Post Graduate Diploma in Human Resource &

Administration

Topic- Interview Process

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Steps in the interview process

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Insight Advantages & Disadvantages of Interview

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Every tour and activity operator specializes in a niche area of this industry, offering
unique options for tourists who want to experience a destination rather than simply
see it. Whether you are offering charter sailing excursions off the river banks, or you

provide Biking trip on mountain trails, you need a solid distribution strategy to attract
tourists and drive bookings for your products.

To create a distribution strategy, you must partner with the right agents. It's
important to know the differences between the major agents, such as outbound tour

operators and inbound tour operators.

Before we move on to the depth of interview process there are many phases which
come before it and a series of process finally leads to Interview. Let me brief about the
few process which leads to the Interview.
It`s not always easy to get hired. Interviewing for a job and actually getting onboard are
poles apart ,both from a interviewer point of view and the candidates view.Today,

many companies have an involved interview process starting with screening

interviews, which often take place on the phone, followed by in-person interviews,
second interviews, and even third interviews.

In addition to a hiring manager, you make them meet managers, employees, and
other staff. How hiring is handled depends on the employer and the systems they have in
place for screening and evaluating potential new hires. Here's an overview of each step in
the interview process, along with advice on the best way to handle each type of interview
as you progress up the interview ladder towards a job offer.
Requirements for Positions:
● Sr. Executive-Sales
Vacancy- 1
Location: Greater Kailash
Dept: Tours
● Sponsorship & Promotion
Vacancy- 2
Location: Huas Khaz
Dept: Conferences
● Ticketing Executive
Vacancy-1
Location: Haus Khaz
Dept:Ticketing
 Job Description

A job description is a document that describes the general tasks, or other related,

and responsibilities of a position. It may specify the functionary to whom the position
reports, specifications such as the qualifications or skills needed by the person in the job,
and a salary range. Job descriptions are usually narrative, but some may comprise a
simple list of competencies; for instance, strategic human resource planning
methodologies may be used to develop a competency architecture for an
organization, from which job descriptions are built as a shortlist of competencies.

A job description may include relationships with other people in the organization:
Supervisory level, managerial requirements, and relationships with other colleagues.

A job description need not be limited to explaining the current situation, or work that
is currently expected; it may also set out goals for what might be achieved in the future,
such as possible promotion routes and conditions.
 Job Description for Sr Executive- Sales(Inbound)

Basic Information:

● Position Title:Sr. Executive - Sales

● Reports to: Sr. Manager- Tours

● Department:Inbound Tours
● Location: Greater Kailash
● Business: Sales
● No. of direct reports: 1

Job Purpose:

The purpose of the job is to organise and prepare Itenaries for Clients who are
looking forward to visit India. They follow trends in the popularity of destinations and
packages, and adjust company plans accordingly.

Job Requirements:

● Qualifications: MBA
● Experience: 4-5 Years
● Functional competencies:
o Market Knowledge
o Manpower planning
o Awareness of competitor activity & strategies
o Sales & distribution channel knowledge
o Strong interpersonal skills
Behavioral Competencies:
o Communication Skills:
Written and Oral
o Leadership
o Organizing skills
o Coordination
 3 Things to Know About Inbound Tour Operators
1. Inbound tour operators are locally-based, and they work to promote
the destination as a whole to interested travelers. Sometimes, inbound
tour operators are referred to as destination management companies. They often
are comprised of business owners and industry leaders from a particular
destination, and these entities work together to promote the region as a whole to
interested travelers.
2. Inbound tour operators often work with other travel agents and
distribution partners to create and promote packages. When it comes to

marketing their destination, inbound tour operators recognize that travelers

are often motivated by package deals and promotions. They frequently create
packages involving local tourism businesses, including hotels, transportation
providers and tour operators. Then, these same packages are promoted to the
target market segments that are most likely to visit the region in the coming
months.
3. Tour and activity operators should partner with their local inbound
tour operators to increase their visibility within their destination. These
partnerships provide valuable opportunities that allow tour and activity operators
to boost their bookings while also networking within their local travel
industry

Both of these types of agents play an important role in the overall success of
your distribution strategy. To find out more information about how to build agent
partnerships and develop an effective distribution strategy for your tour and activity
company.
Key Responsibilities:

● A demonstrable interest in travel

● Knowledge of key holiday destinations
● Foreign language skills
● Excellent interpersonal skills
● Communication skills
● Customer service skills
● Organisational skills
● IT skills
● Commercial awareness
● Good time management skills.
● Requirements:
o A degree is not a standard formal requirement for this role, though it
may be an advantage. Degrees in leisure, travel, tourism, management,
marketing, IT, business, languages or hotel and catering management are
particularly likely to be relevant.

o Pre-entry experience gained working with the general public or within

the hotel, tourism or travel trades (particularly overseas) will strengthen
your applications and improve your chances.

Key Interactions

Whether you're a tour agent you need to be customer oriented. You will be working
with plenty of clients who will require your help, so being able to cater to their needs is a
must. If you love helping others and have a friendly, enthusiastic and warm personality,
this industry is a great choice.
Bonus skills include:
● Empathy and emotional intelligence
● Teamwork
 Job Description for Business Development

Basic Information:

● Position Title: Business Development

● Department:MICE ( Meetings, Incentives, Conferences & Events)
● Location: Haus Khaz

Organizational Relationship:

● Position reporting to: Sr. Manager

● No. of direct reports: 2

Job Purpose:

Business development is to be thought of as a marketing tactic. The objectives

include branding, expansion in markets, new user acquisition, and awareness.

However, the main function of business development is to utilize partners in selling

to the right customers.

Job Requirements:

● Qualifications: MBA
● Experience: 6-7 Years
● Functional competencies:
o Knowledge of Sales and Distribution practices.
o Analytical Abilities
o Product Knowledge
● Behavioral competencies:
o Communication Skills
o Written and Oral
o Leadership
o Team Building
Key Responsibilities:

● Managerial Responsibilities:
A business development professional has three primary responsibilities:

1. Identifying new sales leads

2. Pitching products and/or services
3. Maintaining fruitful relationships with existing customers

Functional Responsibilities

o Responsible for achievement of budgets both primary & secondary of

given territory through the SRs and Area Managers.
o Planning for Sales budgets w.r.t promotional activities other trade
spends: for achieving both primary & secondary sales.
o Ensure retail & distribution expansion-planning through the team of
subordinates.
o Drive category wise sales through the subordinate teams.
o Controlling expenses of team by planning work cycles & frequencies of
team members.
o Responsible for bringing maximum distributers under sampark program.
o Submission of all the reports in time to immediate bosses.
o Ensure timely resolution of queries and problems faced by distributors.
 COMPETENCIES

When it comes to generating leads, day-to-day duties typically include:

● Researching organisations and individuals online (especially on social media) to

identify new leads and potential new markets
● Researching the needs of other companies and learning who makes decisions
about purchasing
● Contacting potential clients via email or phone to establish rapport and set up
meetings
● Planning and overseeing new marketing initiatives
● Attending conferences, meetings, and industry events

When it comes to the challenge of actually selling, other typical duties

include:

● Preparing PowerPoint presentations and sales displays

● Contacting clients to inform them about new developments in the company's
products
● Developing quotes and proposals
● Negotiating and renegotiating by phone, email, and in person
● Developing sales goals for the team and ensuring they are met
● Training personnel and helping team members develop their skills

To keep healthy relationships with clients, this mostly requires socialisation. So from
simple chats on the phone to lunches and events or conferences business development
managers must be sure to keep their customers happy. Of course, as with all office jobs,
documentation is also a big part of the work. Business development professionals are
also obligated to write reports and provide feedback to upper management about what is
and is not working.
 Contracting Vs Permanent Positions

While both contracting and permanent in-house positions are available to business
development executives, the latter is far more common in the workplace today. For those
who can manage to make it work, freelance business development offers a host of
advantages.

So if you are considering setting your sights on a contract-based career, here are
some things to keep in mind:

Key Interactions:

Business Development Challenges

Business development executives face a number of challenges in their work. These
includes:

● Managing underperforming team members

● Suffering from downturns in the industry and/or economy
● Losing clients to superior competitors
● Responding to negative press about the company and/or products
● Dealing with customers unsatisfied with the quality of the product or service
 Job Description for the post of Ticketing Executive

Job Title : Executive / Sr. Executive- Ticketing & Travel Related Services

Position : One

Department : Operations

Reports to : Sr. Manager

Key Product Line: Air Ticketing, Passport and Visa Services, Hotels, Travel
Insurance etc

Roles & Responsibilities :

● Receiving calls related to Ticketing, Cancellation, Rescheduling and General

● Queries for all Domestic & International Airlines from clients.
● Assure client satisfaction by maintaining overall quality of the services that are
offered, resulting in profits for the company.
● Explore new business opportunities to upsell the product portfolio with existing
clients.
● Take initiative and manage personal workload and support the team to ensure
clients' needs are consistently met.
● To work within the framework of INDEBO ethical and service standards.
● Incidental work that may be required to be completed that may be outside the
scope of day to day work requirements
● Knowledge of Amadeus is a must.
 Job description for the post of sales representative

● Job Responsibilities:
o Visiting the retails outlets on daily basis as per the beat plan.
o To collect orders from the retailers in the allocated region.

o To support the traditional Trade Sales for the company across various
categories and markets with increased sales and distributions.

o To execute daily operations at the distributor level for servicing of

outlets and direct dealers.

o Ensuring orders are placed and executed by the distributors on time.

o Ensuring availability of the products in a geography by highlighting stock
requirements to distributor / Area mangers on time.

o Monitor competitor activity in the market w.r.t new product, trade

schemes etc. report the same to area manager (standard report).

o Participate in promotional activity of the company.

o Maintaining excellent relation with retailers, distributors, stockiest etc.

● Total Experience:
o 1-3 years

● Qualification:
o Min 12th Pass or Graduate (in any stream)
● Salary Range:
o 1.50 LPA to 1.70 LPA

Qualification: Graduate/ Post graduate.

● Diploma in Travel and Tourism Management is a must.

● IATA certification will be an additional advantage.

Experience Required: 2-4 years

 COMPETENCIES

● Good product knowledge

● Strong English communication skills (both verbal & written

Functional Responsibilities:

o Implementing and executing the monthly budget plan by guiding team

through taking meetings weekly or fortnightly.
o Planning and Achieving Sales Targets in given territory with help of
Team of sales Representative and Distributors.
o Creating and reporting of on time reports like budget sheet, Scheme
Details etc.
o Participating and arranging in promotion work of company products.
o Ensure timely submission of all reports, market information and
competitors' information.
● Total Experience:
o 3 to 5 years in Product Promotions and team handling
Job Specification:
Described on the basis of job description, job specification helps candidates analyze
whether they are eligible to apply for a particular job vacancy or not. It helps recruiting
team of an organization understand what level of qualifications, qualities and set of
characteristics should be present in a candidate to make him or her eligible for the job
opening.

Job Specification gives detailed information about any job including job
responsibilities, desired technical and physical skills, conversational ability and much
more. It helps in selecting the most appropriate candidate for a particular job.

Job description and job specification are two integral parts of job analysis. They
define a job fully and guide both employer and employee on how to go about the whole
process of recruitment and selection. Both data sets are extremely relevant for creating a
right fit between job and talent, evaluate performance and analyze training needs and
measuring the worth of a particular job.
 MANPOWER BUDGET

The objective of manpower planning/budgeting is to plan and regulate recruitment,

selection, training, career planning and other human resource activities, at the right time
and with right people to meet short and long range organizational objectives.

Human Resource Planning/Budgeting is part of the annual budgeting exercise and

aims to estimate the needs of (Organization) over the period covered. Key policies
relating to this aspect are as follows:

● Human resource requirements are built around business plans i.e. the targets,
development plans and service standards etc. which it aims to achieve.
● Manpower requirement is forecasted for a particular department/functional
area by the head of the respective department/function for preparation of the
manpower budget, keeping in view the objectives and future needs of the
department in the period under review and targets set in the business plans.
● Proper justification is required for each requisitioned position. Due
consideration is given to various factors such as work load of existing human
resources, planned expansion of the department, external developments etc. while
developing arguments justifying requisitioned position(s).
● Departmental manpower budgets are submitted to the Human Resource
department at least 10-12 weeks before the end of the operating financial year
of (Organization), unless otherwise specified in writing by the HR department.
● Head of the each department/function completes the prescribed form
indicating person specifications and number of vacancies.
Process Flow:

1. Screening Interview: Screening is the process where we seperate husk from

the grain.A screening interview is a type of job interview that is conducted to

determine if the applicant has the qualifications needed to do the job for which
the company is hiring. A screening interview is typically the first interview in

the hiring process if the company does not start with open interviews where
multiple candidates are screened at an open hiring event.

2. Phone Interview: Employers use phone interviews to identify and recruit

candidates for employment. Phone interviews are often used to narrow the
pool of applicants who will be invited for in-person interviews. For remote jobs,

interviewing by phone, Skype, or video may be how you get hired.

 3. The First Interview : The first in-person job interview is typically a one-on-one
interview between the applicant and a hiring manager. The interviewer will ask

questions about the applicant's experience and skills, work history, availability, and
the qualifications the company is seeking in the optimal candidate for the job.This is
basically an HR round in our company. Where HR checks the communication skills,
attitude , confidence , stability and many more factors. The same set of questions is then
passes onto the next interviewer.Round , asking his /her field related questions along with
the set of questions passes by previous interviewer.

4. Second Interview: A second interview can be a more in-depth one-on-one

interview with the person you originally interviewed with or it can be a day-long
interview that includes meetings with company staff. You may meet with
management, staff members, executives, and other company employees. Once you're
scheduled for a second interview, you're most likely in serious contention for the job.

5. Third Interview : When you have made it through the first interview, then a
second interview you might think you're done with the interview process and you'll
soon find out whether you'll be receiving a job offer. That's not necessarily the case.

You may have to participate in a third interview and possible more interviews after
that. A third interview typically involves a final meeting with the Managing Director
/Director or CFO and may provide the opportunity to meet more of your prospective
colleagues.
6.The Job Offer and Background Check: The final phase in the process is usually
a job offer contingent on your referees giving you a good reference and perhaps you
providing scripts/copies of your relevant qualifications.

For some positions and companies employers may insist on a background check to
ensure you are who you say on your CV or that you have no criminal convictions.

If you are happy with the package on offer, congratulations! you have a new job. If
not there may be a bit of to-ing and fro-ing between you and your employer to be in order
to guarantee the best package.

Every company is different and the interview process varies from company to
company. Some companies will make a decision based on the first round whilst others
will make you jump through hoops in order to ensure that they are close to 100% sure,
as possible, that they have selected the right candidate. Other companies may have
video interviews or presentations as part of the process whilst many larger companies
may insist that you complete aptitude tests. Treat these processes as fluid depending on
eth company and position you are targeting, they may vary. When setting out on the
journey you should ask what the interview
process will entail to ensure you are prepared for the long haul, where necessary.

Talk to one of our specialist consultants who will offer leading edge advice and
connect you with the best employers by discipline, industry or location.
 Advantages & Disadvantages of Interview

Advantages:

● It leads to more responses.

● It is free from biases.
● More direct situation can be studied.
● Apart from qualifications on can measure the attitude, behaviour and other
non verbal qualities.
● Accurate information can be collected.

Disadvantages:

● More cost efficient and expensive.

● It is more time consuming.
● Wide range of coverage is not possible.
● It requires skilled and experienced investigators.
 What are the typical steps in the interview process ?

First, prepare for the interview process. Here's a list of actions to help you
plan:

● Decide what skills you want candidates to have.

● Select interview questions to assess must-have skills.

● Determine how you will score candidates' answers (e.g. 'poor' to 'excellent')
● Ensure you talk about job duties, benefits, company strategy and mission.

Then, use an interview checklist to prepare thoroughly for your meetings with
candidates. When candidates arrive, use these common steps to guide the
interview process:

1. Welcome candidates and make them feel at ease.

2. Introduce yourself and fellow interviewers.
3. Begin with basic interview questions (e.g. "Why are you interested in this
position?") and continue with more involved ones (e.g. "Tell me about a time
when you had to face an irate customer.")

4. Discuss the role and answer candidates' questions.

5. Pitch your company by describing its values, benefits and why the candidate
should consider working for you.

6. Give candidates a tour of your workplace or introduce them to your team, if

appropriate.
 TYPES OF INTERVIEW

The Telephone Interview: Often companies request an initial telephone interview

before inviting you in for a face to face meeting in order to get a better
understanding of the type of candidate you are. The one benefit of this is that you can
have your notes out in front of you. You should do just as much preparation as you would
for a face to face interview, and remember that your first impression is vital. Some
people are better meeting in person than on the phone, so make sure that you speak
confidently, with good pace and try to answer all the questions that are asked.

The Face-to-Face Interview: This can be a meeting between you and one member
of staff or even two members.

The Panel Interview:These interviews involve a number of people sitting as a panel

with one as chairperson. This type of interview is popular within the public sector.

The Group Interview: Several candidates are present at this type of interview. You
will be asked to interact with each other by usually a group discussion. You might
even be given a task to do as a team, so make sure you speak up and give your opinion.

The Sequential Interview:These are several interviews in turn with a different

interviewer each time. Usually, each interviewer asks questions to test different sets
of competencies. However, if you are asked the same questions, just make sure you
answer each one as fully as the previous time.
The Lunch / Dinner Interview:This type of interview gives the employer a chance
to assess your communication and interpersonal skills as well as your table manners!
So make sure you order wisely (no spaghetti Bolognese) and make sure you don't spill
your drink (non-alcoholic of course!).

All these types of interviews can take on different question formats, so once you've
checked with your potential employer which type of interview you'll be attending, get
preparing!
Here's a list of interview formats that you should prepare your answers for

Competency Based Interviews

These are structured to reflect the competencies the employer is seeking for the
particular job. These will usually be detailed in the job spec so make sure you read it
through, and have your answers ready for questions such as "Give me an example of a time
you worked as a team to achieve a common goal." For more examples of competency
based questions click here.

Formal / Informal Interviews

Some interviews may be very formal, others may be very informal and seem like just
a chat about your interests. However, it is important to remember that you are still
being assessed, and topics should be friendly and clean!

Portfolio Based Interviews

In the design / digital or communications industry it is likely that you will be asked to
take your portfolio along or show it online. Make sure all your work is up to date without
too little or too much. Make sure that your images if in print are big enough for the
interviewer to see properly, and always test your online portfolio on all Internet browsers
before turning up.
What is a structured interview?

A structured interview is a standardized form of interview during which hiring teams

ask all candidates a set of predetermined questions in a specific order and score
answers with the same rating system.

Structured interviews predict job performance most effectively than unstructured

interviews. They are also more objective and legally defensible than unstructured
interviews. Companies that implement structured interviews boost their hiring and keep
better records of their interview process to help them improve it.

● Ask tough questions: -This isn't a popularity contest; you are hiring
someone to represent your business and help you generate sales. That means
you must ask tough, direct questions. Question their sales results at previous
employers. Get them to explain how they will generate new business for your
company. Ask them to describe a typical week. You can even ask them how much
money they want—or need—to earn and why. Competent salespeople will have no
hesitations in responding. They will display confidence in their replies. They will be
able to give you clear examples. And they won't be uncomfortable answering your
questions.

Hiring people is not an enjoyable task; after all, you have a hundred other
pressing issues to deal with. However, if you take the right approach you can
hire the perfect sales representative.
The Assessment Interview

An interview always is a component of the assessment. By conducting an interview

the employer tries to get a better understanding of your personality, motivation and
interests.

The nature of the interview

The assessment interview is very similar to a regular job interview but focuses more

directly on your personality. Its nature is more psychological than a job interview and
usually will 'plunge deeper'. An assessment interview is therefore often conducted by
a psychologist, but your conversation partner could also be an HR staff member or a
member of the board.

Education and career

After a short introduction to start the interview, the conversation will usually move to
your education, career and current position. Make sure you can elucidate on your resume
and have an explanation for certain choices and activities. You can also take

the career choice test to get a better understanding of the career fit for you.

Ambition and motivation

The next topic to come up in the assessment interview is likely to be your ambition
and motivation. What drives you and why do you aspire the position you are applying
for? The interviewer will be searching for the reasons why you want this position and
try to determine if your ambitions and motivations are a good fit for the position in
question.
 COMPETENCES

Your competences and strengths and weaknesses are also often a topic in an
assessment interview. Before the interview, make sure that you have a good idea of
what you do well and what not. Knowing your own weaknesses shows that you are aware
of yourself and that you know what your obstacles are, so you can pay attention to
them. Never say that you cannot come up with any weaknesses, nobody is perfect.

Hobbies, interests and personal situation

The next topic of the interview will be your hobbies and interests. Make sure that you
can name and explain them. Pick the most interesting hobbies and try to find
similarities with the position you are applying for. Your personal situation will also be
discussed briefly in an assessment interview.
 Things to be done before an interview

Hiring Strategies:
● Treating candidates like your best customers.
● Understanding the cost/benefit of every hire.
● Hiring freelancers also, not just full-timers.
● Hiring candidates for the long term.
● Strengthening employer brand with content marketing. ●
Using a coaching culture to attract millennials.
● Having an office space that attracts millennials.
● Using data to optimize hiring time.
● A strategy to attract the best cultural fits.
● Chasing passive candidates.
● Using niche job boards.
● Covering the pain points in your job posts.
● Using videos in stages of hiring process.
● Implementing a mobile friendly application process.
● Leverage employee referrals.
● Nurturing talent pool with drip emails.
● Training interviewers on the latest interview techniques.
● Connecting with alumni for rehiring.
● Profiling best employees of the company.
● Using self-selection to find out who's really interested
● Arranging group interaction
● Handpicking dream candidates and show them that we want them
● Looking for talent in unlikely places
● Attending events that are NOT job fairs
● Actively searching profiles and social networking sites
● Advertising in places frequented by ideal candidate
● Considering past candidates
● Publicizing referral incentive
2.Building a strong strategy and making a clear Mandate: This has to be one
the top of the list. The first step to the ladder of recruitment. One has to be clear
about Who, What, Why and When. Without a clear and proper routing and having a clear
idea in head about these things won`t lead to effective hiring. Henceforth hiring a wrong
candidate and loosing the A-rated candidate in return.

● Using Cash to Attract Top Candidates: - One of the secrets of talent

acquisition is that great salespeople know other great salespeople.
Salespeople that demonstrate the skills, attitudes, and behaviour that make them
a great fit for the company will likely know other people with a similar profile. This
is especially true in sales, where networking and relationship building are so
critical for success.

To capitalize on sales force's personal networks, developing and implementing

an internal referral program. The key to make these programs work is to make
it lucrative for the team by giving large cash rewards that not only payout when a
referral hire is made but when the person referred hits quota.

3.Building a Strong Employer Brand:- In the same way that consumers evaluate
a brand before they purchase, potential employees assess the brand of a company
before applying for or accepting a job. They will research as much as company is
researching them. Ensure they are wowed while they are researching the company online.

When it comes to online employer brand, position the company as a market leader.
This is important because top salespeople are always interested in working for
industry leaders or high-growth companies that are poised to dominate their sector.
Respected employers demonstrate their legitimacy by featuring key client logos in the
recruiting process and highlight the number of reps making and exceeding quota. By
emphasizing reputation and resources, company gains the attention of top talent.
Further, companies that understand employee branding know that talent engagement
is really where employee engagement begins. Engage talent on your website from
the first point of contact.
o Core company values
o Testimonials of employees are living company values
o Success stories of personal growth, promotion, or role expansion
o Stories of how employees are active in their local communities
o Employee awards and recognition
o Blogs written by employees about their professional engagement

4. Introduce Science: Effective hiring leverages the power of science. One way to
introduce science into sales hiring process is by using psychometric testing to assess
candidates. This testing is a learning tool for you to objectively assess candidates'
communication and behavioural style. Its purpose is to predict the behaviour,
performance, and motivating factors of an individual in a specific context (i.e. an
employee in the workplace).
Typically, psychometric assessments measure:
o Aptitude
o Mental cognition capabilities
o Behavioural skill sets
o Motivating factors
Using the data from each candidate's results, you can identify how someone
will fit into your team culture and how they will be received by your customers.

5.Don't Overvalue the Resume: -Resumes are not the best source of
information about how a candidate might perform in a given role. They are a
good source of information on a candidate's education, years of selling
experience, and verticals sold into, but fail to provide more insight beyond that.
Extensive research conducted by Google supports this finding, reporting no clear
connections between resume contents and employee performance.
 6.Assess for Criteria Other Than Experience: -
Over 50 percent of sales leaders cite "selling experience within the industry", while
another 33 percent cite "selling experience in other industry" as key criterions when
evaluating candidates (Aligning Strategy and Sales). While industry experience is an
important selection criterion, evaluating a candidate based only on experience is a
mistake. In the context of selling, experience is a multidimensional attribute. It may refer
to: a customer group, a technology, division of the selling organization, or a territory.
A candidate may have selling experience similar to your product, but your unique selling
model, sales environment, and company culture aren't necessarily transferable from another
organization. Don't simply rely on experience in your assessment process

- have a process for how to hire the best salespeople.

7.Get HR the Tools They Need: -HR should be a key player in executing your hiring
strategy. But for HR to do their job effectively, it's up to the VP of Sales to communicate
what type of seller they need (hunter/farmer), what selling experience is necessary for the
role, and the cultural fit required for success in your selling environment.
You can provide further guidance for HR about how the sales organization
functions, especially in the areas of:
o Team performance
o Culture
o Hiring timelines and ideal profiles
o Compensation plans
o Individual development plans
Salespeople generally have a larger appetite for risk than other workers, so a pay
plan that offers reward based on risk appeals to them. Make the rewards of exceptional
sales performance a clear part of your sales hiring strategy.
The best compensation plans not only prove above market pay but are also simple
and heavily reward the behaviors required to execute the sales strategy. They are
further aligned with sales cycle predictability - the less predictable the sales cycle,
the lower commission is and higher base. Ultimately, to attract great salespeople you
need to provide a great compensation package that is above industry standard and
heavily rewards strong performance.
8.Make Retention Efforts Proactive: -World-class sales organizations don't
think of retention efforts in "one size fits all" terms. Instead, they make retention
strategies personal. It's as simple as asking, "what motivates you?" to your sales reps.
While it's a given that your reps are motivated by money, understanding how to
motivate them in ways other than cash can be a huge differentiator in your employee
value proposition. Your A players may be motivated by more
challenging accounts, larger or less developed territories, personal and
professional growth opportunities, opportunities for more vacation time, or
workplace flexibility. The first step in retaining your top performers knows exactly what
will keep them working for you.
 Who should be involved in the interview process?
Recruiters usually conduct initial phone screens to qualify candidates, while hiring
managers handle the main interviews (most commonly, face-to-face interviews.) But, there
are benefits in asking others to participate during the interview phases.
Consider including:

● Team members. Involving team members on interview panels has a double

benefit: they evaluate candidates for culture fit, while candidates get the
chance to decide whether they would enjoy working with them. Also,
including your team shows candidates that your company values
collaboration.

● Senior executives. Arrange for a final interview, where the best candidates
meet a senior executive. This executive may reinforce a hiring manager's
decision to hire someone, help sell the company to a stellar candidate or spot a
red flag at the last minute.

Usually two to five people are involved in the interview process. It's best to keep the
number of interviewers on the smaller side, so candidates feel at ease during the
interview.

Who should handle interview scheduling, the hiring manager or HR?

Hiring managers often leave administrative tasks of the hiring process to recruiters.

Recruiters are responsible for finding a time to schedule interviews that works for
both hiring managers and candidates. Recruiters may have access to hiring

managers' calendars so they can schedule interviews directly or use their Applicant
Tracking System (ATS).
 QUESTIONS FOR THE FIRST ROUND

Interview Questions:

● Sales Representative:

o Tell me something about yourself?

o Are you open to travelling?

o What all places have you travelled?

o How do you plan your trips?

o Do you travel solo, with friends or family?

o Tell me about your previous work experiences?

o What kind of work environment do you like?

o What do you understand when i talk about inbound and outbound?

o What do you least like about being in sales?

o What interests you most about this sales position?

 QUESTIONS FOR THE SECOND & THIRD ROUNDS

o Are you comfortable making cold calls?

o Have you consistently met your sales goals?
o Do you prefer a long or short sales cycle?
o How did you land your most successful sale?
o How would your colleagues describe you?
o How would you (former) supervisor describe you?
o Sell me this pen
o What are your long term career goals?
o What are your strengths and weaknesses?
o What do you find most rewarding about being in sales? o
What do you know about this company?
o What is more important, a quality product or excellent customer service? o
What makes you a good sales person?
o What motivates you?
 QUESTIONS FOR BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT
o Interview questions to ask the interviewer when you are applying for a
sales position.
o What qualities does a successful salesperson at your company possess?
o What direction do you see this company taking in the next five years?
o What is the quota for this position?
o What percentage of employees meets their quota?
o What percentage of employees exceeds their quota?
o Is there a lot of travel associated with this position?
o How is the commission structured in this position?
o Do many people achieve bonuses for high levels of sales?
o How much flexibility does the salesperson have in negotiating price with the
customer?
o What do you see as the most difficult challenges for the sales team at this
company?
o How many people are on your sales staff?
o How do you motivate your sales staff?
o What does a typical work day/week look like at this company?
 QUESTIONS FOR TRAVEL AGENT

● How would you handle a difficult client?

● Demonstrates the candidate's interpersonal skills.
● What would you do if your client is unable to afford a package you offered?
● Tests the candidate's problem-solving and sales skills.
● Which holiday destinations are popular this time of the year?
● Highlights the candidate's knowledge of the latest tourism trends.
● What important questions would you ask a walk-in client?
● Tests the candidate's experience as a travel agent.
● Can you describe how you would approach planning a large-scale conference in
another country?
● Demonstrates the candidate's experience in planning large-scale groups.
● What excites you about being a travel agent?
● How has your work experience prepared you for this position?
● How do you feel about working in sales?
● What would you differently if you saw that you weren't meeting sales goals?
● How much, in percentages, do you book for air travel, hotels, and cars?
● Rank your air travel, hotel, and car bookings by volume. What do you book
most?
● What GDS systems have you used before?
● How do you find the lowest fees for your client?
● You're on the phone with an angry customer. How do you calm them down?
● What kinds of questions would you ask a walk-in client?
● What would you do if your customer couldn't afford the package you
suggested?
● Describe a time you impressed a customer. What did you do, and what did you
learn from that experience?
● Describe your approach to planning a complex itinerary.
 Typical steps in the interview process?

● Area Manager

o What do you think are the necessary skills and qualifications for success
here?

o Why do you want to be a sales manager?

o Pretend I'm a sales rep who has missed quota three months in a row. What
would you say?

o What do you think motivates reps the most?

o What made you successful as a sales rep? How will your processes inform
how you manage your team?

o How important is money to you?

o What do you think makes for a successful rep coaching session?

o What do you like and dislike about the sales process? How comfortable are
you with upholding it?

o How comfortable are you with technology?

o What training method is most effective for new reps?

o What do you think it takes to be a good leader?

 MOCK INTERVIEW

● Question 1. Explain Me About Your Typical Project Approach?

Answer :
Here, the hiring manager wants to ensure you have an overall
understanding of the business analysis planning process. Rather than listing
numerous projects and processes, talk more about the general phases or
types of deliverables you might create, while letting the hiring manager know
you can customize your approaches to projects.
● Question 2. Tell Me Which Defects Should Be Prioritized?
Answer :
When a defect has a high likelihood of being exploited, or may compromise the
data integrity of the system (and the company), any suitable candidate
will want to prioritize those. Those defects that are cosmetic should be
given a lower priority unless they interfere with the user experience in a
substantial way.
● Question 3. Explain Me How Do You Deal With Rejection?
Answer :
As the people primarily responsible for cold calling and emailing, SDRs deal
with an awful lot of rejection. If the candidate admits they get flustered or
frustrated after an extended period of rejection, they're probably not cut
out for the job. "Fall down seven times, stand up eight" is the mantra of the best
SDRs.
● Question 4. Explain How Have You Handled Difficult Stakeholders?
Answer :
The hiring manager is trying to assess your soft skills, particularly your
communication and collaboration abilities. Working with people from
different areas of the company and perspectives is an area where
nontechnical skills are key.
● Question 5. Please Explain Me Your Life Story In 90 Seconds?
Answer :
As Mark Twain once said, "I didn't have time to write a short letter, so I
wrote a long one instead." Brevity is a talent, and it's one that prospects
appreciate. This question reveals the candidate's ability to hit the critical
points of a story in a short amount of time.
● Question 6. Tell Us What's Your Ideal Working Environment?
Answer :
Say that you enjoy working in a team environment. Describe the
environment in such a way as it sounds similar to the work environment you
believe the company has adopted.
● Question 7. Tell Me What Do You Think Is The Manager's Role In
Closing Deals?
Answer :
This will vary from company to company, and person to person. But by
now, your company no doubt has its model for the manager. See if there is any
contradiction.
● Question 8. Tell Us How Do You Handle Changes To Requirements?
Answer :
Your logical-thinking skills are being put to the test with this question. As you
answer, highlight how you thoughtfully respond to changing situations.
One potential response is something along the lines of, "First, I prioritize the
changes to requirements, scope of changes and the impact analysis to
the project. Next, I perform an impact analysis to the project cost, timeline
and resources. Finally, I evaluate whether the scope change is introducing
new gaps to the technical or functional designs or development and
testing."
● Question 9. Tell Me What Is Your Strategy For Converting A No Into
A Yes?
Answer :
The interviewee will give an explicit response to their sales strategy, and how
they adapt to situations.
● Question 10. Tell Us How Do You Build Your Development Team?
Answer :
A well-bonded team is a well-built team. The answers to this question
should refer to activities that the candidate has already done. The candidate
doesn't need to be their team's best friend, but it's important that they're
interested in getting to know their team and creating opportunities for them to
bond.

● Question 11. Explain What Motivates You In Your Work?

Answer :
Hitting targets and achieving goals is your main motivation. Say that you
are motivated by the desire to do a great job and to help improve business.
● Question 13. Tell Me How Would You Identify A New Market To
Enter?
Answer :
Analysis of sales data should help to identify possible new markets. This
would be followed up with some market research.
● Question 14. Tell Me Suppose I Am A Prospect- Describe Our
Product Or Service To Me?
Answer :
This question will not only reveal the amount of research the candidate did
before the interview (which bodes well for their prospect researching skills),
it also gives the hiring manager a chance to evaluate their ability to speak
clearly and persuasively.
● Question 15. Tell Me Which Is The Best Development Language?
Answer :
This is a bit of a trick question, but it's not a silly one. The best language is
the one that the team knows; at the end of the day, that's the language
that will get the job done. A good development manager doesn't have room for
pet languages.
● Question 16. Do You Know What Are The Important Aspects Of Agile
Development?
Answer :
Iteration and customer involvement should be near the top of the
candidate's list of answers. A good candidate will be able to clearly explain
what makes these aspects important as well. Agile development is
important because of the psychology that it elicits from the developers
working on the project.
● Question 17. What Attracted You To This Role Business
Development Manager?
Answer :
To answer this you need to show a good understanding of the company and
say that you are keen to be part of a dynamic team to help the company grow
and develop. The aim of business development is to develop growth
opportunities, so you must show a keen interest in working with their
products and services.
● Question 18. Explain Me Why Do You Enjoy Business Development?
Answer :
Say that you feel that business development is the heart of a healthy
business and it is extremely rewarding to see a business grow on the back of
your decisions and actions.
 CONCLUSION

In this entire process of Project and on job training , I have learnt immensly
and got to know many more sub fields involved in the interview process. It`s
not just a single structured process but a group of many layers being involved
to make an interview process a success. A positive interview process yields a
onboarded employee.

The interviewers have to avoid many biases and have to carefully judge an
candidate according to experience, exposure or any particular trait required
for the position.
 REFERENCES

● Aswathappa May ,1997

● HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
● Tata McGraw-Hill Education India