How to run a sales interview that predicts rep performance

The first five minutes set whether this is a conversation or a test, and it should be both. Open by walking the candidate through what the role actually does on a Monday morning: segment, average deal size, cycle length, quota, ramp, and the three behaviors the scorecard measures. Tell them you are going to run a mock discovery call and a pipeline review scenario, and that you will ask about past attainment with specifics. Candidates who thrive in the role lean in when they hear this. Candidates who want a soft seat start hedging. The opening is also where you check that the role as advertised still matches what they are shopping for, so you do not spend 50 minutes selling a job they will decline.

• State segment, deal size, cycle length, quota, and ramp in the first 2 minutes
• Name the three scorecard behaviors the role will be measured on
• Preview the mock discovery, pipeline scenario, and past-attainment dig so the candidate is not surprised
• Confirm the comp range and location expectations are still inside their shopping window

The single best predictor of future attainment is past attainment, measured with real numbers against a real quota in a comparable segment. Walk the last two or three roles in order and ask for the quota, the attainment, the segment, the cycle length, and the ranking on the team. Push past round numbers. If a candidate says they hit 120 percent, ask what the quota was, how it changed mid-year, how they ranked against peers, and what their largest deal was. Reps who have actually carried a bag answer with specifics in under 10 seconds. Reps who have not stall, generalize, or pivot to activity metrics. The second signal is consistency: top performers can usually point to multiple quarters at or above plan, not one hero quarter followed by three off cycles.

• For each prior role, capture quota, attainment percent, team ranking, and segment
• Ask for the specific size and stage of their largest closed deal in the last 12 months
• Probe one quarter they missed plan and what they changed in the following cycle
• Compare their stated segment and deal size to the segment and deal size of the role you are hiring for

This is the single highest-signal segment of the loop. Hand the candidate the buyer persona, the 2-3 pains, and the stated objection, give them two minutes to prep, then play the buyer for 10-12 minutes. You are watching for four things: do they ask open-ended questions, do they layer follow-ups to get to a business impact, do they handle the objection without panicking, and do they attempt a next step at the end. Resist the urge to coach them during the call. Take notes on exact language and come back to it in the debrief. A rep who runs a disciplined discovery call in an interview will run a disciplined discovery call with your buyers. A rep who pitches features for 10 minutes will pitch features to your buyers too.

• Give the candidate the persona, pains, and objection, plus 2 minutes to prep
• Play the buyer for 10-12 minutes and resist coaching mid-call
• Score on open questions, layered follow-ups, objection handling, and next-step ask
• Capture 2-3 direct quotes from the call to anchor the scorecard rating

Share a sanitized pipeline review on screen with 8-12 deals, mixed stages, aging opportunities, and a short-coverage quarter. Ask the candidate what they would do in the next 30 minutes if this were their pipeline. Strong reps start by sorting on close date and stage, flag the aging deals and the single-threaded ones, name a next step for each, and call out that coverage is thin so they would create pipeline in parallel. Weak reps describe the pipeline back to you without a decision, over-commit on deals that have gone dark, or try to close everything at the end of the quarter. This is where you see how a candidate actually thinks about forecasting and pipeline hygiene, not how they talk about it.

• Share a real sanitized pipeline review with mixed stages, aging deals, and thin coverage
• Ask what they would do in the next 30 minutes if this were their pipe
• Watch for decisions on single-threaded deals, aging opportunities, and the coverage gap
• Probe how they would run the pipeline review with their manager each week

The gap between a good rep and a great rep is almost always coachability, and it is one of the hardest competencies to screen for. The cleanest test is a story question: ask the candidate for the most direct, critical feedback their last manager gave them, what they did with it, and what the result was. Reps who are coachable can answer in under 20 seconds, name the feedback in specific language, describe the behavior change they ran, and point to a measurable outcome. Reps who are not coachable deflect, re-frame the feedback as a compliment, or claim they have not received critical feedback. Follow up by asking how they would prefer to receive feedback from a future manager, and look for self-awareness, not a scripted answer.

• Ask for the most direct critical feedback the last manager gave them
• Probe the specific behavior change and the measurable result
• Ask how they prefer to receive feedback from a future manager
• Score coachability as a standalone competency on the scorecard, not a soft gut-feel

A candidate who cannot answer why your company, in specifics, is a candidate who will leave in 12 months when a recruiter sends them a shinier offer. Ask them what they know about your product, your customers, and your competitors, and what drew them to this role in particular. Strong candidates have read the website, poked at the product, listened to a podcast or two with the leadership team, and can tie your market to something they want to learn or build. Weak candidates have a template answer about growth and culture that would fit any logo. The second half of this step is why now: what in their current role is pushing them to look, and what would make them stay if their current company counter-offered.

• Ask what they know about the product, customers, and 2-3 named competitors
• Ask what in particular drew them to this role versus others they are evaluating
• Ask what is pushing them to look right now and what would make them stay
• Flag any answer that would fit any company, which usually signals a passive shopper

The best way to lose a late-stage candidate is to dance around comp until the offer stage. Walk the candidate through the OTE structure in market-rate ranges, the base and variable split, the accelerators, and the ramp schedule. Ask what they are targeting for OTE and base, what their current comp is at plan and actual, and how they think about variable at risk. If the ranges do not align within 10 percent, name it now and either widen the role or close the loop early. On ramp, be concrete: when does the quota start to count, when does it ramp to full, and what support do they get during ramp. Candidates who ask smart questions about ramp are usually the ones who have been through a bad ramp before and will value a good one.

• Walk the OTE structure, base-variable split, and accelerators in market-rate ranges
• Ask their target OTE, current comp at plan and actual, and variable comfort
• Walk the ramp schedule: when quota starts, when it hits full, what support they get
• Close the loop early if the ranges miss by more than 10 percent

Close the way you would want a candidate to close a deal, which is also a last-minute test. Thank them, summarize two or three things you heard that you liked, name the one area you want to probe further in the next conversation, and tell them the exact next step and timeline. If you are a hire, say so and move fast. If you are a no-hire, do not drag the loop. Ask them whether they have other active processes and where you fit on their timeline, so you know what pace to set. Finally, ask if they have any remaining questions, and watch what they ask. Candidates who ask about the business, the team, and the next 90 days of the role are usually the hires. Candidates who only ask about vacation and remote policy are usually the passes.

• Summarize 2-3 strengths you heard and one area to probe further
• Name the exact next step, the owner, and the timeline in days not weeks
• Ask what other processes they are in and where you fall on their timeline
• Leave 3-5 minutes for their questions and score what they ask about