Ask HN: How to estimate a candidate for the position of sales manager?

9 pointsvladimirsvsv772 comments

I’m a founder of a startup that makes AI solution for B2B. I’ve been searching for a sales rep. I have some candidates but I really don't know how to estimate them in the right way. All of them have similar experience and a good self-presentation. Maybe there are some assessment test tasks for sales rep’s?

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What are you exactly looking for? a) Someone to scale your current business by building a sales team? b) a hunter that will hunt and close deals? c) an account manager that will expand your business with your excisting clients? d) all of the above? In any case the best way to test a sales rep 1) is to check his or her direct and indirect references. 2)Check his or her understanding of complex sales cycles and multilevel selling. 3)Discuss the deals they have won and lost. 4) Check how they have won back deals. 5) Ask what the most difficult deal was they have worked on and what they have done to bring the deal in the companys favor. 6) Let him or her create a presentation as a sales rep for your company and present it back to you. Final toughts: If you want the best you have to pay the bes. If you can’t afford the best offer maximum freedom (with prerequisites and KPI’s)

Completely random thought: make an offer to all of them with the biggest part of their compensation being variable, tied to sales as commissions.

Whoever accepts it, believes a lot on what they do and how much they can sell.

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