Sales Executive, Mid Market Role at Instacart - Interview Process Overview

The Sales Executive, Mid Market role at Instacart focuses on managing relationships with a portfolio of non-endemic brands and overseeing the advertising sales process, including both on-platform and off-platform opportunities. This role requires a combination of sales expertise, data-driven insights, and the ability to manage client relationships to drive growth for Instacart’s advertising business. Below is a detailed breakdown of the interview process based on experiences from candidates who have interviewed for this role.

Interview Process Overview

1. Recruiter Screening

• Initial Call: The process typically starts with a phone call from a recruiter. This conversation is focused on understanding your background, experience in digital advertising, and fit for the role. The recruiter will ask questions related to your sales experience, particularly around managing advertising accounts, handling client relationships, and understanding CPG (Consumer Packaged Goods) metrics.
  • Example Question: “Can you walk me through your experience in digital advertising and how you have managed client relationships in a sales role?”
• The recruiter will also explain the job responsibilities, discuss Instacart’s company culture, and provide information about the next steps in the hiring process.

2. Sales and Strategy Interview

• Client Relationship Management: In this round, the interviewer will assess your ability to manage a portfolio of clients and develop sales strategies. Expect questions about your approach to prospecting, negotiation, and how you handle client objections and closing deals.
  • Example Question: “How do you approach the sales cycle for new clients? Can you give an example of how you’ve built a relationship with a key client and influenced their investment decisions?”
• Sales Metrics: You may be asked to demonstrate how you’ve used KPIs, campaign performance data, and budgeting to manage client expectations and deliver results.
  • Example Scenario: “If you’re managing a client who has low engagement with their current media campaigns, how would you analyze the data and turn their results around?“

3. Data Analysis and Campaign Optimization

• Data-Driven Sales: Instacart values candidates who are comfortable analyzing large data sets and using business insights to improve campaign performance. You may be asked about how you would use Instacart’s data or advertising insights to influence a client’s decision-making process.
  • Example Question: “Describe how you would use data to optimize a campaign for a client. How would you present these insights to a client to drive more investment?”
• You might also discuss your experience with programmatic advertising, retail media, and ad tech tools like Google Analytics, SQL, or Tableau to draw meaningful insights from data.

4. Behavioral Interview

• Team Collaboration and Leadership: Given the collaborative nature of the role, expect questions that explore how you work with cross-functional teams like product, marketing, and insights. Instacart is looking for candidates who can manage internal relationships and align cross-functional teams to execute effective media strategies.
  • Example Question: “Tell me about a time when you worked with a cross-functional team to deliver a client solution. What was your role, and how did you ensure alignment across teams?”
• Managing Priorities: The interview will also focus on how you manage competing priorities and balance multiple accounts while maintaining client satisfaction.
  • Example Question: “How do you manage a portfolio of accounts with varying levels of revenue potential? How do you ensure each client feels valued while meeting sales targets?“

5. Final Round with Senior Leadership

• Vision and Strategy: In the final round, you may meet with senior leadership to discuss your vision for driving revenue growth through advertising sales. This interview focuses on your long-term strategic approach to managing clients, growing the business, and collaborating with other teams.
  • Example Question: “What do you see as the biggest opportunity for Instacart to expand its ad sales business in the next 12 months? How would you leverage your role to capture that opportunity?”
• Senior leaders will assess your ability to forecast growth, drive strategic partnerships, and align your sales strategies with Instacart’s long-term business objectives.

Key Skills Instacart Looks For

1. Sales Expertise

• Strong experience in digital advertising sales, especially in the CPG and retail media space. You should be comfortable managing client relationships and using a consultative approach to close deals and drive results.
  • Example: “How have you used a consultative sales approach to build long-term relationships with clients in the digital advertising space?“

2. Data-Driven Decision Making

• Instacart values candidates who can use data to guide sales decisions, optimize campaigns, and measure performance. You should be comfortable with advertising metrics like ROI, ROAS, CTR, and CPC, and understand how to leverage first-party data to drive results.
  • Example: “How would you use Instacart’s data to drive decisions about ad placements for a CPG brand?“

3. Client Relationship Management

• This role requires strong interpersonal skills and the ability to manage a portfolio of clients. You should have experience in building relationships, driving sales growth, and managing client expectations.
  • Example: “Tell us about a time when you managed a difficult client relationship. How did you turn it around and ensure continued growth?“

4. Cross-Functional Collaboration

• As a Sales Executive, you’ll need to work closely with internal teams like marketing, analytics, and product to develop customized solutions for your clients. Collaboration and communication are key.
  • Example: “How do you collaborate with teams like marketing and product to ensure your media strategies align with broader business goals?“

5. Adaptability and Performance

• You must be comfortable working in a fast-paced environment with a high volume of activity. Expect to discuss how you balance sales quotas, client relationships, and campaign optimization.
  • Example Question: “How do you manage competing sales targets while ensuring you deliver results for each client?”

Example Interview Questions

Sales Process

• “Describe a successful sales strategy you implemented for a mid-market client. What steps did you take to ensure the client’s success?”
• “How do you approach a situation where a client is hesitant to invest more in digital media? What strategies do you use to overcome objections?”

Data and Insights

• “How do you use campaign performance data to optimize ongoing campaigns? Can you walk me through a specific example?”
• “Describe how you would analyze data to create a personalized media strategy for a new brand looking to advertise on Instacart.”

Behavioral and Leadership

• “Tell me about a time you had to manage multiple competing sales opportunities. How did you prioritize your efforts?”
• “How do you handle situations where a client has unrealistic expectations about the outcomes of their media investments?”

Tips for Preparation

• Understand Instacart’s Advertising Solutions: Familiarize yourself with Instacart’s platform, including how it leverages first-party transaction data for advertising. Understand the key metrics and tools they use for ad campaigns.
• Brush Up on Digital Advertising Metrics: Be prepared to discuss metrics like CPM, CPC, CTR, ROAS, and how they inform sales strategies.
• Prepare Sales Scenarios: Practice discussing how you would approach different client situations, especially around objection handling, client growth, and performance optimization.
• Focus on Client Relationship Management: Be ready to showcase how you’ve managed client relationships, including how you’ve handled difficult situations and exceeded expectations.