Sample Interview Questions for Sales Supervisors (with Answers)

This post provides a huge list of samples of interview questions for sales supervisors that you can use in your preparation if you are scheduled for an interview.

Interviewing for a sales supervisor is not a walk in the park, you would need to prepare yourself for the likely questions the interviewer would asked to ascertain that you are a good fit for their company.

Please, read on:

What do Interviewers look for in Sales Supervisors?

When hiring for the sales supervisor position, interviewers usually look for the following qualities: the ability to work in a team and show leadership skills, ability to step up in a crisis, able to create strategies that will lead to success, and good understanding of the marketplace.

10 Most Common Interview Questions for Sales Supervisors (and Answers)

Here are some of the commonest questions you may encounter at a sales supervisor interview (with suggested answers) to help you prepare effectively for the interview:

1. What do you believe is the most important responsibility for a sales supervisor?

The ability to work in a team and show leadership skill is what I think is the most important part of a sales supervisor’s job.

2. How would you define a successful strategy?

A successful strategy must have clear timelines and measurable progress so that it can be adjusted if there is no progress or obstacles.

3. How do you define leading by example?

Leading by example means working harder if the rest of your team is lagging behind; this shows they are dependable and encourages them to work harder as well.

4. How would you handle a crisis situation?

Your first priority should be getting everyone home safely. Then, when appropriate, you would need to gather information on the situation so that your superiors know what they are dealing with.

5. How do you go about creating a successful strategy?

A good strategy is always in line with the company’s mission statement and all strategies should have clear timelines attached to them in order for them to be implemented successfully.

6. What do you consider your best leadership skill?

I am most adept at delegating duties, even though I can handle them myself if necessary. It’s important for a sales supervisor to know what they’re good at and delegate accordingly.

7. What is the first thing you should do as a sales supervisor, and how would you know if your progress was on track?

The first thing I should do is speak with each member of my team individually to get an idea of where they are in their personal goals.

Then you need to set up meetings with them for weekly check-ins, so that everyone can work towards their individual and team goals.

More Common Interview Questions for Sales Supervisors

8. What is your biggest strength?

My biggest strength is my ability to stay calm in a crisis; this has helped me resolve several tense situations before they got out of hand.

9. How do you see your role as a supervisor in the company’s mission statement?

To lead by example, to show the rest of the team that I am dependable, so they can trust my guidance.

10. What is your biggest weakness?

At times, I have trouble stepping back and letting other members on my team take charge. This happens when things are particularly stressful or there are too many projects being assigned.

More Sample Interview Questions for Sales Supervisors

Here are more samples of sales supervisor interview questions to boost your preparation for your upcoming interview: 

Sample Behavioral Interview Questions for Sales Supervisors

1. How do you handle a difficult customer?
2. Describe yourself in three words.
3. How would you handle a situation where an employee was not performing well?
4. How would you describe your personality in the workplace?
5. Describe a time when you were able to influence people positively.

Sample Case Interview Questions for Sales Supervisors

1. What would you do if one of your team members leaves?
2. Why did you leave your last position?
3. What is your worst experience on the job and how did you handle it?
4. How would we know that we can trust you with this position without any formal work experience in sales management before?
5. Is there anything else about yourself that I should know to decide whether or not to hire you for this role, such as a health issue or disability that may affect your ability to perform the essential functions of the job at hand?

Sample Competency Interview Questions for Sales Supervisors

1. How would you handle the situation when a client decides not to purchase your products? And what would you do?

2. What can we expect from you in 100% of the time?

3. Do you think it is important for an employee to possess a willingness to learn and grow?

4. What do you understand about our company and what drives our success?

5. Do you think that sales representatives should be able to work on their own without supervision?

Sample Problem-solving Interview Questions for Sales Supervisors

1. What are the top qualities you look for in a co-worker?
2. How would you motivate someone who is not motivated to succeed?
3. You have to manage an employee who always comes in late. Explain how you could get through to them?
4. A co-worker claims someone else stole their idea and submitted it as their own. How would you handle the situation?
5. What is your favorite part of your current job?

Sample Situational Interview Questions for Sales Supervisors

1. What are the benefits of working with your company?
2. How would you manage an irate customer?
3. What is your experience in this position?
4. How do you plan on setting goals for yourself and your team if given this
5. Tell me what motivates you to work hard?

Sample Communication Skills Interview Questions for Sales Supervisors

1. Tell me about yourself.
2. What are some of the characteristics of a successful salesperson?
3. What is your strategy for getting clients to buy products and services from you?
4. How do you motivate team members and provide feedback?
5. What would we need to do in order for you to be happy with our company as a client?

5 Interpersonal Skills Interview Questions for Sales Supervisors

1. How do you handle being rejected by a customer?
2. If the CEO asks you to sell one more thing, do you follow that order or say no?
3. What is your experience with cold calls and how did it go for them?
4. When did you last have a disagreement with a co-worker/manager about something big going on in the company?
5. What has been the toughest decision you have had to make at work so far and why was it tough?

Sample Company Culture Interview Questions for Sales Supervisors

1. What do you believe is the core of a successful team?
2. What are your thoughts on team members that don’t pull their weight?
3. How does management motivate employees to perform better?
4. Can you provide three examples of how systems reduced the workload for sales people in your company’s history
5. What’s the mission of this company?

Sample Leadership Interview Questions for Sales Supervisors

1. What is the best way to build a successful team?
2. Give me an example of a time where you were able to successfully motivate your teammates.
3. What is the key to handling competition in business?
4. How often do you use opportunities to provide feedback or recognition for your subordinates?
5. In order for someone on your team to succeed, what would they need, as little as possible, from you as their manager, please explain.

Sample Management Interview Questions for Sales Supervisors

1. What are some of your qualities that you bring to the table?
2. How do you adapt to change?
3. What is your managerial style like?
4. What type of ‘outside the box’ ideas have you come up with in past jobs?
5. Tell me about a time when something didn’t go according to plan.

Sample Sales Interview Questions for Sales Supervisors

1. What are some important metrics for measuring performance?
2. Do you have experience building teams or coaching employees?
3. What is the most challenging part of your job, and how do you manage it?
4. How will this position help us grow our revenue stream in this year over last year’s numbers by 25% – 50% annually”?
5. Why are you keen on being a staff at this company?

Sales Supervisor Interview Success Tips

Here are some Interview tips to use to increase your chances of passing the sales supervisor interview you are scheduled for:

1. Make sure you do research about the company before going into the interview.
2. Be prepared with questions that you want to go through with the interviewer.
3. You need to be aware of the job details and what is expected from you as a sales supervisor before accepting a job offer.
4. Learn about what your leadership style would be, how do you motivate others? And give examples of success stories when you have undertaken such roles in your previous employment.
5. Talk about your weaknesses, but ensure that you are not exaggerating or making it seem it is something that will make you less of a fit for the job. Be honest in selling yourself to the interviewer without over selling your skills and qualifications.
6. Ensure you have all relevant documents with you during your interview for easy reference.

Conclusion

If you are looking to land a sales supervisor position, it is important that you prepare very well for any questions the interviewer might ask.

This will help to greatly increase your chances of getting the sales supervisor job.