9 Questions for Assessing Candidate Drive

Recruiting salespeople can be a challenging task for managers and leaders. To build a successful sales team, it is essential to hire candidates who are driven, optimistic and competitive. But how can you assess these traits during the recruitment process? In this blog post, we'll explore 9 questions that can help you evaluate a candidate's drive.

Questions to Assess Need for Achievement

1. Can you describe a time when you set a challenging goal for yourself, and how did you achieve it?

This question will help you understand a candidate's approach to setting and achieving goals. Look for answers that demonstrate persistence, focus, and a willingness to take risks to achieve a desired outcome. 

2. How do you handle rejection or failure in your work?

Sales can be a tough industry, and rejection is an inevitable part of the job. This question will help you gauge a candidate's resilience and ability to bounce back from setbacks. 

3. Can you give an example of a time when you exceeded your sales targets or expectations?

This question will help you understand a candidate's motivation and drive to achieve results. Look for answers that demonstrate a willingness to go above and beyond what is expected and a passion for achieving success.

Questions to Access Optimism 

4. Can you describe a time when you faced a difficult challenge, and how did you stay positive throughout the process?

Optimism is a critical trait for salespeople, as it helps them maintain a positive attitude and mindset when facing obstacles. This question will help you evaluate a candidate's ability to stay optimistic during challenging situations.

5. How do you handle rejection or failure in your personal life?

This question will give you insight into a candidate's overall level of optimism and how they handle adversity in all aspects of their life.

6. Can you describe a time when you had to change your approach to achieve a goal?

Optimistic individuals are flexible and adaptive, and this question will help you understand how a candidate handles changes and pivots their approach to achieve success.

Questions to Access Competitiveness

7. Can you describe a time you faced stiff competition in your work and how dd you differentiate yourself from others?

Sales is a highly competitive industry, and the ability to differentiate oneself from the competition is critical. This question will help you evaluate a candidate's competitiveness and their ability to stand out in a crowded marketplace. 

8. Can you describe a time when you won a deal or a contract against a strong competitor, and what was your strategy?

This question will help you evaluate a candidate's competitive drive and ability to develop effective strategies to win against tough opponents.

9. How do you feel about competing against your peers within the sales team?

This question will give you insight into a candidate's attitude toward competition within a team environment. Look for answers that demonstrate a healthy level of competitiveness without crossing the line into unhealthy rivalry or sabotage.

Recruiting salespeople is a crucial task for managers and leaders, and assessing a candidate's drive is a critical factor in building a successful sales team. These nine questions will help you evaluate a candidate's need for achievement, optimism and competitiveness and make an informed hiring decision.