Questions a new
sales rep should ask a prospective employer
Selecting a new job is one of the
most important decisions a young person will make. A job can turn into a
lifelong career that is fulfilling and rewarding, or it can be a complete waste
of time for months/years until you decide to make a move. Below you will find a
few questions to help someone entering the job market to evaluate a potential
employer. Don’t be shy about asking these questions. You are preparing to spend
a large percentage of your life working for an employer. You have every right
to ask questions to make sure it is a good fit. Being well informed helps you
make a good decision, and it is in the best interests of the employer as well.
A failed hire is very expensive in many ways, and unfortunately most employers
don’t do a great job of making sure the position is well suited to the person. Be
sure and ask questions in a respectful and sincere manner. Take notes, be interested.
There are many more questions that will come up, but these should get the
conversation flowing.
Good luck!
Duties/expectations
Can you provide me with a list of
the specific duties of the position?
How will my performance be
evaluated?
Who will I report to?
How long has that person been in
the job/industry?
Will I have an opportunity to meet
my supervisor before moving forward?
Who does my supervisor report to?
How long has that person been in
the job/industry?
Will I have an opportunity to meet
this person before moving forward?
Is there a scheduled team meeting
on a regular basis?
Will I have a one-on-one meeting
with my supervisor on a regular basis?
What are the typical work hours?
How much weekend work is involved?
How much travel is involved?
Will I have an office or work from
home?
Will I be given an allowance or
reimbursement for cell phone/Internet service?
Will I be provided with a computer?
Is there a defined geographical
territory that I will be assigned?
Is there a specific industry vertical
(medical, biotech, manufacturing, etc) or market segment I will be assigned?
Will I sell a specific product or
service, or will I sell all the company’s offerings?
What training will be provided?
What are the specific products or
services I will be selling?
Who is the manufacturer?
Who do you buy from?
Am I replacing another rep, or is
this a new position?
What happened to the last rep?
Tell me about reps that have been successful.
Tell me about reps that have not
worked out?
Tell me about your marketing department/efforts.
Tell me how the marketing
department supports the sales team.
Can I see some of your promotional
material?
What do you attribute the company’s
success to?
How is the company’s market
changing?
How is the company evolving?
Who are the company’s main
competitors?
Who are the company’s main
clients?
Company
Can you share the company’s formal
mission/vision/values statement?
Who owns the company?
Describe the company
organizational structure for me.
Are there formal job descriptions
for each position?
Does your company have an annual
business plan? If so, can I review?
How is the company funded?
How long has the company been
around?
Is the company profitable?
Has the company ever had any tax
issues?
Has the company ever been party to
a lawsuit?
Is there any pending litigation
against the company?
Are there any changes in ownership
being planned or contemplated?
Can you share some financial
metrics from the past couple of years?
Is the owner involved in the day-to-day
operation of the company?
Are any of the owner’s family
involved in the day-to-day operations of the company?
Will I be required to sign a non-compete
or any other type of employment agreement?
Can I review it before moving
forward?
Does the company have a policy
handbook that I can review prior to moving forward?
Do you conduct a background check
on your employees for criminal history?
Do you conduct drug screenings?
How does the employee gather/report/take
action on employee feedback?
Can you give me an example?
Can you tell me about turnover?
What percentage of the company’s employees left in the previous year?
Pay/Benefits
Will I be on commission or salary?
If commission, please explain the compensation
plan in detail, including all sources of income.
Is commission based on volume of
sales or gross profit?
Are there “accelerators” for exceeding
targets?
How often is commission
calculated?
Will I have access to the
commission calculations?
Will I have access to metrics
showing my performance during the reporting period?
How much of a lag is there between
the reporting period and the payment of commissions?
Is there any type of situation
that would trigger a “claw back” of commission?
When was the last time the commission
plan changed?
How did it change?
Are there any plans to make additional
changes to the plan?
If so, is there a “ramp up” period
while I learn the business?
If so, what is that salary?
Is it a “draw” on future earnings,
or is it a true salary?
Is there a 401K plan?
When would I be eligible?
Is there a profit-sharing plan?
If so, when would I be eligible?
Does the company contribute a
matching amount?
If so, how much?
What is the health insurance plan?
Who is the carrier and what is the specific plan?
How much of the premium will I
have to pay?
What are the co-pays on typical
medical issues and medications?
What is the vacation/sick leave
plan?
How are holidays treated (do I
have to use vacation?)
Any other benefits?
