15 Business Development Manager Interview Questions (With Example Answers)
These job interview questions are specific for business development managers. If you’re interested in this career, you might be asked these same questions or ones that are very similar.
Reading these questions and our sample answers can help you prepare for your job interview. While your answers might be different and should be tailored to fit your qualifications and accomplishments, this will get you off to a good start.
What do you think has best prepared you for this job?
Here is where you get to tell them about your experiences, training, accomplishments, and qualifications. While it’s important to give them your technical background information, make sure you don’t forget to hit on your soft skills, too. The technical information is in your resume, the soft skills they’re only going to learn about from you.
Example Answer:
I have a degree in marketing, but after college, I went right into sales with Acme. I’ve been there for the last five years, but I’m ready to advance my career and move out of direct sales into the business development manager role. I enjoy working with people and relating with them, and that’s why I want to make the change. This role feels more like a relationship and less like pressuring people to buy.
What is the difference, in your mind, between a sales job and a business development manager?
Is there a difference? Do you know what it is? Let them know what you think this position will look like. As a tip – it’s always good to refresh yourself by reviewing the job posting before your interview. This lets you know exactly what they’re looking for.
Example Answer:
My current job is just sales. We are paid on a commission basis, and the push is to sell, sell, sell. Business development managers are more about establishing relationships with people and companies. Letting them know about your services and products and how they’ll benefit from working with you. But there is less emphasis on selling because it’s the long-term relationship that’s important. This appeals to me because there’s more honesty involved, and it plays nicely with my interests in marketing.
Describe a time when you’ve lost a client?
How do you handle rejection? The interviewer knows that this is a huge part of the job, and you will face it regularly. They want to make sure that they hire someone with thick skin.
Example Answer:
Interestingly, in my last position, we lost sales all the time. It was a part of the business, and if you lost one, you were expected to go and get two more. I never took that personally because I never felt good about the process. I’m sure losing a client would be more difficult as there would be an established relationship. I would try to find out why they are leaving and if there was anything we could do to retain them as a client and make whatever went wrong right again. Then, I would still try to reach out once in a while and try to maintain some sort of relationship in case they ever wanted to return.
What are your work values?
Values and sales are an interesting pairing, and many companies want people who have strong values in their sales departments. Other companies do not. It depends on the company, but you should still try to answer honestly.
Example Answer:
I believe I’m a hard worker. I am willing to take on other work to help out a struggling coworker or in times of need. I’ve also put in more hours during critical work periods without complaint. Another one of my values is honesty. I think that people intuitively know when they’re being lied to, and it’s best to avoid that entirely and always go with honesty.
How would you balance your relationships with old clients and new ones?
This gives the recruiter or the hiring manager an insight into how you manage your responsibilities. As a manager, you’ll be expected to know how to manage your time, manage different people, and have a purpose in your answers and actions.
Example Answer:
I like to keep in touch with clients regularly, whether they need me or not, just a check-in. New clients get more of my time as I try to ensure that the entire process is smooth for them and that we’re hitting all of their needs or concerns. You can’t just sell one thing and think that’s it, they might have a lot of needs you can fill, so it’s worth it to get to know the company. To balance this, I tend to block out time on Friday afternoons to send a friendly message to existing customers. Then I spend more time with new ones on weekdays.
When you are trying to sell to a company, how do you deal with their objections?
This plays right into the sales part of the job. If you’ve done sales before, then this should be easy for you. Managing objections is job one.
Example Answer:
The first step is to always listen to that objection and try to determine what the stumbling block is. Are they not interested, or do they not want to listen to my pitch right then? Is it a cost thing, or are they missing the big picture and not realizing it’s a cost savings? Whatever the case is, you have to understand what the real objection is and then talk about that. I think education is usually the answer to people’s objections. If I can find out what they need to know to help them sign up, then I can get them to sign up. Other than that, some people just need a bit of time to get to know you, to know you’re going to continue to be there, to have faith in you.
Describe a time you went above and beyond for a customer?
You’ll have to base this on your real experiences, but this is something to think about because you want a great answer ready if the question comes up.
Example Answer:
I found that I did well with customers when they were concerned about price. I went out and priced the competition and came to them with that competitive information. They liked that they had it right before them and didn’t have to do the legwork to get quotes and price comparisons. This was also good for me because if the cost was less for another company, I could look at their offering and find a way to point out that we were better.
How do you measure success?
Be honest but give this question some forethought before the interview. It says a lot about you as a person and what motivates you.
Example Answer:
I guess, to be honest, that money is one measure of success for me. I like to do well financially to save, and I’m looking to build my nest egg for my future. So, that’s definitely important. But I also think that it’s not all about money. My level of happiness and satisfaction with my job is a testament to my professional success. And finally, something I learned during Covid quarantine, my work/life balance is important to me, so if I don’t have enough time for my family or doing things I enjoy, I don’t think I’m succeeding in life. I might be what some people consider a professional success, but it’s much more than that.
Do you have experience in our field? How would you stay on top of the trends?
They might already know your experience level in their particular industry, but maybe the interviewer doesn’t, and you’ll have to explain. You should also have a good idea of places where that industry shares information, whether it’s a newsletter or social media or whatever it is.
Example Answer:
To be perfectly honest, I do not have any experience in hospital supplies yet. But since I applied for this position and we’ve been chatting, I’ve taken the liberty to sign up with your competition and with many of the technical giants in the field. I’ve already learned a great deal about this industry and plan on keeping up to date on what’s happening with the industry as a whole, as well as your competition, once I have the job.
What is your management style?
This can be very important to the company because finding someone with a culture fit is a big deal these days. If you know what management style they prefer, you might want to hit the highlights of that. If not, detail the strategies you’ve used and that you’ve found successful. Always stress that you’re willing to learn new things.
Example Answer:
I’ve never been a manager before, but I’m ready to learn your management styles and to try them. I do find that I have a preference for the way I am managed. I’ve found that feedback is critical to my success. I like to know when there’s something I can improve upon, and I like to know sooner rather than later. I think a lot of opportunities are missed if managers simply wait until forced annual reviews to provide team support.
Have you ever walked out on a deal? Or would you ever?
What is your level of integrity? Or maybe it’s your level of immaturity that they’re testing. You can learn a lot by asking this question and determining what pushes people just to walk away.
Example Answer:
No. At this point, I have never walked away from a deal. But then again, that’s related to the culture at my current position. As a business development manager, there would often be times when we can’t help someone, or we’re not a good fit for the situation. But I still don’t see that as walking away from the deal. To me, that is being a good business partner and letting them find the best solution. If I maintain the relationship, they’ll come to me when the offering we have is right for them.
Have you ever trained others?
If you’re looking to get into management, this could be a key part of your new job. Even if it isn’t, training others is a good skill because it can showcase your communication abilities. Just make sure you’re answering honestly.
Example Answer:
Yes. That was a big part of my job, and it’s one aspect that I enjoyed. I like working with people. I’m a people person, so training others appeals to me. It’s one of the reasons I’m so interested in this position.
Can you identify a new market to enter, and how would you do that?
Each industry will have some different answers specific to them, but your creativity could prove to be of great benefit here.
Example Answer:
Obviously, as this company deals with medical equipment sales, you’ll constantly look at the medical office. But there’s probably a way to go beyond the obvious customer and find businesses that could stand to have some of our equipment on hand for emergencies—defibrillators at large corporate offices, schools, malls, for instance. Or perhaps there’s a great online market that we could tap into by looking at specific illness support groups and non-profits. I’m sure there are a lot of untapped opportunities out there.
How would you familiarize yourself with our offerings?
It’s rare that a company only sells one thing. Even if it does, typically, that one thing is very complex. Your ability to learn about a product is tied to your ability to sell that item.
Example Answer:
I think I would learn the most by speaking with people who use your products regularly. I’m sure we’ll be provided with documentation, possibly information from the manufacturer, and maybe additional support. Still, I’d like to be able to talk to people who use a certain piece of equipment to learn more. Learn its capabilities and downfalls, and then learn what the latest and greatest offering can do.
Would you have a problem disciplining an employee?
It’s a management position, so this is a fair, albeit uncomfortable, question.
Example Answer:
I certainly wouldn’t want to do that and am not looking forward to that situation. But I’m sure it will come up throughout my career. I have to say that I appreciate that this company has an established human resources company, so I’m sure that there is a protocol in place for handling any personnel situation. I would simply resort to the rules and follow them. It’s nothing personal; it’s just business.
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Most Common Interview Questions
While you’re preparing for your job interview, you’ll find that some questions have nothing to do with the specific job, and they’re more about who you are as a person. These open-ended questions have no right and wrong answers but are designed to see how you respond.
Just be honest and professional and try to use them to highlight your qualifications and abilities. Since they’re personal questions, any answers we’d give would be fiction. So instead of answers, we’ve given you a few tips that will help you prepare your answers.
Where do you see yourself in five years?
They are probably thinking long-term and wondering if you’re going to stick around or leave.
Tell me about yourself.
Stick to the facts, share bits that will help you look like a great fit for the company but don’t think they’re looking to become your friend. Keep the personal stuff to yourself.
What are your strengths and weaknesses?
This might be the most common interview question of all time. The strengths should be easy. The weaknesses should be honest. Let them know you can see your flaws and that you’re working on them.
What do you think people think about you?
Whoa, that’s a tricky one, and it’s one you might be asked. In sales, it’s all about your impression. Remember, the interviewer may have already made up their mind about you, so your answer should jive with their experience meeting you. If you’re self-aware, this shouldn’t be too hard.
Do you have any questions?
Every interviewer who is any good at all will ask this. Not just to see if you have questions and answer them, but to gauge your interest and engagement.
If you have no questions throughout the process, it will seem like you don’t want the job. Plan a few questions beforehand, just in case you’re too nervous to come up with them during the interview.