Sales representative interview questions for employers, with scorecard
US context for employers using these sales representative interview questions, federal rules as of 30 Oct 2026.
Use these 12 questions to interview a sales representative the same way every time. Ask all candidates the same questions, score each answer from 1 to 4 against the notes below, and decide on the total, not on first impressions. Pick 8 to 10 questions per interview.
At a glance
- Match the questions to your sales representative job description: one question per must-have.
- Score each criterion right after the interview, before you talk to other interviewers.
- Follow up with "What did you personally do?" to separate individual work from the team's.
Questions
| # | Question | A good answer shows | Red flags |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Walk me through your last closed deal from first contact. | Clear steps, deal size, cycle length, decision makers | Cannot give details |
| 2 | How do you find new accounts? | Named channels and activity numbers | "Referrals only" with no plan |
| 3 | What does your pipeline look like today? | Stages, counts, next steps | No numbers |
| 4 | How do you prepare for a first call? | Research, hypothesis, goal, questions | Winging it |
| 5 | What questions do you ask to qualify a buyer? | Need, budget, authority, timeline in natural language | Pitches immediately |
| 6 | Tell me about a deal you walked away from. | Qualification discipline | Never walks away |
| 7 | A buyer says your price is too high. What do you do? | Explores value and options before discounting | Discounts at once |
| 8 | Tell me about a deal you lost. Why? | Honest diagnosis, changed approach | Blames price or product |
| 9 | How do you ask for the order? | Direct and comfortable | Avoids closing |
| 10 | Describe a time you missed your quota. | Owns, explains the plan, recovered | Blames territory only |
| 11 | How do you handle a customer complaint after the sale? | Responds fast, brings in support, keeps the relationship | Disappears |
| 12 | What feedback from a manager changed how you sell? | Specific change and result | No example |
Scorecard (1 to 4)
| Score | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 1 | Weak: no relevant example, or a red flag |
| 2 | Partial: general or hypothetical answer, little evidence |
| 3 | Good: a real, specific example that meets the standard |
| 4 | Strong: specific, repeated evidence and clear reasoning |
| Criterion | Questions | What a 4 looks like | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prospecting and discipline | 1, 2, 3 | Has a repeatable process with real numbers | |
| Discovery and fit | 4, 5, 6 | Asks good questions and qualifies out | |
| Closing and negotiation | 7, 8, 9 | Handles objections and protects value | |
| Integrity and coachability | 10, 11, 12 | Honest about misses, learns | |
| Total | / 16 |
Suggested rule: shortlist candidates whose average is 3 or higher with no criterion at 1. Change the rule before the first interview, not after.
Run it as a video interview on LiveRec
Open the candidate and choose Schedule interview, then choose Video and pick LiveRec video, which needs no link. After the call, open the interview and choose Submit feedback to give star ratings for Technical skills, Communication skills and Culture fit, a Decision and your comments; paste your scorecard result into the comments. Recorded LiveRec video interviews are deleted 90 days after the interview as standard, so tell candidates before you record. See Schedule an interview, private notes and feedback and recordings.
Fair interviewing
Ask only job-related questions, the same ones of every candidate. Keep questions about age, family plans, religion, disability or national origin out of the interview. See illegal interview questions.
Next step
Copy the scorecard into your interview scorecard template, then schedule the first interviews. For the method, read the structured interview guide.
Sources
- US OPM, Structured Interviews: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/assessment-and-selection/structured-interviews/
- EEOC, Prohibited Employment Policies/Practices: https://www.eeoc.gov/prohibited-employment-policies-practices
- Uniform Guidelines on Employee Selection Procedures, 29 CFR Part 1607: https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-29/subtitle-B/chapter-XIV/part-1607
This is general information, not legal, tax or immigration advice. Rules change and your situation may differ. Consult a licensed attorney or qualified adviser.