👸🏻 How to Interview a Sales Candidate

💡 Highlights

• How to ask the more important behavioral/habits questions but tie it back to their skillset (so they can’t bs you) [01:40]

• How to listen for “values match” tells [03:18]

• How to snag a copy of our 7-category, 26-question interview guide [04:11]

When hiring salespeople, it's crucial to nail the interview process to ensure you're bringing the right talent into your organization. As a Chief Revenue Officer who has conducted countless interviews and coached business owners, entrepreneurs, and sales leaders, I want to share some insights to help you successfully navigate interviewing sales candidates.

Focus on Habits and Cultural Fit

One common mistake when recruiting sales reps is placing too much emphasis on past performance. Just because a candidate excelled at selling another product or service doesn't guarantee they'll be successful selling yours. Instead, focus on assessing their habits, stress management skills, and alignment with your company's core values.

Ask Behavioral Questions Tied to Sales Skills

To effectively evaluate a candidate's fit, ask behavioral questions that are tied back to the sales skill set. Here's an example:

"Call volume is down. There is absolutely no way that you're going to hit quota with the amount of calls that are booked on your schedule. What will you do to meet or exceed your goals this month?"

This question accomplishes several things:

1. Tests their understanding of sales terminology and concepts

2. Assesses their problem-solving skills in a sales context

3. Reveals how they handle stress and their willingness to go above and beyond

4. Provides insight into their past experiences and how they achieved goals

Listen for Core Value Alignment

As you listen to a candidate's responses, pay attention to whether their answers align with your company's core values. For example, if your organization values working until the job is done, you'll want to hear answers that demonstrate a willingness to put in extra effort, such as making an 8 PM sales call or completing additional dials from the CRM.

Use a Structured Interview Guide

To ensure you're asking the right questions and covering all the essential bases, consider using a structured interview guide. I've designed a seven-category interview set that includes sample questions for each category. Get it here.