Sales career guide
Sales interview questions and answers (2026)
By Vandana Agarwal, sales development leader · Updated 4 November 2026
Sales interviews check whether you can find and win business, handle a no, and talk honestly about your numbers. These are the questions that come up most for B2B sales roles, from SDR to Account Executive, with how to answer each.
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How sales interviews usually run
A recruiter screen, then a hiring manager round on your numbers and how you sell, then a role play: a mock cold call for SDRs, a discovery call or deal presentation for Account Executives. Senior roles often add a panel or a final round with a sales leader.
Talking about your numbers
Know your quota or target and your attainment for each year or quarter, your average deal size and sales cycle, and how much pipeline you built yourself. Be exact and do not round up: interviewers check. If you missed, say by how much, why and what you changed.
Questions to ask back
What share of the team hit quota last year? Where do leads come from, and how much pipeline am I expected to build myself? What is the territory? How long is ramp? Why is this role open?
Sales roles open right now
From company careers pages, checked every morning. Updated 4 November 2026.
- Account Executive- Public Sector at ZscalerGurgaon, IND
- US SDR at NetCom LearningBengaluru
- Sales Account Executive Expert - Large Enterprise Accounts at SAP IT Business SystemeMumbai-Bandra Kurla Complex (IFLD), India
- Business Development Representative at BrowserstackIndia Remote · remote
- Account Executive - Talent Solutions at LinkedInAhmedabad, India (Remote) · remote
- Account Executive, LinkedIn Sales Solutions at LinkedInBengaluru, India
- Account Executive, LinkedIn Sales Solutions - Academics at LinkedInMumbai, India
- Senior Account Executive - Inside Sales at FreshworksChennai, India
- Sales Development Representative (SDR) (Night Shift) at OpenGovIndia | Pune
- Account Executive at Cushman & WakefieldBengaluru, India
- Business Development Representative at KoantekHyderabad, Telangana, India
- Account Executive- Commercial at ZscalerMumbai, IND
- Strategic Account Executive - India at GitLabRemote, India · remote
- Account Executive, SMB - EMEA/AMER at G2Bengaluru
- Senior Account Executive at RZR GlobalHybrid | India (Bangalore)
- Account Intelligence & Research Executive at Ample GroupBangalore, Karnataka, India
- Sales Development Representative (India) at CommureGurugram, India
- Mid-Market SDR at GushworkBengaluru
- Account Executive at Airdit Software ServicesLucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India
- Sales Development Representative at SOTIGurgaon, India
- Account Executive - Majors at ZscalerMumbai, IND
- Strategic Account Executive- NeoCloud & AI Infrastructure at CheckPointSoftwareTechnologies2Mumbai, India
- Sales Development Representative at KekaHyderabad
- Business Development Representative (Fresher) at Playto LabsBengaluru, India
- Territory Sales Manager (Account Executive) at UPSIN - MUMBAI SCS OPERATIONS OFFICE (INMVR)
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Sales interview questions, with how to answer
Tell me about yourself.
Two minutes: where you sell now, who to, one result with a number, and why this role is the next step. Leave out your full history; they have your CV.
Why sales?
Give a real reason: you like the target, the people, being paid for results. Back it with an example of something you sold or a target you hit.
Walk me through your numbers.
Quota and attainment by year or quarter, deal size, cycle length and segment. Say where the pipeline came from. Have the figures ready without looking them up.
Tell me about a deal you won.
Pick one deal and tell it from first contact to signature: who the buyer was, their problem, who else was involved, the hardest moment and how you got past it, and the final size.
Tell me about a deal you lost.
Be honest about why you lost and what you would do differently. Interviewers want self-awareness, not a story where nothing was your fault.
How do you build pipeline?
Name your channels (outbound email, calls, LinkedIn, referrals, events), how you choose target accounts, and a number such as meetings or pipeline you created in a quarter.
How do you run a discovery call?
Agree the agenda, ask about their current process, the problem, its cost, who decides and by when, then agree a clear next step. Most of the call should be them talking.
How do you handle price objections?
Ask what they are comparing the price to, go back to the cost of the problem they described, and trade rather than discount: anything you give should get something back, such as a longer term or a faster signature.
Sell me this pen.
Ask questions before pitching: how they use pens, what bothers them. Tie the pen to the need they gave you, then ask for the sale. The test is whether you discover before you pitch.
How do you handle rejection?
Give a real example, what you did next and the result. Show you keep going and learn from it without taking it personally.
How do you forecast your deals?
Explain the stages you use, what has to be true for a deal to move stage, and how close your past forecasts were. Mention the CRM you ran your pipeline in.
Why are you leaving your current job?
Keep it forward-looking: bigger deals, a better market, a clearer path. Do not criticise your current company.
What are your salary expectations?
Ask for the range first. If you must answer, give total pay (OTE) with the fixed and variable split you expect, based on your current pay and the market.
How do I answer sales interview questions as a fresher?
Use examples from college, internships, part-time jobs or anything with a target or a customer. Prepare for the role play, research the company, and show you are coachable.