Questions We Ask Graduate Candidates in Sales

Hiring the right graduate talent is crucial for building a high-performing sales team. At Prime, we don’t just look for candidates who can sell—we look for individuals with the mindset, resilience, and coachability to thrive in sales long-term.

The Prime Process is designed to uncover those qualities, ensuring we only place the best-fit candidates with our clients. During the process, candidates go through two rounds of screening before they reach one of our award-winning training days. So, our recruiters have the chance to really get to know them, their skills and their motivations early on.

When it comes to entry-level roles, finding the best candidates requires careful questioning. So, we asked our recruiters to share their top questions for graduates in sales.

What is the last goal you set for yourself and achieved?

Success in sales starts with a winner’s mindset. The best salespeople don’t wait to be told what to do; they set their own goals and push themselves to achieve them. That’s why we ask candidates about a goal they’ve set and achieved, no matter how big or small. This question helps us assess their drive, self-motivation, and ability to follow through.

It also reveals how well they listen. A common mistake candidates make is talking about a goal they intend to achieve rather than one they’ve already completed. So, alongside asking this question, we often give them the feedback of listening to the full question before thinking about their answer.

Digging Deeper into Work Ethic

A strong work ethic is a key trait of successful salespeople. So, we often progress people who manage to hold a job alongside their studies.

When we hear about their job history, we’ll often ask them to walk us through a typical week – how they balanced lectures, assignments, and work shifts. For some, this meant attending university from 9 AM to midday, working a shift from 2 PM to 10 PM, and then heading straight back to lectures the next morning.

Candidates like these – who can juggle multiple commitments successfully – often transition well into the demands of a sales role. As well as managing their time and showing determination, having a retail or hospitality job is valuable sales experience.

Why do you Want to Work in Sales?

This may seem like a simple question, but it’s one of the most revealing. To succeed in sales, you need intrinsic motivation—something that keeps you going when targets feel out of reach and rejection is part of the daily routine.

Candidates who say they’re motivated by short-term wins or simply by ‘helping others’ often struggle to stay resilient in the long run. Instead, we look for individuals who are driven by long-term financial goals, career progression, and a strong company culture. These are both things that can be expected of in a sales role, and are known to sustain motivation in the long term.

If We Spoke to Your Friends, How Would They Describe You?

This one might catch a candidate off-guard, in a good way. But for sales recruiters, it is important for two reasons. Firstly, it can help us to decide if a candidate is a good cultural fit for a company or sales in general.

But, it also gives insight into their self-awareness, personality, and how they perceive their own strengths. These are important traits in sales, where personal branding matters.

What would a Successful First 12 Months in Sales Look Like to You?

This question gives us insight into a candidate’s expectations, ambition, and understanding of what a sales role entails. Many graduates enter sales with a vague idea of success, often focusing on surface-level achievements like making a few deals or simply “doing well.” But we’re looking for candidates who think bigger, those who set clear, measurable goals and understand that success in sales isn’t just about short-term wins.

Strong candidates will mention milestones such as hitting (or exceeding) their sales targets, building strong client relationships, mastering the sales process, and becoming more confident in handling objections. But, we also keep in mind that most of our candidates have a limited experience of sales. So, we prioritise enthusiasm over knowing exactly what a salesperson does.

This style of questioning is great for graduates. They haven’t had much experience presenting themselves as a professional, so framing as in a hypothetical can prompt them to think critically.

By taking the time to understand candidates at a deeper level, we ensure our clients get sales professionals who are not only a great fit for their business but also have the drive to succeed long-term.

If you’re looking for high-quality graduate sales talent, we’re here to help. Get in touch today to find out how This is Prime can connect you with the next generation of top sales performers.