Car Dealership Interview Preparation Guide

My job title was a sales representative. My primary duties was basically to sell cars, to close the deal on selling a car with a customer and to sell the car to the customer.

Job candidates who set goals are perceived to be clear thinkers and motivated workers. Before your interview, talk to a few people who are where you would like to be and ask if your stated goals strike a healthy balance between realistic and achievable.

Then, when you talk to the hiring manager, briefly describe your goals and hone in on why you want to achieve them -- your driving motivations and where you think achieving these goals could take you in the next few years.

This is a common question and ice breaker in interviews. And if you don't have a good answer for it -- why are you even here? While you're researching the company and role, make a list of what excites you about both.

Do you believe in the work the company does? Explain why. Are you interested in expanding your skillset to include the enterprise-level business they conduct? Tell them that. Does the role play to your strengths? Explain which strengths and how.

Even if your interviewer doesn't ask you this question, it's a strong way to begin or end your meeting.

This gives your interviewer another chance to see your strategic sales thinking in action. Breaking up with prospects is not for the faint of heart -- but it's a necessary part of sales. It shows you're confident in your ability to work other deals, cognizant of what's best for your customer, and fierce about protecting your company's resources.

Did you close a deal in the middle of a lake while on vacation -- in between waterski turns? Tell that story like you've probably told it a million times. You're a salesperson, and part of the job is being an outstanding storyteller. Demonstrate these skills to your interviewers by telling your all-time greatest sales stories.

I’ve always admired your company’s reputation for customer service and I know that’s a big part of why your clients buy from you. I have a lot of experience selling to your key demographic and I know how to sell the overall product experience — including the customer service component. Let me tell you about a sales campaign I came up with last year that centered on the benefits of customer service….

That’s right, you may very well be challenged to show off your sales skills on the spot in the interview.

It’s an age-old sales interview trick, and the interviewer is likely hoping that the question will catch you off guard. Your response will show your capacity for thinking on your feet and prove your dexterity at selling anything

Good tricks to answering this question: Don’t sell the pen, sell the post-sale benefits, and don’t simply list the attributes, find out what the potential buyer is looking for.

The possible answers could be long ones, and you should be asking questions to ascertain what the buyer wants. If they say they want long ink-life, point out that the pen is guaranteed to last 3 years, and so forth. You’re not just selling the pen, you’re making it clear that the product is a necessity in the buyer’s life.

Sometimes it’s very hectic. Sometimes is was more call center type work where we were calling customers on the phone. Most of the time, you have certain weekends where people come in, we have big sales. You have a crown and you don’t have enough sales person. Most of the time, they’re handing the people that’s on the lot, you know. Again, I’ll try to work one customer as quick but proficient as possible. Get the deal done and then go to the next one.

Salespeople need to be able to deal with failure by critically analyzing failed attempts and learning from them. Knowing how you handle failure is as important as understanding how you succeed, and in fact, the two are interdependent.

Be honest here, and clearly spell out one of your failures. Start with the goal you were pursuing, and then elaborate on why it was important to you, what did you do to achieve it, why you failed, who was involved, what you learned, and what you would have done differently. Far from damaging your reputation, the hiring manager will appreciate your candor.

We touched on this above, but it bears repeating. Take time to really think through this question, and deliver an answer that goes beyond, "You have such a great culture," or "I think it will be a really great fit."

Discuss why their product/service resonates with you, what it is about their business model that speaks to a specific skill you've honed, or how you think their sales team can help you grow in a certain area.