Sales project management is a unique niche, and it takes the right people with the right mix of skills and personal success attributes to ensure you achieve your goals. Therefore, the interview process for a sales project manager must hit all the right notes so you can be sure you’re making the best hiring choices for your team and for your organization. Incorporate these questions into your sales project management interview process for success.
Tell me about the results of your last project.
This question will tell you whether the candidate achieved their goals on their last project and what they took away from the experience. What went right, what went wrong? What specifically did they do to contribute to its success? Follow up by asking the candidate to elaborate on what could have gone better, even if the project closed successfully.
When you have limited time to achieve your goals, how do you prioritize?
Sales project managers have tight deadlines, and they are often asked to achieve a great deal in that short timeframe. Every sales pro must prioritize in order to succeed, and this question tell you how a candidate approaches prioritization. This is especially critical for project managers who work remotely. These pros need to be self-starters who can prioritize without hand-holding and without someone standing over their shoulder, keeping them on track.
How do you handle it when you aren’t on pace to achieve your goals?
It would be nice if every sales professional could hit their goals in the allotted time, but even the most talented salespeople and project managers hit rough patches. Whether its economic conditions, misaligned priorities or the stars simply aren’t aligned, slumps happen. You want to know what a candidate does to steer themselves back on the right course if things aren’t going as planned.
Why do you choose to work in the agriculture industry?
This question will provide a glimpse into what makes the candidate tick. Why do they like this business? Why did they get into it? Why do they stay? There are no real right or wrong answers to this question, but you want to look for signs that the candidate truly thrives working in the ag business. The field isn’t for everyone, and while you can overlook some gaps in skills or experience, you can’t teach someone to be passionate about their work.
Are You Looking for Talented Ag Sales Project Managers?
If you are looking for highly productive and effective sales project managers for your ag business, contact the agricultural industry staffing experts at Magnify Resources. Our proven strategies for success can help you achieve your recruiting and retention goals quickly and efficiently.