I've prepped candidates for hundreds of interviews across building products, lighting, and A&D. Most of the advice out there is generic career-site filler. This isn't that. This is what actually matters when you're sitting across from a Sales Director or GM who sells cladding, flooring, or lighting for a living.
Before the Interview
Research the company properly.
Not just their homepage. Look at:
- What products they actually sell (not what the parent company sells globally, what they sell in Australia)
- Who they sell to. Are they A&D specification? Builder direct? Wholesale? This changes everything about the role
- Recent projects they've supplied. Check their LinkedIn, their case studies, any trade press mentions
- Who their competitors are. If you can name three direct competitors in the interview, you're already ahead of most candidates
- Recent news. Have they launched a new product range? Won a project? Opened a new office? Hired a new leader?
Understand the route to market.
This is the question that separates people who work in building products from people who sell in building products. Know whether the role is specification-led (architects and designers), project-based (builders and contractors), wholesale (distributors and merchants), or a mix. Each requires a different skillset and the interviewer will want to know you understand theirs.
Know your numbers.
Building products hiring managers care about commercial outcomes. Be ready to talk about:
- Territory size and how you managed it
- Revenue figures (budget vs actual)
- New business wins (specific accounts, not vague claims)
- How you grew existing accounts
- Margin management if relevant
You don't need to share exact figures if you're uncomfortable, but "I consistently exceeded budget by 10–15%" is much stronger than "I performed well against targets."
During the Interview
The question they always ask:
"Tell me about your experience in the building products industry."
What they're actually asking: Do you know the products, the customers, the competitors, and the sales cycle? Don't give them a chronological resume walk-through. Pick the most relevant role and talk about products sold, markets served, key relationships, and results.
The question that catches people out:
"Why do you want to leave your current role?"
Keep it honest but professional. Good answers: career progression, new product challenge, location, company stability concerns. Bad answers: anything that makes you sound like you're running away from a problem. Even if you are.
The question that wins it:
The one you ask them.
Strong questions for building products interviews:
- What does the territory look like and how is it currently performing?
- What happened with the previous person in the role?
- What does a successful first 6 months look like?
- How does the specification process work for your products? (if A&D)
- What's the biggest growth opportunity you see in the next 12 months?
- How is the sales team structured and who would I be working with?
Weak questions: anything about salary (too early), working from home (save it for later), or anything you could have answered by reading the job ad.
Product knowledge matters more than you think.
You don't need to be an expert in their exact product on day one. But you do need to show you understand adjacent products, related markets, or the broader building process well enough to learn quickly. If you currently sell waterproofing and you're interviewing for a cladding role, talk about how you already work with the same architects, builders, and contractors. That's transferable.
Cultural fit is the silent dealbreaker.
Building products companies range from old-school family businesses to slick corporate manufacturers. Read the room. Match the energy. If the interviewer is casual, be casual. If they're structured, be structured. Most hiring managers are making a gut call on whether you'd fit the team within the first 10 minutes. The rest of the interview is them confirming or contradicting that instinct.
After the Interview
Follow up within 24 hours.
A short email to the recruiter or hiring manager thanking them and reiterating your interest. Not a gushing "it was amazing to meet you" essay. Two or three sentences. Mention something specific from the conversation that resonated.
Be honest with your recruiter.
If you're not interested, say so early. If you have concerns, raise them. A good recruiter can often address concerns or provide context you didn't get in the interview. The worst thing you can do is go quiet and hope the process fades away. This industry is small. People remember.
Salary negotiation.
Know your worth before you start the process, not after you get the offer. If you're working with a recruiter, they should be managing expectations on both sides. If you're going direct, research market rates for your role, product category, and city. Don't accept the first number if it's below market. Don't overplay your hand if it's fair.
The Honest Truth
Most candidates don't fail interviews because they lack experience. They fail because they didn't prepare well enough, they couldn't articulate their achievements clearly, or they didn't show genuine interest in the specific company and role.
Do the prep. Know your numbers. Ask good questions. Follow up. That puts you ahead of 80% of the field.
If you want a steer on market rates or how a specific company interviews, happy to chat.
0487 640 299 | james@specifiedselect.com