Interview Questions Template for Hourly and Sales Roles: A Copy-Ready Question Bank

This interview questions template for hourly and sales roles gives hiring managers and branch managers one shared question bank. It works best when you hire for the same role at more than one site, when several managers interview, or when you need to decide fast without guessing. Every candidate hears the same questions in the same order. Every answer gets scored against the same rubric. That is the core of a structured interview.

How to use a question bank

A question bank is a menu, not a script you read top to bottom. Pick a short set per role, lock it in, and use it for every candidate in that hiring round.

1. 1 Pick the role set Start with the core questions, then add the hourly frontline or sales set that matches the job.
2. 2 Fill the brackets Replace every [bracketed] placeholder with your role, location, shift pattern or product before the first interview.
3. 3 Share the set and rubric Send the same questions and scoring guide to every interviewer so no one improvises.
4. 4 Score during the interview Rate each answer right after the candidate finishes, not at the end of the day.
5. 5 Compare and decide Line up scores across candidates and make the call while the interviews are fresh.

Core questions for every role

Use these with every candidate, hourly or sales. They cover reliability, communication and fit with how the job actually runs.

Role: [Job title]
Location: [Site or branch name]
Interviewer: [Name]

1. Tell me about your most recent job at [previous employer or type of work]. What did a normal day look like?
2. What made you apply for the [job title] role at [company name]?
3. Our schedule for this role is [shift pattern or hours]. How does that fit with your other commitments?
4. Tell me about a time you had to learn something new quickly at work. How did you do it?
5. Describe a time a coworker or manager gave you feedback you did not expect. What did you do next?
6. What would your last supervisor say is your biggest strength?
7. What questions do you have about the role, the team or [location]?

Hourly frontline questions

These fit retail, hospitality, warehouse, care, cleaning and other shift-based roles. They focus on showing up, staying calm under pressure and following process. For a deeper set, see the hourly employee question sets.

Role: [Job title, e.g. cashier, warehouse associate, server]
Shift: [Days, nights, weekends or rotating]

1. Tell me about a time you had to cover a shift or stay late with little notice. What happened?
2. Describe a busy rush at a past job. How did you keep up without cutting corners?
3. A [customer or guest] is upset about [common issue for this role]. Walk me through what you would say and do.
4. Tell me about a safety or quality rule you followed even when it slowed you down.
5. How do you make sure you arrive on time for an early or late shift?
6. If you saw a coworker skip a step in [key process], what would you do?
7. This role involves [physical task or repetitive task]. Tell me about similar work you have done.

Sales and field role questions

Use these for inside sales, retail sales, field sales and route-based roles. They test motivation, resilience after rejection and how the candidate communicates. For newer reps, pair this with the entry-level sales question set.

Role: [Job title, e.g. sales associate, field sales rep]
Territory or team: [Area or branch]

1. Sell me [simple product or one of our services] in two minutes. Ask me anything you need first.
2. Tell me about a time you heard no several times in a row. What kept you going?
3. How do you plan your day when no one is checking on you?
4. Describe a time you lost a sale or a customer. What did you learn?
5. How do you keep track of follow-ups with [prospects, accounts or leads]?
6. Tell me about a time you had to explain something complicated to a customer in plain terms.
7. This role is [describe structure, e.g. base plus commission]. What questions do you have about how that works?

Scoring rubric

Score each answer on three levels. Add a one-line note for anything you want to discuss with other interviewers.

Candidate: [Name]
Role: [Job title]
Interviewer: [Name]
Date: [Date]

Question [number]: [Strong / Meets / Weak]
Note: [One line on what they said]

Overall recommendation: [Advance / Hold / Do not advance]
Reason: [One or two sentences]

Customization tips

• Cap each interview at a short set. Pick the questions that match the role's hardest moments.
• Write one role-specific scenario per location, using a real situation your team faces.
• Keep the same wording across sites. Small changes make scores hard to compare.
• Review the bank after each hiring round and drop questions that never separate candidates.
• Store the final version in one place, such as your recruiting template library, so every manager pulls the latest copy.
• Screen first, interview second. A short phone screening script filters out schedule mismatches before you spend interview time.

If you run hiring in ATS Mako, you can invite shortlisted candidates by SMS or email and book the interview in the same system with interview scheduling, so the question set is the only thing left to prepare.

Questions to avoid

• Questions about personal life that have nothing to do with the job, such as family plans, relationships or home situation.
• Questions about age, background, religion, health or other personal characteristics.
• Brain teasers and trick questions that do not reflect the actual work.
• Leading questions that hint at the right answer, such as 'You're fine with weekends, right?'
• Off-script follow-ups that only some candidates get.