Sales Development Representative Skills Interview
Author:
Course CareersCourse Careers is an organization that offers online courses teaching everything you need to know about technology sales. This SDR Template gives candidates who have been through sales training an opportunity to showcase their skills through job-related questions so organizations can make great sales hires and help elevate candidates' careers.
Focus area:
Question
1
Please describe how an organization is typically structured and how a sales department functions within the organization.
What does this question reveal?
Candidate understands the business context and role of sales in helping the organization achieve its goals
Explore tips
- Gives a definition or example of an organizational structure
- Describes the C-suite as the highest level and/or gives examples
- Explains how sales is responsible for driving revenue and growth
- Provides clear and concise answer to the question
Question
2
Who do you think our ideal customer is, and what tactics would you use to stay up-to-date with their needs and market trends?
What does this question reveal?
Candidate has the ability to understand and connect with the main customer profile for a product
Explore tips
- Demonstrates they've researched and understand your ideal customer profile
- Elaborates on how your product/service addresses main customer's needs
- Explains how they would gather data to stay up with trends
- Identifies sources to obtain up-to-date information (e.g. existing customers)
- Suggests using a CRM tool to monitor needs and trends
Question
3
Who do you think our buyer personas would be?
What does this question reveal?
Candidate has the ability to describe customer segments based on detailed preferences/characteristics
Explore tips
- Demonstrates they've researched and accurately understand your company
- Shares example of a buyer persona by listing your main ones
- Provides clear and concise answer to the question
Question
4
What do you think are the most important characteristics of a successful Sales Development Representative/Business Development Representative?
What does this question reveal?
Candidate understands which skills are required to be successful in an SDR/BDR role
Explore tips
- Shares key skills required for success
- Examples skills: communication, grit/resilience, work ethic, curiosity
- Justifies skills by explaining why they are important for success
- Provides clear and concise answer to the question
Question
5
What do you think your day to day would look like as a Sales Development Representative/Business Development Representative
What does this question reveal?
Candidate understands the expectations of the SDR/BDR role
Explore tips
- Clearly articulates their job expectations and key responsibilities
- Demonstrates they read the job posting and know the specifics at your company
- Communicates the job of an SDR in a simple, clear, and accessible way
Question
6
Why do you want to work in sales?
What does this question reveal?
Candidate understands the role and exhibits a passion/interest in a sales career path
Explore tips
- Communicates a strong internal motivation to succeed in sales
- Explains how their background has set them up for success in this role
- Shares interest in growth and development in a sales career
- Provides clear and concise answer to the question
Question
7
What do you think your strongest personal characteristic would be that would set you up for success in this position?
What does this question reveal?
Candidate has the ability to communicate their unique strengths and what makes them stand out
Explore tips
- Exhibits a strong understanding of themselves and their strengths
- Explains how their strengths would add value to the role and organization
- Articulates strengths like they would articulate the value prop to a prospect
Question
8
Pretend I'm a prospect. Describe our product/service to me.
What does this question reveal?
Candidate understands and communicates the key value of the company's product/service
Explore tips
- Demonstrates they've researched and understand your company's product/service
- Speaks confidently about a subject they might not be experts on
- Clearly communicates the main goal of your business (or product/service)
Question
9
We're going to do a short two-minute role play. Imagine I am a potential customer for [insert company’s product/service]. Pretend to call me as if you were running a cold call.
What does this question reveal?
Candidate has the ability to effectively cold-call potential customers
Explore tips
- Asks questions to learn about the customer's needs
- Uses active listening skills (e.g., repeats identified needs back to customer)
- Improvises effectively and displays competence under pressure
- Is warm, personable, and authentic
- Uses an effective structure when running the cold call
Question
10
How do you usually deal with rejection in sales? Can you share an example of how you've done this in the past?
What does this question reveal?
Candidate has the ability to exercise resilience, remain calm, and maintain a positive attitude in the face of rejection
Explore tips
- Shares a specific strategy for dealing with failure/rejection
- Clearly explains an example of how they've done so in the past
- Maintained a positive outlook despite adversity
- Viewed the experience as an opportunity for learning and development
- Discusses how to apply learnings to future experiences
Question
11
Are you familiar with what a sales cycle is? What parts of the sales cycle do you think you would be responsible for as an SDR?
What does this question reveal?
Candidate understands the structure and process of a sales cycle
Explore tips
- Explains the difference between an SDR/BDR and a full-cycle sales rep
- Explains specific steps in the sales cycle process
- Clearly communicates their overarching responsibilities
Question
12
In your own words, how would you describe what prospecting is?
What does this question reveal?
Candidate understands the role of prospecting and related best practices
Explore tips
- Clearly communicates the activity of prospecting in a simple/accessible manner
- Communicates the importance of prospecting effectively to sales success
- Shares any best practices in prospecting effectively
Question
13
Could you share with me an example of what a sales cadence is?
What does this question reveal?
Candidate understands the concept of a sales cadence and general best practices
Explore tips
- Exhibits a strong understanding of what a sales cadence is
- Provides example of a sales cadence (E.g. Day 1: Cold Email, Day 2: LinkedIn)
- Communicates the concept of a sales cadence in a clear and accessible manner
Question
14
What do you think your tech stack would consist of when working as an SDR/BDR?
What does this question reveal?
Candidate understands which softwares support efficiency and success in sales
Explore tips
- Exhibits awareness and/or proficiency with the softwares they will use
- Describes an example tech stack in a clear, logical, and accessible manner
- References tools such as CRM, Sales Data, Video Meeting, Calendar
Question
15
How do you think you would go about finding our ideal prospects? What kind of information would you need before reaching out to them?
What does this question reveal?
Candidate has the ability to identify/screen potential customer based on characteristics and propensity to buy product/service
Explore tips
- Explains how they would identify and research potential prospects
- Exhibits knowledge of who your company's key prospects are
- Clearly explains how they would conduct research and what info they would need
