Practice the sales interview before it counts
Many sales interviews include a roleplay: a cold call, a discovery call, an objection or "sell me this pen". Here is what each round looks like, what interviewers score, and guides by role and by industry, from SDR and account executive to pharma, insurance, retail and call center jobs. Run a free drill in your browser, then practice out loud against an AI buyer that pushes back.
What sales interview roleplays look like
These four formats come up again and again. The details change between companies, but what they score mostly doesn't.
Cold call
Someone on the team plays a prospect and you call them to book a meeting. Expect a brush-off within the first minute.
What they're testing: A clear opener, one reason for calling, one good question and a specific ask.
SDR mock cold call guideDiscovery call
You run a first meeting with a prospect who agreed to talk. It's a common roleplay in account executive interviews.
What they're testing: An agenda, follow-up questions that reach impact, qualification and an agreed next step.
Mock discovery call guideObjection
The interviewer drops in a line like "that's too expensive" or "we're happy with what we have" and watches what you do next.
What they're testing: Acknowledge, ask a question, then respond, without arguing or discounting.
Sales roleplay interview guideSell me this pen
You're handed an object, often without warning, and asked to sell it to the interviewer.
What they're testing: Whether you ask before you pitch, find a real need and ask for the sale.
Sell me this pen guide
Interviewing in pharma, insurance, car sales, retail or a call center? The roleplay often looks different there: a two-minute physician detail, a needs analysis, a walkaround or a mock customer call. See the industry guides.
Want responses to specific push-back? Browse the objection library.
What a good roleplay sounds like
An illustrative objection roleplay. The interviewer plays a buyer who is "happy with what we have".
What the interviewer is noting
- Didn't argue with the status quo. Agreed first, then got curious.
- Found a gap with one question and put a size on it with the next.
- Asked for a small, specific next step instead of a sale.
Example
- Buyer
Honestly, we're happy with our current provider.
- You
That's good to hear, and I'm not here to fix something that works. What made you choose them?
- Buyer
They were cheap, and setup was quick.
- You
Makes sense. If you could change one thing about them, what would it be?
- Buyer
The reporting. We rebuild it by hand every month.
- You
How long does that take your team?
- Buyer
A couple of days, usually.
- You
Would it be worth 20 minutes next Tuesday to see if those two days can go, even if you stay where you are?
- Buyer
Tuesday afternoon works.
How scoring works
How interviewers score you
Most roleplays come down to a handful of behaviors: asking before you pitch, following up on answers, tying what you offer to what the buyer said, staying calm under push-back, asking for a next step, and reflecting honestly in the debrief. Each guide lists the criteria for its round.
How the free drills score you
A self-check. You answer out loud against the clock, check off what you actually did against the round's rubric, and the result tells you what to fix next. It's a simple count, not an AI score, and nothing you say or record leaves your device.
How Vonvo scores a practice call
Practice against an AI buyer and the call is scored on an NEPQ-based scorecard when you hang up. SPIN, MEDDIC and BANT are available as frameworks to practice with. Practice uses 10 credits a minute.
Find your guide
Questions with sample answers, what interviewers score, a prep plan and, where the round has one, a timed drill. Start with your role, or with the industry you're interviewing in.
By role
The rounds most sales interviews share, from SDR to sales manager.
- Any sales candidateSell me this penThe classic curveball. Ask first, find a need, tie the pen to it, handle the push-back and ask for the sale.10 questions, plus a 90-second drill
- SDR and BDR candidatesSDR mock cold callOpener, reason, question, ask. Plus the BDR variant and a worksheet to build your script from their website.11 questions, plus a 60-second drill
- SDR, AE and account manager candidatesSales roleplay interviewThe format, a five-step framework for any scenario, curveballs to expect and how to handle the debrief.10 questions
- Account executive candidatesMock discovery callThe AE version of the mock call: agenda, follow-up questions that reach impact, qualification and a next step.11 questions, plus a 90-second drill
- SDR and BDR candidatesSDR and BDR interview questionsResilience, coachability, motivation and research questions for SDR and BDR roles, with sample answers.12 questions
- Account executive candidatesAccount executive interview questionsNumbers, won and lost deals, pipeline, forecasting and deal control, with sample answers for AE roles.12 questions
- AE, account manager and senior sales candidatesSales presentation interviewPitch, 30-60-90 plan or case study: a structure that works, panel questions and a drill for your opening.9 questions, plus a 90-second drill
- Sales manager and team lead candidatesSales manager interview questionsCoaching, hiring, forecasting and underperformance questions, plus a 90-second "coach a rep" drill.11 questions, plus a 90-second drill
By industry
What interviewers in each industry test, and the roleplay or mock call you're likely to get.
- PharmaceuticalPharmaceutical sales interviewThe physician detail, the brag book and on-label questions, plus a 90-second "two minutes with a doctor" drill.14 questions, plus a 90-second drill
- Medical deviceMedical device sales interviewField rides, the operating room, surgeon loyalty and value analysis committees, with sample answers.13 questions
- InsuranceInsurance sales interviewCommission, licensing, finding your first clients and the needs analysis roleplay, with sample answers.14 questions
- Car salesCar sales interviewThe meet and greet, the walkaround, trade-in and price push-back, and the dealership terms to know.14 questions
- Inside salesInside sales interviewPhone presence, closing remotely, managing volume and the inbound lead mock call, with sample answers.13 questions
- RecruitmentRecruitment consultant interviewThe business development call, "sell me this candidate", fees, counteroffers and KPIs, with sample answers.13 questions
- Call centerCall center mock callWhat BPO interviewers score, a call flow for any scenario, five scenarios to rehearse and a 90-second drill.13 questions, plus a 90-second drill
- RetailRetail sales interviewCustomer service, add-ons, availability and difficult customers, plus a 60-second "just looking" drill.13 questions, plus a 60-second drill
Rehearse a matching roleplay scenario
- Pharma detail with a physician between patients
- Medical device pitch to a value analysis committee
- Life insurance needs analysis with a new parent
- Car sale with trade-in value pushback
- Cold call to a busy IT director
- Inbound call center sale: broadband plans
- Retail floor: the "just looking" shopper
- All roleplay scenarios
Further reading
Longer reads on preparing for sales interviews.
- How Do I Prepare for a Sales Interview?A step-by-step guide to acing your sales interview — from researching the company to practicing your pitch to handling curveball questions.
- What Questions Are Asked in a Sales Interview?25 common sales interview questions with example answers, answer frameworks, and tips for practicing them before the interview.
- How Can I Practice for a Sales Interview at Home?Set up a home practice routine for sales interviews: mock calls, recording yourself and roleplay techniques that prepare you for the real thing.
- What Is a Mock Sales Interview?Understand what mock interviews are, why they matter, and how to run an effective mock interview that simulates real interview conditions.
- How Do I Answer Objection-Handling Questions in Interviews?How to answer objection-handling questions in sales interviews with the STAR framework, plus sample answers you can adapt.
- What Are Common Behavioral Questions in Sales Interviews?Common behavioral questions in sales interviews, with STAR-method example answers and what interviewers are listening for.
- How Can I Practice Sales Interview Answers Out Loud?Master the art of speaking your interview answers aloud — eliminate filler words, improve delivery, and build the confidence that comes from real practice.
- How Do I Build Confidence Before a Sales Interview?Conquer interview anxiety with proven techniques — mental preparation, power poses, and the mindset shifts that turn nervousness into performance energy.
- SDR vs BDR vs AE: Roles, Pay and Career PathWhat SDRs, BDRs and account executives actually do, how their pay is usually structured, how to move from SDR to AE, and how to get hired.
- How to Cold Call a Hiring Manager (Script + Practice)When calling a hiring manager helps, a 30-second script, voicemail and follow-up email templates, what to say to "apply online" and how to rehearse.
- Sales Assessment Test: Question Types and How to PrepareThe four kinds of sales assessment test, original sample questions with the reasoning behind each answer, how roleplays are scored and a 3-day prep plan.
Questions, answered
What does a sales interview roleplay involve?
An interviewer plays a buyer and you run a short sales conversation: usually a cold call, a discovery call, an objection or "sell me this pen". Some companies send a brief in advance and some spring it on you. Afterwards there is usually a debrief about how you think it went.
Is there a guide for my industry?
There are guides for pharmaceutical, medical device, insurance, car sales, inside sales, recruitment, call center and retail interviews, each with the questions and the roleplay you are likely to get there. If yours isn't listed, the role guides cover the formats most sales interviews share: the cold call, discovery, objections and "sell me this pen".
Is Vonvo free for interview practice?
To start, yes. New accounts get 250 free credits with no card. Practice calls use 10 credits a minute, so that is about 25 minutes of AI roleplay. After that, paid plans start at $49 a month. The drills on the guide pages are free and need no account.
Which languages can I practice in?
English only for now. Practice calls with AI buyers run in English.
Do the drills on these pages record or upload anything?
Recording is optional and only starts when you allow microphone access. Your recording stays on this device: it plays back from your browser's memory, is never uploaded, and is deleted when you reset the drill or leave the page.
Will the AI buyer behave like my real interviewer?
Not exactly. Every company runs its roleplay differently, and no tool can tell you what your interviewer will do. Ask the recruiter about the format, then use practice to get comfortable with the parts that rarely change: questions first, calm push-back handling and a clear ask.
Can I practice on my phone?
Yes, in a mobile browser. There is no native app.
How many times should I practice before the interview?
There is no magic number. Run each format until your opener and your ask come out without notes, and spread practice over a few days rather than cramming the night before.
Your interview has a roleplay. Rehearse it first.
Practice cold calls, discovery calls and objections against AI buyers who push back, and get every call scored. 250 free credits (about 25 minutes of AI practice) with no card needed.