates' performance. |
5 tremendous interview questions for sales candidates: 101 Job Interview Questions You'll Never Fear Again James Reed, 2016-05-03 Originally published: Why you? London: Portfolio, an imprint of Penguin Random House UK, 2014. |
5 tremendous interview questions for sales candidates: Fundamentals of Sales Management for the Newly Appointed Sales Manager Matthew Schwartz, 2006-02-24 This invaluable resource helps you understand what it takes to be a great sales manager, allowing you to avoid many of the common first-time sales management mistakes, and be successful right out of the gate. Making the leap into sales management means meeting a whole new set of challenges. As a manager, you’re going to have to quickly develop the skills that allow you to build and supervise a sales team, communicate effectively, set goals, be a mentor, and much, much more. Now that you’ve been handed these unfamiliar responsibilities, you’re going to have to think on your feet -- or face the possibility of not living up to expectations. Dispensing with dry theory, Fundamentals of Sales Management for the Newly Appointed Sales Manager helps you understand your new role in the organization, and how to thrive simultaneously as both a member of the management team and as a team leader. You’ll learn how to: Make a smooth transition into management Build a superior, high-functioning sales team Set objectives and plan performance Delegate responsibilities Recruit new employees Improve productivity and effectiveness This book supplies you with indispensable, need-to-know information on communicating with your team, your bosses, your peers, and your customers; developing a sales plan and understanding the relationship between corporate, department, and individual plans; applying crucial time management skills to your new role; managing a sales territory; interviewing and hiring the right people; building a motivational environment; compensating your people; and understanding the difference between training, coaching, and counseling?and knowing how to excel at each. |
5 tremendous interview questions for sales candidates: Sales Management Douglas J. Dalrymple, William L. Cron, Thomas E. DeCarlo, 2000-10-19 Through six editions, Sales Management has provided readers with a comprehensive, practical approach to sales management. Now the authors continue that tradition in a new edition that places special emphasis on current issues of managing strategic account relationships, team development, diversity in the work force, sales force automation, and ethical issues. |
5 tremendous interview questions for sales candidates: 75 Ways for Managers to Hire, Develop, and Keep Great Employees Paul Falcone, 2016-06-14 Products and services will change with demand, but one thing that will always be required for a company’s success is having the right people working hard for you. As a manager, are you cultivating this vital resource? Is there more you could be doing? In this accessible and practical playbook, HR expert and author Paul Falcone helps take the guesswork out of this crucial element for success. In 75 Ways for Managers to Hire, Develop, and Keep Great Employees, Falcone shows managers how to: Identify the best and brightest talent Hire for organizational compatibility Address uncomfortable workplace situations Create an environment that motivates Retain restless top performers Delegate in a way that develops your staff Every HR executive has a laundry list of things they wish managers knew--best practices that would enable the entire organization to operate more effectively. Falcone’s book 75 Ways for Managers to Hire, Develop, and Keep Great Employees has encapsulated all of this for you in a single indispensable resource! |
5 tremendous interview questions for sales candidates: The Maverick Selling Method Brian Burns, 2009 The Maverick Method is a powerful and unique selling method that provides the complete picture of how complex sales work. The Method has been researched, developed and practiced over a twenty-year period. We have studied and modeled over one hundred of the most successful salespeople. Unlike other selling methods the Maverick Method has been proven by salespeople on the front lines of the most difficult selling environments imaginable. The Mavericks that we have modeled have been able to create new markets, dominate their market segments and marginalize their competitors. What you will learn from the Maverick Selling Method: How a complex sale really works How to control the buying process How to customize your selling process for your unique product How to set and change the rules that will justify the buying decision How to marginalize any competitor How to close the deal in a predictable manner before your competitor even knows they have lost What Mavericks do differently How you can become a Maverick |
5 tremendous interview questions for sales candidates: Work Rules! Laszlo Bock, 2015-04-07 From the visionary head of Google's innovative People Operations comes a groundbreaking inquiry into the philosophy of work -- and a blueprint for attracting the most spectacular talent to your business and ensuring that they succeed. We spend more time working than doing anything else in life. It's not right that the experience of work should be so demotivating and dehumanizing. So says Laszlo Bock, former head of People Operations at the company that transformed how the world interacts with knowledge. This insight is the heart of Work Rules!, a compelling and surprisingly playful manifesto that offers lessons including: Take away managers' power over employees Learn from your best employees-and your worst Hire only people who are smarter than you are, no matter how long it takes to find them Pay unfairly (it's more fair!) Don't trust your gut: Use data to predict and shape the future Default to open-be transparent and welcome feedback If you're comfortable with the amount of freedom you've given your employees, you haven't gone far enough. Drawing on the latest research in behavioral economics and a profound grasp of human psychology, Work Rules! also provides teaching examples from a range of industries-including lauded companies that happen to be hideous places to work and little-known companies that achieve spectacular results by valuing and listening to their employees. Bock takes us inside one of history's most explosively successful businesses to reveal why Google is consistently rated one of the best places to work in the world, distilling 15 years of intensive worker R&D into principles that are easy to put into action, whether you're a team of one or a team of thousands. Work Rules! shows how to strike a balance between creativity and structure, leading to success you can measure in quality of life as well as market share. Read it to build a better company from within rather than from above; read it to reawaken your joy in what you do. |
5 tremendous interview questions for sales candidates: Working Backwards Colin Bryar, Bill Carr, 2021-02-09 Working Backwards is an insider's breakdown of Amazon's approach to culture, leadership, and best practices from two long-time Amazon executives—with lessons and techniques you can apply to your own company, and career, right now. In Working Backwards, two long-serving Amazon executives reveal the principles and practices that have driven the success of one of the most extraordinary companies the world has ever known. With twenty-seven years of Amazon experience between them—much of it during the period of unmatched innovation that created products and services including Kindle, Amazon Prime, Amazon Studios, and Amazon Web Services—Bryar and Carr offer unprecedented access to the Amazon way as it was developed and proven to be repeatable, scalable, and adaptable. With keen analysis and practical steps for applying it at your own company—no matter the size—the authors illuminate how Amazon’s fourteen leadership principles inform decision-making at all levels of the company. With a focus on customer obsession, long-term thinking, eagerness to invent, and operational excellence, Amazon’s ground-level practices ensure these characteristics are translated into action and flow through all aspects of the business. Working Backwards is both a practical guidebook and the story of how the company grew to become so successful. It is filled with the authors’ in-the-room recollections of what “Being Amazonian” is like and how their time at the company affected their personal and professional lives. They demonstrate that success on Amazon’s scale is not achieved by the genius of any single leader, but rather through commitment to and execution of a set of well-defined, rigorously-executed principles and practices—shared here for the very first time. Whatever your talent, career or organization might be, find out how you can put Working Backwards to work for you. |
5 tremendous interview questions for sales candidates: The Essential Guide for Hiring and Getting Hired Lou Adler, 2013 |
5 tremendous interview questions for sales candidates: The Consulting Interview Bible Jenny Rae Le Roux, Kevin Gao, 2014 |
5 tremendous interview questions for sales candidates: A Millennial's Guide to Breaking Into Medical Device Sales David Bagga, 2017-07-14 A Millennial's Guide To Breaking Into Medical Device Sales is a modern How-To guide for every sales candidate across the country that is looking to break into the hardcore medical device sales industry. Whether you're a recent college graduate or a sales rep looking to transition into the medical device sales industry, this book will serve as your guide to point you on the right path into medical device sales. David Bagga, The Millennial Sales Coach and one of the top medical device sales recruiters in the industry has found the winning formula for coaching and helping sales candidates all over the country break into medical device sales. |
5 tremendous interview questions for sales candidates: The Great CEO Within: The Tactical Guide to Company Building Matt Mochary, 2019-12-05 Matt Mochary coaches the CEOs of many of the fastest-scaling technology companies in Silicon Valley. With The Great CEO Within, he shares his highly effective leadership and business-operating tools with any CEO or manager in the world. Learn how to efficiently scale your business from startup to corporation by implementing a system of accountability, effective problem-solving, and transparent feedback. Becoming a great CEO requires training. For a founding CEO, there is precious little time to complete that training, especially at the helm of a rapidly growing company. Now you have the guidance you need in one book. |
5 tremendous interview questions for sales candidates: The Complete Q&A Job Interview Book Jeffrey G. Allen, 2004-04-26 The ultimate job interview book! A systematic, foolproof way to generate offers. No job seeker should be without it. -National Job Market The programmed system works because it is a simple, practical, proven way to interview properly. Use it to win the interview and win the job! -Mary Lyon, Associated Press Allen's 'Q&A' interview approach eliminates the fear of the unknown, replaces it with the confidence of knowing what to expect, and trains the applicant to get job offers. -Kimberly A. Hellyar, Director, Training Consultants International What is a job interview anyway? Is it an objective examination of your experience, skills, and work ethic? Not quite. It's a screen test. You're the actor. In this bestselling guide, Jeff Allen, the world's leading authority on the interview process, shows you how getting hired depends almost completely on the actor factor. If you know your lines, perfect your delivery, and dress for the part, you'll get hired. If you don't, you won't. In The Complete Q&A Job Interview Book, Jeff develops your own personalized interview script to prepare you in advance for any question that comes your way. Covering questions on everything from personal background to management ability and technological know-how, he gives you a fail-safe delivery format for responding the right way every time. This new edition has been updated to guide you through today's changing job market, and includes an entirely new chapter on dealing with the latest open-ended interrogation questions. If getting a job is playing a part, this is your starring role. Follow the director, and you'll be a superstar! |
5 tremendous interview questions for sales candidates: We Beat the Street Sampson Davis, George Jenkins, Rameck Hunt, Sharon Draper, 2006-04-20 Growing up on the rough streets of Newark, New Jersey, Rameck, George,and Sampson could easily have followed their childhood friends into drug dealing, gangs, and prison. But when a presentation at their school made the three boys aware of the opportunities available to them in the medical and dental professions, they made a pact among themselves that they would become doctors. It took a lot of determination—and a lot of support from one another—but despite all the hardships along the way, the three succeeded. Retold with the help of an award-winning author, this younger adaptation of the adult hit novel The Pact is a hard-hitting, powerful, and inspirational book that will speak to young readers everywhere. |
5 tremendous interview questions for sales candidates: The New Leader's 100-Day Action Plan George B. Bradt, Jayme A. Check, Jorge E. Pedraza, 2009-03-16 The New Leader's 100-Day Action Plan, and the included downloadable forms, has proven itself to be a valuable resource for new leaders in any organization. This revision includes 40% new material and updates -- including new and updated downloadable forms -- with new chapters on: * A new chapter on POSITIONING yourself for a leadership role * A new chapter on what to do AFTER THE FIRST 100 DAYS * A new chapter on getting PROMOTED FROM WITHIN and what to do then |
5 tremendous interview questions for sales candidates: The Smart Interviewer Bradford D. Smart, 1989-10-02 The Smart Interviewer In 20 years of specializing in interviews, management psychologist Brad Smart has successfully interviewed more than 4,000 candidates for selection or promotion, trained over 3,000 hiring managers in how to interview, and counseled thousands on how to manage their careers. The Smart Interviewer is a culmination of this vast experience. In it, Smart shares with you the secrets to successful interviewing. Written in a most readable style and featuring humorous cartoons, this book will immediately help you improve your interviewing effectiveness. You'll learn: * How to build excellent rapport * How to apply the TORC Technique for motivating the interviewee to be totally candid and reveal negatives * How to conduct productive reference calls * How to correctly interpret an interviewee's responses * How to prepare for an interview, how much time to take during an interview, how to focus your questions in ways that will reveal whether the interviewee meets your organization's needs or not--plus the latest hiring legalities you should be aware of The Smart Interviewer will help you avoid costly mishires and mispromotions and give you strategies and tools to hire productive, high-caliber employees that meet your company's needs. |
5 tremendous interview questions for sales candidates: Results Bruce A. Pasternack, Gary L. Neilson, 2005-10-18 Every company has a personality. Does yours help or hinder your results? Does it make you fit for growth? Find out by taking the quiz that’s helped 50,000 people better understand their organizations at OrgDNA.com and to learn more about Organizational DNA. Just as you can understand an individual’s personality, so too can you understand a company’s type—what makes it tick, what’s good and bad about it. Results explains why some organizations bob and weave and roll with the punches to consistently deliver on commitments and produce great results, while others can’t leave their corner of the ring without tripping on their own shoelaces. Gary Neilson and Bruce Pasternack help you identify which of the seven company types you work for—and how to keep what’s good and fix what’s wrong. You’ll feel the shock of recognition (“That’s me, that’s my company”) as you find out whether your organization is: • Passive-Aggressive (“everyone agrees, smiles, and nods, but nothing changes”): entrenched underground resistance makes getting anything done like trying to nail Jell-O to the wall • Fits-and-Starts (“let 1,000 flowers bloom”): filled with smart people pulling in different directions • Outgrown (“the good old days meet a brave new world”): reacts slowly to market developments, since it’s too hard to run new ideas up the flagpole • Overmanaged (“we’re from corporate and we’re here to help”): more reporting than working, as managers check on their subordinates’ work so they can in turn report to their bosses • Just-in-Time (“succeeding, but by the skin of our teeth”): can turn on a dime and create real breakthroughs but also tends to burn out its best and brightest • Military Precision (“flying in formation”): executes brilliant strategies but usually does not deal well with events not in the playbook • Resilient (“as good as it gets”): flexible, forward-looking, and fun; bounces back when it hits a bump in the road and never, ever rests on its laurels For anyone who’s ever said, “Wow, that’s a great idea, but it’ll never happen here” or “Whew, we pulled it off again, but I’m tired of all this sprinting,” Results provides robust, practical ideas for becoming and remaining a resilient business. Also available as an eBook From the Hardcover edition. |
5 tremendous interview questions for sales candidates: Topgrading (revised PHP edition) Bradford D. Smart Ph.D., 2005-04-07 Great companies don’t just depend on strategies—they depend on people. The more great people on your team, the more successful your organization will be. But that’s easier said than done. Statistically, half of all employment decisions result in a mishire: The wrong person winds up in the wrong job. But companies that have followed Bradford Smart’s advice in Topgrading have boosted their successful hiring rate to 90 percent or better, giving them an unbeatable competitive advantage. Now Smart has fully revised his 1999 management classic to reintroduce the topgrading concept, which works for companies large and small in any industry. The author spells out his practical approach to finding and managing A-level talent—as well as coaching B players to turn them into A players. He provides intriguing case studies drawn from more than four thousand in-depth interviews. As Smart writes in his introduction, “All organizations, all businesses live or die mostly on their talent, and any manager who fails to topgrade is nuts, or a C player. . . . Those who, way deep down, would sooner see an organization die than nudge an incompetent person out of a job should not read this book... Topgrading is for A players and all those aspiring to be A players.” On the web: http://www.topgrading.com/ |
5 tremendous interview questions for sales candidates: Emotional Intelligence for Sales Leadership Colleen Stanley, 2020-06-16 The best way to get ahead in sales is by developing the critical soft skills that will enable you not just survive but thrive. Chronic complainers, no accountability finger-pointers, or learning-resistant laggards—these culture-killers costs sales organizations more in productivity than being weak in the so-called hard skills of selling. Sales leadership expert Colleen Stanley shows how emotional intelligence and the development of these critical soft skills improve sales leadership effectiveness and outperforms doubling down on more sales technology tools and fads. In Emotional Intelligence for Sales Leadership, Colleen provides sales secrets that: Shows sales leaders why ‘real world’ empathy and emotion management are the key to building strong relationships with their sales team. Offers simple steps on how sales leaders create sales cultures that embrace feedback and change through the development of critical emotional intelligence skills. Provides guidance on how to identify key emotional intelligence skills needed in your hiring process to build resilient sales teams. Walks readers through the process of training sales teams on soft skills that ensure the consistent execution of the right selling behaviors. The missing link is in hiring for and developing emotional intelligence skills in sellers and sales leaders. Emotional Intelligence for Sales Leadership will connect with anyone charged with growing sales in business-to-business or business-to-consumer sales. |
5 tremendous interview questions for sales candidates: Debugging Teams Brian W. Fitzpatrick, Ben Collins-Sussman, 2015-10-13 In the course of their 20+-year engineering careers, authors Brian Fitzpatrick and Ben Collins-Sussman have picked up a treasure trove of wisdom and anecdotes about how successful teams work together. Their conclusion? Even among people who have spent decades learning the technical side of their jobs, most haven’t really focused on the human component. Learning to collaborate is just as important to success. If you invest in the soft skills of your job, you can have a much greater impact for the same amount of effort. The authors share their insights on how to lead a team effectively, navigate an organization, and build a healthy relationship with the users of your software. This is valuable information from two respected software engineers whose popular series of talks—including Working with Poisonous People—has attracted hundreds of thousands of followers. |
5 tremendous interview questions for sales candidates: The Road Ahead Bill Gates, Nathan Myhrvold, Peter Rinearson, 1996 In this clear-eyed, candid, and ultimately reassuring |
5 tremendous interview questions for sales candidates: Hire Smart from the Start Dave Carvajal, Dorothy Grover Bolton, 2018-01-17 This book distills lessons gained from the author’s 20 years of experience, building out and staffing two enormously successful Internet startups and helping firms land the talent they need to reach their greatest potential. Don't rely on instincts alone. Hiring is king and while the lesson seems so basic, so many good companies stumble and lose their stride just when they were poised for rapid growth. Why? Their leaders treated hiring as a tedious chore. They posted an ad hoc ad. Took the first person with the right skills. Hired for immediate needs, rather than future flourishing. Whether you're a high-tech entrepreneur taking a startup public, or a food truck vendor with a concept that's taking off, Hire Smart from the Start offers a proven formula to help you: Find candidates whose values and working style fit your business Spot the 5 types of applicants you should never, ever hire Motivate reach candidates to leave their jobs and take a chance on your vision Develop meaningful incentives that make people stay Accelerate success: hire smart from the start. This book shows you how. |
5 tremendous interview questions for sales candidates: Good Leaders Ask Great Questions John C. Maxwell, 2014-10-07 A #1 New York Times bestselling author and leadership expert answers questions from his readers about what it takes to be in charge and make a difference. John Maxwell, America's #1 leadership authority, has mastered the art of asking questions, using them to learn and grow, connect with people, challenge himself, improve his team, and develop better ideas. Questions have literally changed Maxwell's life. In GOOD LEADERS ASK GREAT QUESTIONS, he shows how they can change yours, teaching why questions are so important, what questions you should ask yourself as a leader, and what questions you should be asking your team. Maxwell also opened the floodgates and invited people from around the world to ask him any leadership question. He answers seventy of them--the best of the best--including . . . What are the top skills required to lead people through difficult times? How do I get started in leadership? How do I motivate an unmotivated person? How can I succeed working under poor leadership? When is the right time for a successful leader to move on to a new position? How do you move people into your inner circle? No matter whether you are a seasoned leader at the top of your game or a newcomer wanting to take the first steps into leadership, this book will change the way you look at questions and improve your leadership life. |
5 tremendous interview questions for sales candidates: The Walk-On Method To Career & Business Success Jim Roddy, 2020-09-19 The Walk-On Method features 31 underdog athletes who parlayed their college experience into habits that led to career and business success. While each walk-on's individual path is unique, the mindset, skills, and behaviors they developed and the post-college outcomes they achieved are similarly remarkable. These athletes applied The Walk-On Method first to college football, basketball, rowing, golf, or track & field, and then they parlayed that behavior pattern into success in business ownership, engineering, coaching, law, finance, broadcasting, medicine, insurance, film, management, education, banking, acting, and ministry. These former walk-ons were behaving subconsciously, unaware that scrambling to make a college sports team and fighting to keep their roster spot was foundational to their life's work. Going the extra mile in their profession is second nature, and they wonder why others don't take that same (and seemingly obvious) path. Most people don't realize they're in control of their career trajectory. When we read about a successful person, their accomplishments are often painted as a one-in-a-billion anomaly, a lightning strike of genius or opportunity. This book destroys those myths one walk-on success story at a time and reveals this important reality: your professional success is within your control. Ordinary people will accomplish extraordinary feats when their energy is properly channeled. The Walk-On Method To Career & Business Success shows you how through inspiring stories and the proven five-step Walk-On Method. |
5 tremendous interview questions for sales candidates: Hire With Your Head Lou Adler, 2012-06-12 Hire with Your Head Updated with new case studies and more coverage of the impact and importance of the Internet in the hiring process, this indispensable guide has shown tens of thousands of managers and human resources professionals how to find the perfect candidate for any position. Lou Adler's Performance-based Hiring is more powerful than ever! We have chosen Performance-based Hiring because it's a comprehensive process, it's behaviorally grounded, managers and recruiters find it easy to use, and it works. -Marshall Utterson, Director Staffing, AIG Enterprise Services, LLC Everyone's looking for the perfect means to make effective hiring decisions. A trained interviewer armed with the right tools is the best solution. Performance-based Hiring is a proven methodology to get these results. -John Ganley, Vice President and Chief Talent Officer, Quest Software Any staffing director that doesn't send all of their people through Performance-based Hiring training is missing out on top talent, plain and simple. This should be the standard throughout the industry. -Dan Hilbert, Recruiting Manager, Valero Energy Corporation Performance-based Hiring has been the most successful recruitment tool that we have added to our organization over the past few years. In fact, these tools have not only produced amazing outcomes-in terms of selecting the best fit in an extremely tight labor market-but with a level of success among our operations customers that I have rarely seen with other HR products. -Trudy Knoepke-Campbell, Director, Workforce Planning, HealthEast(r) Care System |
5 tremendous interview questions for sales candidates: Proving the Value of Soft Skills Patricia Pulliam Phillips, Jack J. Phillips, Rebecca Ray, 2020-08-04 A Step-by-Step Guide to Showing the Value of Soft Skill Programs As organizations rise to meet the challenges of technological innovation, globalization, changing customer needs and perspectives, demographic shifts, and new work arrangements, their mastery of soft skills will likely be the defining difference between thriving and merely surviving. Yet few executives champion the expenditure of resources to develop these critical skills. Why is that and what can be done to change this thinking? For years, managers convinced executives that soft skills could not be measured and that the value of these programs should be taken on faith. Executives no longer buy that argument but demand the same financial impact and accountability from these functions as they do from all other areas of the organization. In Proving the Value of Soft Skills, measurement and evaluation experts Patti Phillips, Jack Phillips, and Rebecca Ray contend that efforts can and should be made to demonstrate the effect of soft skills. They also claim that a proven methodology exists to help practitioners articulate those effects so that stakeholders’ hearts and minds are shifted toward securing support for future efforts. This book reveals how to use the ROI Methodology to clearly show the impact and ROI of soft skills programs. The authors guide readers through an easy-to-apply process that includes: business alignment design evaluation data collection isolation of the program effects cost capture ROI calculations results communication. Use this book to align your programs with organizational strategy, justify or enhance budgets, and build productive business partnerships. Included are job aids, sample plans, and detailed case studies. |
5 tremendous interview questions for sales candidates: Vault Guide to Finance Interviews D. Bhatawedekhar, Hussam Hamadeh, 2002 From the Vault Career Library covering the basics of financial statements, fit portion of interviews and equity and debt valuation techniques in a step-by-step process. |
5 tremendous interview questions for sales candidates: Crack the Case System David Ohrvall, 2011 Crack the Case System is a complete training program, covering every aspect of the infamous case interview favored by top management consulting firms and a growing number of Fortune 500 companies. David Ohrvall's step-by-step approach combines practical instruction on structuring, analytics and communication, as well as insider tips and insights gained from training thousands of candidates. CTCS includes over 150 bonus videos on mbacase.com, 42 practice cases, homework and drills. About the author: David Ohrvall is the global expert on the topic of case interviews. A dynamic and sought-after speaker, he trains several thousand MBAs and undergraduates each year at premiere business schools around the world, including Wharton, Stanford, Harvard Business School, Chicago Booth, Duke's Fuqua School of Business, INSEAD, Oxford and Cambridge. David also has an extensive private coaching practice that has helped launch hundreds of candidates into consulting, venture capital, and a variety of industries. David is a former management consultant (Bain & Company), and a graduate of the Wharton School (MBA & undergrad). Learn more about David at www.mbacase.com. |
5 tremendous interview questions for sales candidates: How to Answer Interview Questions Peggy McKee, 2017-05-12 Can you explain why you're the person they need to hire?Employers ask you a hundred different interview questions... but what they really want to know is, Why should we hire you? If you get interviews but you don't get the job, you have not explained that to them. This is the book that will show you how to use your answers to get the job.What This Book Will Do For You: * Tell you why interviewers ask certain questions * Show you what they are looking for in your answer * Give you strategies for answering the toughest questions * Warn you about answers that will kill your chances * Give you How To tips, phrases, and words for answering 101 job interview questionsWhat Kinds of Questions Are In the Book? - Tell me about yourself. - What's your greatest weakness? - What salary are you looking for? - Why do you want to join this company? - Why should we hire you? - Why do you have a gap in your employment history? - Tell me about a time when you failed. - Describe a time when your work was criticized and how you handled it. - What motivates you? - What questions do you have for us?Who Needs This Book?If you have ever felt that you: * Don't have the words you need to explain why you're the person they need to hire... * Can't quite sell yourself for the job... * Stumble over your answers because you don't know what they really want to hear.... * Just want to be more confident in the interview... Then this is the book for you! |
5 tremendous interview questions for sales candidates: Cracking the Coding Interview Gayle Laakmann McDowell, 2011 Now in the 5th edition, Cracking the Coding Interview gives you the interview preparation you need to get the top software developer jobs. This book provides: 150 Programming Interview Questions and Solutions: From binary trees to binary search, this list of 150 questions includes the most common and most useful questions in data structures, algorithms, and knowledge based questions. 5 Algorithm Approaches: Stop being blind-sided by tough algorithm questions, and learn these five approaches to tackle the trickiest problems. Behind the Scenes of the interview processes at Google, Amazon, Microsoft, Facebook, Yahoo, and Apple: Learn what really goes on during your interview day and how decisions get made. Ten Mistakes Candidates Make -- And How to Avoid Them: Don't lose your dream job by making these common mistakes. Learn what many candidates do wrong, and how to avoid these issues. Steps to Prepare for Behavioral and Technical Questions: Stop meandering through an endless set of questions, while missing some of the most important preparation techniques. Follow these steps to more thoroughly prepare in less time. |
5 tremendous interview questions for sales candidates: A Century of Innovation 3M Company, 2002 A compilation of 3M voices, memories, facts and experiences from the company's first 100 years. |
5 tremendous interview questions for sales candidates: The Residency Interview Jessica Freedman, 2010-04 THE RESIDENCY INTERVIEW. These words make every applicant nervous. This MedEdits guide provides applicants with insight about the residency interview process as well as a general framework to dramatically improve their confidence on interview day. This book is based on Dr. Jessica Freedman's experience in residency admissions while on faculty at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York City and her observations while privately advising residency applicants with MedEdits (www.MedEdits.com). Get practical advice on: 1) How to prepare for your interview 2) What to expect on interview day 3) The different types of interviewers 4) What information you must convey during your interview 5) How to structure your answers and direct your interview 6) What to wear, how to behave on tours, lunches, night be- fore gatherings and many other topics |
5 tremendous interview questions for sales candidates: Knock 'em Dead Job Interview Martin Yate, 2012-12-18 Land the job you want! The interview is one of the most crucial moments of the job search experience and your chance to show your potential employer that you have what it takes to succeed in the position. In order to do that in today's highly competitive job search environment, though, you'll have to find a way to stand out from the crowd. Using his twenty-five years of experience, New York Times bestselling author Martin Yate has established a set of rules for job interviews that is sure to get you noticed. Instead of memorizing canned answers, Yate provides you with an explanation of the thought behind more than 300 questions and answers, so that you'll always know what the interviewer is really asking and how you should respond. Packed with information on handling stress questions and weird interview venues, this book also teaches you how to keep your cool--and confidence--from the moment you step inside the building. With Knock 'em Dead Job Interview, you will finally be able to differentiate yourself from the competition and score the job! |
万分之五怎么写?0.5% 0.5‰ 5‰ ?到底是那个啊?谢谢
万分之五是千分之0.5,也就是0.05%,但是一般不这样写,不过你也可以这样写,有一种新的表达就是千分之0.5,所以是0.5‰。 千分号就是在百分号的基础上再加一个根据好似的圆圈,如 …
上古卷轴5技能点代码是什么-上古卷轴5技能点代码大全_百度知道
Nov 22, 2024 · 上古卷轴5技能点代码是什么呢?在上古卷轴5游戏里,玩家想要升级技能点需要消耗技能点数,因此技能点是相当重要的,那么究竟有什么代码可以帮助大家快速拥有技能点 …
英语的1~12月的缩写是什么? - 百度知道
5、May无缩写 五月; 6、Jun. June 六月; 7、Jul. July 七月; 8、Aug. August 八月; 9、Sep. September九月; 10、Oct. October 十月; 11、Nov. November 十一月; 12、Dec. …
如何设置win10自动关机命令 - 百度知道
5、确定关机时间,比如图上是2016年5月23日14点整,点击“下一步”。 6、这一步,默认即可,点击“下一步”。 7、程序或脚本输入“shutdown”,添加参数输入“-s”,点击下一步。 8、确认无 …
大乐透的中奖规则 - 百度知道
Aug 19, 2024 · 或者前区5个号码命中2个,后区2个号码命中2个。奖金:15元。追加无奖励。 9、九等奖。中奖规则:前区5个号码命中3个,后区2个号码命中0个。或者前区5个号码命中1 …
月份的英文缩写及全名 - 百度知道
提供月份的英文全名和缩写对照表,帮助用户快速查询和学习。
英文1号到31号日期缩写 - 百度知道
Jun 10, 2022 · 1日:first(1st)、2日:second(2nd)、3日:third(3rd)、4日:fourth(4th)、5日:fifth(5th)、6日:sixth(6th)、7日:seventh(7th ...
身份证尺寸是多少厘米?身份证在a4纸的尺寸大小是多少?
Sep 15, 2024 · 身份证在a4纸的尺寸大小为5.4*8.57厘米。 下面演示身份证图片插入Word时设置为身份证1:1大小的操作流程: 1、首先打开Word,进入“页面布局”下,点击“纸张大小”,把纸 …
取得保密资质的企业事业单位违反国家保密规定的,应受到吊销保密 …
Apr 24, 2025 · 取得保密资质的企业事业单位违反国家保密规定的,应受到吊销保密资质处罚的情取得保密资质的企业事业单位,有下列情形之一的,会被吊销保密资质:资质证书违规使用:变 …
I,IV ,III,II,IIV是什么数字. - 百度知道
对应阿拉伯数字,也就是现在国际通用的数字为:Ⅰ是1,Ⅱ是2,Ⅲ是3,Ⅳ是4,Ⅴ是5,Ⅵ是6,Ⅶ是7,Ⅷ是8,Ⅸ是9,Ⅹ是10。 可以通过打开软键盘打出罗马数字。 点击“软键盘”,选 …
万分之五怎么写?0.5% 0.5‰ 5‰ ?到底是那个啊?谢谢
万分之五是千分之0.5,也就是0.05%,但是一般不这样写,不过你也可以这样写,有一种新的表达就是千分之0.5,所以是0.5‰。 千分号就是在百分号的基础上再加一个根据好似 …
上古卷轴5技能点代码是什么-上古卷轴5技能点代码大全_百度知道
Nov 22, 2024 · 上古卷轴5技能点代码是什么呢?在上古卷轴5游戏里,玩家想要升级技能点需要消耗技能点数,因此技能点是相当重要的,那么究竟有什么代码可以帮助大家快速 …
英语的1~12月的缩写是什么? - 百度知道
5、May无缩写 五月; 6、Jun. June 六月; 7、Jul. July 七月; 8、Aug. August 八月; 9、Sep. September九月; 10、Oct. October 十月; 11、Nov. November …
如何设置win10自动关机命令 - 百度知道
5、确定关机时间,比如图上是2016年5月23日14点整,点击“下一步”。 6、这一步,默认即可,点击“下一步”。 7、程序或脚本输入“shutdown”,添加参数输入“-s”,点击 …
大乐透的中奖规则 - 百度知道
Aug 19, 2024 · 或者前区5个号码命中2个,后区2个号码命中2个。奖金:15元。追加无奖励。 9、九等奖。中奖规则:前区5个号码命中3个,后区2个号码命中0个。或者前区5个 …