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Sales executive Interview Questions

Edited by Indeed Employer Content Team
Last updated 21 August 2025
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Indeed’s Employer Resource Library helps businesses grow and manage their workforce. With over 15,000 articles in 6 languages, we offer tactical advice, how-tos and best practices to help businesses hire and retain great employees.

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9 min read

A sales executive, also known as a sales representative or a business development executive, is responsible for driving revenue. They sell products or solutions to prospects and to existing customers. A sales executive is in charge of identifying leads, incorporating them in the sales pipeline, and building relationship with prospects. Often the role is associated with sales targets to support business growth.

Whether you are preparing to interview a candidate or applying for a job, review our list of top Sales executive interview questions and answers.

  1. What key skills do you think a successful sales executive needs? See answer
  2. Can you describe a time when you exceeded your sales targets? See answer
  3. How do you handle objections from potential clients? See answer
  4. What’s your approach to managing your sales pipeline? See answer
  5. How do you research new prospects and approach new leads? See answer
  6. How do you build and maintain long-term client relationships? See answer
  7. Can you describe a time when a deal didn’t go as planned? See answer
  8. What is your attitude during slower sales periods? See answer
  9. How do you manage multiple prospects in final stages at once? See answer
  10. Have you ever suggested a change to improve the sales process? See answer
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10 Sales executive Interview Questions and Answers

What key skills do you think a successful sales executive needs?

This question is an important one during an interview. It provides you with insight into how well the candidate understands sales in general as well as the specifics of the role you are recruiting for. Candidates for sales executive positions need to be comfortable with a sales environment and preferably have experience in relationship building and negotiation. Look out for both soft skills and commercial acumen. What to look for in an answer:

  • Clear understanding of the sales cycle
  • Strong communication skills and commercial awareness
  • Resilience and the ability to handle rejection
Example:

'I believe resilience is paramount in sales. It helps stay positive and handle rejections. In my past roles, I have developed strong communication skills. My approach is to ask the right questions and to listen attentively. I believe in long-term relationship building with prospects and existing clients. Additionally, understanding the product and having industry knowledge helps build credibility and trust.'

Can you describe a time when you exceeded your sales targets?

This question will help the interviewer understand the candidate’s sales performance. As a sales executive, they will need to meet or exceed sales targets. A strong response shows strategic thinking, accurate goal-setting and elaboration on the practical steps they took to achieve results. Candidates may use the STAR method to bring more weight to their response. It’s a good way to see if they use data to track their performance. What to look for in an answer:

  • A clear, specific example preferably using the STAR method
  • Actions taken to meet sales target
  • Use of metrics to measure success
Example:

'In Q3 last year, my sales target was £230,000 in new business and expansions. I focussed on cross-selling to existing customers and followed up on 100% of my cold leads. I refined my pitch and applied a consultative approach to selling, focussing on what clients need to solve their internal challenges. I ensured prompt reply to all prospects’ requests to speed up the sales cycle. I ended up closing £255,000 deal value.'

How do you handle objections from potential clients?

Objection handling is a core skill in sales. Prospects will challenge the proposal as part of negotiation or reject it all together. This question assesses the candidate’s listening skills and how they adapt their proposal. They should stay calm and respond to pushback without becoming defensive. Interviewers are looking for candidates capable of changing objections into opportunities. What to look for in an answer:

  • Active listening skills
  • Problem-solving abilities and consultative approach
  • Expertise in the product or service field
Example:

'Clients often say the proposal is too expensive. I always try to get more information on why they think so by asking open questions to find the real source of their rejection. Then I pinpoint how the solution proposed solves their issue and back it up with specific examples or case studies from valued customers. This approach allows for a shift in the prospect’s mindset. They see the value in the proposal rather than just its cost. '

What’s your approach to managing your sales pipeline?

Having a well-organised sales pipeline allows sales executives to balance long-term opportunities and short-term wins. This interview question tests how strategic and organised the candidate is. Sales pipelines need to be up to date and thorough at all times to ensure consistent sales performance. With this question, the interviewer can also gauge the candidate’s experience with CRM tools and the different sales stages. What to look for in an answer:

  • Clear understanding of the sales pipeline and sales stages
  • Use of CRM or tracking tools
  • Balance between prospecting and closing deals
Example:

'I review my sales pipeline daily to make sure I follow-up on deals. Every time I have a sales pitch or follow-up call, I systematically update the CRM so that all the information is up to date. This helps me track conversations, deadlines and next steps with each prospect. I also allocate time every week to prospecting so that I do not end up with a dry pipeline at the end of the month. This helps with ongoing revenue growth.'

How do you research new prospects and approach new leads?

This question shows the candidate’s approach to prospecting and cold calling. Researching prospects and learning about them helps personalise the sales approach. It builds credibility during conversations and improves sales conversion rates. Candidates explain how they conduct their research, what they look for and how it helps them approach new leads. What to look for in an answer:

  • Methods of research
  • Understanding of the client’s industry and challenges
  • Personalised outreach techniques
Example:

'Before any first contact, I always try to collect as much information as possible on the prospect. Understanding their business goals and culture helps personalise the approach. It is also important to check for the prospect in CRM tools as there might be valuable historical information in the system. I then tailor my pitch for the outreach so that it speaks to the prospect’s needs.'

How do you build and maintain long-term client relationships?

Sales is a lot about building relationships. Retention and loyalty are just as important as closing deals. This interview question shows how the candidate supports the onboarding of a new customer. The post-sale approach is critical for continuity between sales and delivery. It often results in client satisfaction and highlights the candidate’s long-term view. What to look for in an answer:

  • Proactive communication pre and post-sale
  • Focus on client satisfaction
  • Ability to upsell or grow the account over time
Example:

'After closing a deal, I stay close to the client implementation with account management. The goal is to make sure that there is no disconnect between what was sold and what is being delivered. This transition from sales to delivery should be a smooth as possible for the customer. Once the solution is implemented, I do regular check-ins until full handover to the client manager. If I spot an opportunity for upsell at any point, I stay involved and suggest solutions.'

Can you describe a time when a deal didn’t go as planned?

In sales, flexibility is important. The candidate will provide situational examples on how they handled setbacks, as well as what they learnt and what they did to overcome them. This question gauges the candidate’s self-awareness and ability to learn from their experiences. It also shows how they respond under pressure and whether they can bounce back from disappointment. What to look for in an answer:

  • Honest self-reflection and self-assessment
  • Insight into past experiences
  • Focus on improvement and growth
Example:

'Losing a deal is part of the job. I once lost a sale because I did not involve the correct decision-maker on the client side. My contact was interested in the product but was not authorised to sign it off. This resulted in a lot of time loss that I could have allocated to stronger prospects. From this experience, I learnt to always find out in the early stages who makes the buying decision.'

What is your attitude during slower sales periods?

Sales might be cyclic and it is important that sales executives remain motivated during slower periods. This question provides insight into the candidate’s mindset. To keep steady performance, they are required to stay focussed and use downtime to research new prospects and refine their pitch. Adaptability to the market is important in the role. What to look for in an answer:

  • Positive attitude
  • Self-motivation and willingness to continuously grow
  • Consistency and resilience
Example:

'I am familiar with quieter periods and see them as an opportunity to focus on prospect research and on improving my pitch. During these times, I like to set personal weekly goals that help me stay motivated. It is essential to keep the momentum going and to prepare as much as possible for when the market comes back to full speed. It is also a good time to conduct existing customer reviews for cross-selling opportunities.'

How do you manage multiple prospects in final stages at once?

Having multiple prospects in the final stages of the sales cycle can be overwhelming. It is nonetheless essential to be able to multitask and juggle multiple client requirements. To successfully achieve this, a sales representative needs strong organisational skills and attention to details. This interview question tests how the candidate handles pressure, manages high workload and prioritises. What to look for in an answer:

  • Planning and time management skills
  • Ability to prioritise
  • Attention to detail under time pressure
Example:

'Throughout my career, I have learnt to be well organised during peak times. To handle multiple prospects at the same time I use the CRM to log all interactions and avoid missing anything important. This approach ensures nothing slips through the cracks. I also start my days with an achievable to-do list that prioritises prospect work, including outreach and admin.'

Have you ever suggested a change to improve the sales process?

With technologies evolving at a fast pace and potential political market shifts, there is always room for improvement to customer acquisition strategies. If you are looking for a proactive sales executive who will propose improvements to your existing sales process, this question is important. Identify if the candidate has a proactive and strategic approach to the overall sales process. This can be demonstrated by their willingness to take ownership beyond their personal targets. What to look for in an answer:

  • Examples of specific suggestions or improvements
  • Willingness to collaborate
  • Focus on making the sales process more efficient
Example:

'I believe it is important to collaborate with colleagues and brainstorm on how to improve the sales process. In my past role, I identified that follow-up emails were the same for all prospects. I suggested personalisation of those emails based on the CRM data. The more personalised the communication is, the more chances the prospect will feel engaged. The roll out of the change was a success with 30% increase in response rate.'

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