Carter Hopkins
Interview Tips
Sales
Maybe you’re just starting your sales career. Or your dream position just opened up but you’re going to have to punch above your weight class to land the job. Either way, I have a few tips you can use to end up on top, even against more qualified candidates.
Be unique and bold. Like it or not, competing against better candidates means you’ll have to take some calculated risks. But that’s not necessarily bad. It’s really just a matter of daring to be different across the interview process so you can distance yourself from the competition.
Most sales candidates prep for an interview with some light online research. But what if you were to interview a few of a company’s target customers with some pointed questions?
This way, you can take the responses and prepare what’s basically a SWOT analysis of the company’s local sales process and present it during your interview. And that’s the type of strategy that immediately separates you in the eyes of a hiring manager.
Do the extra 5%. Granted, there’s only so much you can do to differentiate yourself. But while 95% of interview prep is identical, that last piece can make all the difference.
Besides the SWOT analysis, how about reaching out to some of the company’s current employees on LinkedIn? Ask for a few minutes of their time and many of them will gladly agree. Afterward, make sure it’s okay for you to mention the conversation in your interview.
From a recruiting manager’s perspective, that’s some serious moxie on your part. It’s proactive, innovative, and the type of outside-the-box thought and action that companies want to see from sales candidates.
Address objections upfront. When you’re not as qualified as other candidates, the lack of line items and bullet points on your resume is sure to be an elephant in the interview room. But why let it linger like a dark cloud and influence the direction and tone of the entire interview?
Instead, get that elephant out in the open as soon as the interview begins. Then spend the next 45-60 minutes selling yourself and why you’re the right who for the open seat. And just as importantly, explain why the company is a great fit for you.
Look the part. Of course, you also want to cover the basics by arriving at an interview early, dressing appropriately, and making a strong, appealing impression. But all of those should be a given.
Above all else, always try to exude confidence without being cocky, and show them how great of a sales rep you’ll be for their company by selling them on what you know best – yourself. That’s what HR reps and hiring managers want to see most.
When a sales leader is evaluating candidates, they are running a parallel process to the one described above. They are watching how you handle pressure, how you prepare, and whether you demonstrate the behaviors they need from a rep on day one.
The candidates who stand out are not always the ones with the most polished resumes. They are the ones who treat the interview like a sales cycle: they research the buyer (the company), they address risk head-on (the experience gap), and they close with conviction (a clear ask and a strong follow-up).
For companies building or scaling a sales team, this matters. The ability to spot a high-ceiling candidate over a high-tenure candidate is a competitive advantage. At Pursuit, we spend a significant amount of time coaching both sides of this equation, helping candidates position themselves effectively and helping hiring teams build screening processes that surface real sales ability, not just years of experience.
If you are building a sales team and want to make sure your process is designed to find A-Players, not just A-resumes, reach out to the Pursuit team.
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Yes. Sales hiring managers are evaluating how you sell, not just what your resume lists. Candidates who demonstrate proactive research, confidence, and creative preparation consistently outperform more experienced candidates who show up unprepared.
A customer SWOT analysis involves interviewing a few of the company's target customers before your interview to understand how they perceive the brand, the product, and the current sales team. You then present those findings in the interview as a structured analysis. This approach signals to hiring managers that you think and act like a seller, not just an applicant.
Yes, when done respectfully. Reaching out to current employees, asking for a brief conversation, and then referencing that outreach in your interview shows initiative and social intelligence. These are qualities every sales leader wants on their team. Always ask the employee if it is acceptable to mention the conversation before you bring it up.
Address it directly at the start of the interview rather than hoping the hiring manager does not notice. Acknowledge the gap, then spend the rest of the interview demonstrating the qualities, drive, and self-awareness that close that gap. Candidates who own their weaknesses and pivot to their strengths are far more memorable than those who avoid the topic.
Beyond experience, hiring managers want to see that a candidate can sell. That means confidence without arrogance, preparation that goes beyond a quick Google search, the ability to handle objections, and genuine enthusiasm for the role and company. The interview is your first sales call. Treat it that way.
