When to use this template
Use this entry level sales interview questions template when you are hiring people with little or no sales history. Think trainee reps, door-to-door and field sales, inside sales, retail sales associates and appointment setters. Resumes tell you little at this level. A structured interview tells you more: why the candidate wants the job, how they handle rejection and how they talk to a stranger.
It works best when several interviewers, offices or locations hire for the same role. Everyone asks the same core questions and scores against the same guide, so you compare candidates on equal terms instead of on gut feel.
Copy-ready question sets
Each set below is ready to paste into your interview guide or scorecard. Replace anything in [brackets] with your own details.
Motivation: why sales, why this role
Opening: "Thanks for coming in, [Candidate Name]. This role is a [Job Title] position with [Company Name], working [territory / setting, e.g. in-store, phones, field]. I want to start with what drew you to it." 1. What made you apply for a sales role, and why this one at [Company Name]? Follow-up: What do you expect a normal day to look like? 2. Tell me about a goal you set for yourself and reached. What did you do to get there? Follow-up: What almost stopped you? 3. This role is paid on [pay structure, e.g. base plus commission]. How do you feel about earnings that depend on your results? Follow-up: What would keep you going in a slow week? 4. Where do you want to be in [time frame]? How does this job fit into that? Listen for: specific reasons, realistic expectations of the work, examples of self-driven effort.
State the pay structure exactly as it appears in your job posting. Do not add figures in the interview that are not in writing.
Resilience: rejection, pressure and bouncing back
Opening: "In [Job Title], most conversations will not end in a sale. I want to understand how you handle that." 1. Tell me about a time you were told no, or something you worked hard on did not work out. What happened next? Follow-up: What did you change after that? 2. Describe a stretch where you had to keep going on something repetitive or tiring. How did you stay on track? 3. Picture this: it is [time of day] and you have had [a run of rejections / no appointments booked] today. What do you do for the rest of your shift? Follow-up: Who, if anyone, would you go to for help? 4. Tell me about feedback that was hard to hear. What did you do with it? Listen for: ownership instead of blame, a concrete next action, willingness to be coached.
Communication: role-play and listening
Opening: "Let's do a short role-play. You are a [Job Title] for [Company Name]. I am a [customer type, e.g. homeowner, store visitor, small business owner]. You have [short time window] to introduce yourself and ask me a few questions. No product knowledge needed." Role-play prompt: "Introduce yourself and find out whether I might need [product or service]." Interviewer objection to use once: "[Common objection, e.g. I'm not interested / I don't have time right now]." After the role-play: 1. How do you think that went? What would you do differently? 2. What did you learn about me during the conversation? 3. Explain [simple product or concept from your business] to me as if I have never heard of it. 4. Tell me about a time you had to explain something to someone who was confused or frustrated. Listen for: clear introduction, questions before pitching, calm response to the objection, honest self-assessment.
Scoring guide: one sheet per candidate
Candidate: [Candidate Name] Role: [Job Title] | Location: [Office / Location] Interviewer: [Interviewer Name] | Date: [Date] Rate each area: Strong / Solid / Developing / Concern Motivation: [Rating] Strong = specific reasons, realistic view of the work, clear examples of self-driven effort. Concern = vague reasons, unclear why they want sales. Evidence: [Notes and quotes] Resilience: [Rating] Strong = takes ownership, names a concrete next step after setbacks, open to feedback. Concern = blames others, no examples of recovering from a setback. Evidence: [Notes and quotes] Communication: [Rating] Strong = clear intro, asks questions, stays calm under objection, listens. Concern = talks over the customer, freezes or argues at the objection. Evidence: [Notes and quotes] Coachability (from role-play debrief): [Rating] Evidence: [Notes and quotes] Overall recommendation: Advance / Hold / Do not advance Reason in one sentence: [Reason]
Score each area right after the interview, before talking with other interviewers. Write down what the candidate said, not just your impression.
How to customize the template
- Match the role-play to the real job. A field rep should practice a doorstep opener. An inside rep should practice a phone call.
- Use the same objection your new hires hear most often in their first weeks.
- Pull language from your posting so expectations line up. If you need help there, see this guide to writing a sales job description.
- Decide in advance which areas matter most for the role and agree on what Advance means before interviews start.
- Save the final version where every hiring manager can find it, such as a shared library of recruiting templates, so locations do not drift into their own versions.
Fit the template into a fast process
Entry-level candidates often apply to several jobs at once. Book interviews quickly and confirm by text and email so people show up. ATS Mako includes interview scheduling and a communication engine with native SMS and an integrated email client, so you can invite, confirm and follow up from one place. For a wider view of speed, read this playbook on hiring sales representatives quickly.
What to avoid
- Questions unrelated to the job, such as personal life, family plans or background details. Stick to skills, behavior and the work itself.
- Changing questions from candidate to candidate. It makes scores impossible to compare.
- Selling the job harder than you assess the candidate. Be honest about rejection, hours and pay structure.
- Judging confidence as skill. A loud candidate is not always a good listener.
- Scoring from memory days later. Notes fade and bias fills the gaps.
- Making promises about earnings or promotion that are not in writing.
Run consistent interviews across every location
See how ATS Mako handles scheduling, SMS and email follow-up and shared templates under your own brand. Book a demo.