How To Show Your Competitive Edge In A Sales Interview (Without Coming Off As Aggressive)

Recruiters who staff for sales positions are looking for highly competitive candidates.

One of the top reasons candidates fail in sales interviews is because they don’t come off as competitive enough. Companies recruiting for Sales positions also want someone who thrives in a metrics-driven environment.

Competitive people thrive in sales environments—even when that drive and ambition would be too much for another type of office. Here’s how you can show your competitive side without coming off as aggressive or rude.

Showing Your Competitive Edge (Without Being Rude)

Most of the time, telling people how competitive you are can make you seem harsh or rude. For many jobs, this is something you might want to hide or downplay during an interview (or maybe even talk about as a weakness). This isn’t the case for sales, though—in fact, showing your competitive edge is essential for securing a job offer.

As long as you’re focusing on your drive for success and how the spirit of competition helps you achieve your goals, then you should be in the safe zone.

During the interview, talk about times when you used your competitive drive to find success. Were you an athlete growing up? Were you the top salesperson at Footlocker? If so, what were your numbers?  Maybe you’re extremely motivated by hitting goals. Maybe you thrive in a commission-driven setting. Or maybe you just want to make a ton of money (Sounds nice, eh?).

However you decide to spin it, just be sure to drive home the point that you are competitive with a capital “C” (and that’s how you push yourself to succeed).