Softcat Sales Specialist Interview Questions
& Process

The internal recruitment process was terrible. After two interviews, there was no response for over three weeks. They really need to streamline their process or they'll continue to lose top candidates. I've already accepted a role with a competitor, CDW.

I went through 5 or 6 interview stages with Softcat. The initial interviews, both internal and the second one, seemed to go well. The overall process felt decent and professional, but the final 30-minute discussion with the head of the department, focused on personality, was confusing. I was told I was too driven, determined, and ambitious, which worried them about future burnout and productivity, making me question if I'd enjoy the role. The external recruiter also disagreed with their decision. This feedback felt dishonest, as if they're looking for someone lazy and unmotivated, which seems contradictory.

I sent my CV and got a call back from their London offices. They asked me some questions about my education, motivation, and background. Since they seemed happy with my answers, they invited me to their London office on Finsbury Place for an interview, which was my preferred location. Before the interview, they told me to research the company and that there would be a short psychometric test. At the interview, which started at 10 am, there were about 17-18 other graduate candidates looking for a sales career. Most of the other candidates were men, dressed smartly in suits and ties, while I was in an old suit and tie. We were all taken to a classroom/boardroom where a recruiter gave us a talk, a booklet about Softcat, and a short, simple psychometric test. Many candidates copied each other on this test. Asking questions about the role and company is crucial for the next phase, I think. The recruiter also asked basic company questions like turnover and profits, but it wasn't a test. Another staff member then talked about the role, typical duties, and potential earnings, highlighting that IT sales, like Softcat's business of selling software and hardware to organizations, can be very lucrative. It's important to ask this person questions about the business, sales techniques, products, vendors, and customer acquisition. He was quite open about the earning potential and company operations. Afterward, three more staff members joined, and each interviewee had to give a two-minute presentation about themselves to the other candidates and the five Softcat personnel. I didn't know about this, but some other candidates did. My presentation was okay, but I think I could have done better with more preparation. Most candidates did reasonably well. The interviewer mentioned that we'd be evaluated on our interactions and questions during the initial talks, our presentations, and the psychometric test (which she called a joke). The candidates came from diverse educational backgrounds, including law, history, and engineering, and one even had sales experience without a degree, showing they consider a wide range of candidates regardless of their education, which I found fair. That was the end of the process.