With 50% of sales reps today missing quotas, conducting a successful sales interview is the difference between hiring a top performer who will consistently make their number and drive profitable revenue, or bringing on a mediocre salesperson who hinders revenue generation and lowers team morale. So how do you conduct an interview that eliminates under performers, yet challenges top performers to prove they deserve a spot on your team?Cognitive learning theory in the classroom

If an interviewer is unprepared, time is wasted on “get-to-know-you” or “ice-breaker” questions, which does not aid in evaluating the candidate’s skills, experience, and competencies.Cognitive learning theory in the classroom the candidate has more opportunities to fool the hiring manager into thinking they’re the ideal candidate, and the odds of making a bad sales hire increases.Cognitive learning theory in the classroom top performers expect you to have a robust understanding of the role:

Another area to avoid is making promises or guarantees in an interview.Cognitive learning theory in the classroom interviewers may say things like “permanent position” or “job security”, which causes the candidate to hold them accountable for said statements.Cognitive learning theory in the classroom these candidates can then claim a breach in their implied employment contract, should any of the verbal promises not come to fruition.

“I’ve interviewed people who would survive well in ‘intimidation interviews,’ but are terrible at sales.Cognitive learning theory in the classroom I’ve also interviewed people who would fail, yet are some of the best salespeople I’ve ever met. Is it worth losing talented people before they ever started because you want to show them you are in charge?” not asking behavioral questions

cognitive learning theory in the classroom

Organizations make the mistake of thinking it’s only the candidate’s job to prove why they’re the right fit for the role. With nearly 75% of candidates today being passive, providing upfront information about growth opportunities, role responsibilities, compensation, and culture will help entice these ideal candidates.Cognitive learning theory in the classroom prolonging the interview process

Pupil size, for example, aids in measuring someone’s interest. When the pupils dilate, it indicates there are positive feelings towards the individual or object they are looking at.Cognitive learning theory in the classroom in this case, it would be the hiring manager and the role being discussed. If the pupils constrict, they are less receptive and disengaged from the conversation.Cognitive learning theory in the classroom their tone of voice

Look for answers that involve their lead generation strategy and quantifiable metrics to back it up. These metrics help determine the level of activity the sales rep needs to maintain to achieve their targets.Cognitive learning theory in the classroom their answer could include number of cold calls, meetings, pipeline size, and more. For example, if their lead to close ratio is 6:1 and you will expect them to close ten deals per quarter, that means they need to have at least 60 client meetings per quarter to close those ten deals.Cognitive learning theory in the classroom

If they’re not able to describe when and how they did their prospecting, cold calling, etc, then they’re at risk of coming into the role not knowing how to develop and execute a prospecting strategy.Cognitive learning theory in the classroom it’s also an indication that they were not out in the field looking for new business – which is needed if you’re looking for a salesperson to help grow your business.Cognitive learning theory in the classroom

Look for references to a specific selling methodology, such as six sigma black belt, sandler, SPIN, miller heiman, challenger, etc. This is an indication of either formal sales training or a drive to improve themselves through learning independently (ie, reading books, listening to webinars, etc).Cognitive learning theory in the classroom top performing salespeople have sales strategies they have perfected over time and alter them to fit different clients.

If the candidate is not familiar with any formal selling methodologies or if the candidate doesn’t have a strategy, then it indicates that they are an underperformer who just “wings it” and hopes for the best.Cognitive learning theory in the classroom it also shows their lack of motivation to better themselves in their selling career as they haven’t worked to improve their approach, skills, and performance.Cognitive learning theory in the classroom

Look for clear descriptions of what the candidate believes they do well and potential areas of improvement. Also look for why they believe these are their strengths and weaknesses.Cognitive learning theory in the classroom for example, if one of their strengths is building relationships and one of their weaknesses is that they get nervous when pitching their products or services, then perhaps they are reading books or attending seminars to improve their presentation skills.Cognitive learning theory in the classroom

If the candidate is unable to discuss their strengths and weaknesses, it’s an indication of a lack of self awareness – which also indicates a lack of structure in their selling.Cognitive learning theory in the classroom if the candidate does not know where their strong points are then they can’t leverage them to close deals. If they’re unaware of their weaknesses, then they run the risk of letting these weaknesses get in the way of building relationships and closing business.Cognitive learning theory in the classroom

Look for a clear picture of the kind of environment the candidate has worked in and the kind of environment they want going forward. It’s critical to discover what kind of environment they thrive in – which could include a collaborative sales team culture, a hands-off management style, a customer centric selling approach – to ensure the company environments are a match.Cognitive learning theory in the classroom

If the candidate is unsure about the culture they’ve been a part of and the kind of culture they want, or if the culture they’re describing doesn’t align with your own, then there is potential for conflict.Cognitive learning theory in the classroom for example, if the candidate needs a sales manager who is at the office everyday to offer assistance, but you have a sales manager who works remotely, then this is a potential issue.Cognitive learning theory in the classroom

If the candidate isn’t doing anything to further themselves, then it’s an indication that they do not have any future goals and do not have a desire to better themselves.Cognitive learning theory in the classroom it also shows a lack of adaptability as industries change. As a result, they could be using old selling techniques or information that is no longer relevant in the market.Cognitive learning theory in the classroom

Look for specific pieces of information about your organization – which could include your company history, community involvement, new product releases, awards, etc – that indicate the candidate has done the due diligence of researching your organization.Cognitive learning theory in the classroom look for the candidate to relate what they know about your organization to why you should hire them. For example, if you’ve recently released a new product, they could discuss how they have experience launching new products into the market.Cognitive learning theory in the classroom

If the candidate hasn’t done any research on your company and cannot speak to why they want to work at your organization, then it’s an indication of a lack of motivation and interest in the role.Cognitive learning theory in the classroom by having little to no information about the company they’re interviewing with, the candidate is simply looking at this as a job they will switch to – which can result in quick employee turnover rate – versus a strategic opportunity for their career long-term.Cognitive learning theory in the classroom

Look for pieces of information that show strong experience as a sales leader, which could include sales team quota achievements, sales reps receiving promotions, large deals won, overall years of experience, and much more.Cognitive learning theory in the classroom top performers will share strategy information about how they approach coaching, process implementation, forecasting, etc. Look to gain an understanding of their management style and how it correlates with your sales environment.Cognitive learning theory in the classroom for example, if the candidate has a very hands-on management style but your entire sales team is remote, then the candidate may struggle.

If the candidate is lacking evidence of successful leadership, whether it be in examples of success or years of experience, this is a red flag.Cognitive learning theory in the classroom with 75% of new sales managers failing within their first two-years, it’s clear that the skills and experience that make an individual contributor successful are only a small part of what will make them successful sales leaders.Cognitive learning theory in the classroom an underperforming sales leader may say something like, “I have around eight years of sales management experience and my team has always been successful.” this is vague and does not provide quantifiable evidence to reinforce the claim.Cognitive learning theory in the classroom

“my objective in interviewing candidates for sales management positions is to determine if these skills exist or can be developed. Clearly, technical competence is important for leading a sales team, but the other critical traits I look for when interviewing a sales management candidate are self-awareness, a willingness to learn, and an understanding of the roles of leadership and coaching.”

cognitive learning theory in the classroom

Depending on the role and at what stage they are being eliminated, the rejection letter could be two paragraphs or it could be just a few short lines.Cognitive learning theory in the classroom for example, if a candidate has gone through one 45-minute interview and is not moving forward, then a few short lines would suffice. If it’s down to two candidates and they’ve been through multiple interviews, 2-3 paragraphs would be more suitable.Cognitive learning theory in the classroom what if a candidate asks for feedback?

Research has shown that only 4.4 percent of candidates receive individual feedback from hiring managers or recruiters.Cognitive learning theory in the classroom and some of the most common reasons hiring managers do not provide feedback include: requiring too much time, the process could be expensive depending on the number of candidates, they do not want to tell candidates they were unqualified, and there’s the risk of legal issues.Cognitive learning theory in the classroom

It is fairly straightforward to cover work experience, sales results, and self-perceived strengths in any interview. Consequently, most interviews focus on these things.Cognitive learning theory in the classroom sales candidates, anticipating this format, will practice their responses to these questions. As a result, they can appear natural and authentic, even when they are spinning or fabricating the truth.Cognitive learning theory in the classroom

The interview questions peak sales recruiting uses to assess potential reps for new sales development roles are different from what we ask account managers.Cognitive learning theory in the classroom furthermore, the questions used to interview sales representatives are very different from those we ask when interviewing candidates for sales management and leadership positions.Cognitive learning theory in the classroom increase your sales interview effectiveness