What are the key questions you like to ask and why? How would the proper answers to your questions look like?

I love to ask questions that help me get a sense of how the rep percieves themselves - 

I like to ask questions like:

"Tell me about a time that you you navigated a really tough deal - what did you do to win it, how did you overcome the challenges?" 

but I follow it up with

"Tell me a bout a time that you failed - you lost the deal. What could have done differently?" 

On the last question, If the rep ducks and doges by saying someone else was to blame - I feel like I probably wont be a good coach for this person. 

Some questions I like to ask are:

• Tell me about a time you missed your goals. What happened? (Answer should explain why the person missed goal, what lessons they learned from it and how they've been performing since)
• What is a piece of critical feedback you've received from a client, colleague or manager in the past? (Answer should show the person's ability to be coached and take action on feedback)
• Tell me about a time you had to re-motivate yourself during a difficult time. How did you do it? (Answer should show the interviewer what the person is motivated by and how they continue to keep themselves motivated when they encounter roadblocks in the role)
• What approach would you take in the first 30/60/90 days to ramp up? (Answer should show how the person is thinking about setting themselves up for success. Are they just depending on onboarding and training to get them there? Do they have other ideas on how to prepare for success?)
• What is something you don't enjoy doing? Can you give me an example of what your pitch for this thing would be? (How the person reacts to this spur-of-the-moment exercise is very telling. Are they able to go with the flow and think on their feet? Are they able to reframe their thinking?) 

1. ​Tell me about a deal that you were particularly proud of closing. How did you overcome obstacles to secure the deal? Proper Answer: The candidate should describe a specific sales challenge they faced, such as a tough negotiation or a difficult client objection. They should then explain the strategies they used to overcome the obstacle, such as active listening and creative problem-solving.

2. Tell me about the most challenging part of your current role and how you’ve overcome or mastered it. Proper answer: We’re looking to see an answer representative of a growth mindset. We want to hear examples of the individual overcoming adversity and sharing how they adapt and evolve in the face of challenges. 

3. Tell me about a time when you received negative/constructive feedback from your manager, how you respond? Proper answer: This question aligns to the value of “learning faster through feedback”. How did the individual respond to the feedback and implement action (if any) in order to develop.

4. Explain concisely how your company creates value for customers. Proper answer: We’re looking to see if the individual can provide a short, easy to understand and memorable description of the product or solution. This is an indicator of strong communication skills.

5. Tell me about an opportunity that you lost that really hit hard. What did you learn? Proper answer: The answer should illustrate humility and resilience. Did they learn what to do next time to ensure a better outcome? Do they have an example of implementing the learnings?