Business Development Manager

Business Development Manager interview questions

Your zero-regret new hire is sales focused with experience closing business deals. They’ll have awesome self-presentation, great listening and planning skills, and be highly motivated. Plus, they’ll be driven decision-makers with precise time management skills. 

Top tips: 

• Know who you want: Your dream candidate will depend on the role you’re hiring for. For senior roles, look for good industry knowledge, experience building customer relationships and great strategic-thinking skills. Whereas entry-level candidates will be high-potential with awesome persuasion skills and confidence.
• Think diversity: Diversity is key for a thriving workplace. Keep an eye out for management and exec-level candidates from varying backgrounds and aim to eliminate bias from your hiring process.

Role-specific interview questions

• How has your background prepared you for this role?
• Do you enjoy working with targets? What were your annual quotas in your last role?
• Describe the process you would follow for business development.
• How do you keep up-to-date with current trends? How could they affect our business development efforts?
• How would you identify a potential new market?
• What are the top three factors to evaluate a deal?
• How do you find awesome business partners?
• What’s the best way to connect with existing customers?
• What are your top sales techniques?
• How do you prioritize client meetings?
• Have you used CRM tech before? How?

Behavioral interview questions

• Tell us about a time you aced a price negotiation.
• Have you ever dropped a deal? Why?
• Tell us about your most challenging client. How did you handle them?
• What’s been your deal highlight?
• Have you ever struggled to close multiple deals?
• How do you balance sales, market research and reporting?
• Tell us about a time you lost business with an important partner. What would you do differently?
• Have you ever trained junior staff?
• Have you ever had to sell a product you didn’t believe in?

Problem solving interview questions

• What partnerships would be beneficial for our company?
• Which two questions would you ask to understand the needs of a prospective buyer?
• How would you evaluate [this] new market?
• How would you sell [this product] in three minutes?
• What would you do if a prospective client was avoiding you?
• How would you cope without a car for a week?
• How do you negotiate with an angry prospect?
• How would you approach a customer who was testing a competitor's product?
• How would you approach team members who have conflicting opinions about a deal?