Competency-Based Sales Interviewing

Unlocking Key Competencies for Sales Success

In the quest to hire top sales talent, traditional interview questions may not provide a comprehensive understanding of a candidate's capabilities. This is where competency-based interviewing comes into play. By focusing on specific competencies, you can effectively assess a candidate's skills, behaviors, and experiences relevant to the sales role. In this article, we will explore the advantages of using competency-based interview questions, guide you on identifying key competencies for sales roles, and provide examples of competency-based questions to help you evaluate candidates more effectively.

Advantages of Using Competency-Based Interview Questions

Competency-based interview questions offer several advantages over traditional interview methods:

• Relevance: These questions directly assess the specific skills and behaviors required for sales success, allowing you to gauge a candidate's fit for the role.
• Predictive Validity: Research shows that competency-based interviews have higher predictive validity in assessing future job performance.
• Consistency: Using a consistent set of competency-based questions for all candidates ensures fairness and enables accurate comparisons.
• Behavioral Insights: Candidates' responses to competency-based questions provide insights into how they have demonstrated the desired competencies in past experiences.

Identifying the Competencies Relevant to Sales Roles

To identify the key competencies for sales roles, consider the following steps:

1. Job Analysis: Analyze the sales role, its responsibilities, and the desired outcomes to determine the critical competencies required for success.

2. Consulting Stakeholders: Seek input from sales leaders, managers, and top-performing salespeople to identify the competencies they consider vital for the role.

3. Reviewing Performance Data: Examine past performance data of successful salespeople to identify the common competencies associated with their achievements.

4. Industry Research: Stay informed about industry trends and best practices to identify emerging competencies required in sales roles.

Examples of Competency-Based Questions

Competency-based questions delve into candidates' past experiences to assess how they have demonstrated specific skills and behaviors. Here's an example:

"Tell me about a time when you successfully turned around a difficult customer. How did you handle the situation?"

This question assesses several competencies such as:

• Customer Relationship Management: Evaluating the candidate's ability to handle challenging customer situations.
• Problem-Solving: Assessing their problem-solving skills in resolving customer issues.
• Communication and Influence: Observing their communication style and ability to influence customer opinions positively.

By incorporating competency-based interview questions, you can gain deeper insights into candidates' past experiences and assess their fit for the sales role more accurately.