Listen instead on your Monday Morning Drive:

Back when I managed teams, I kept a stack of resumes on the corner of my desk. During interviews, candidates would see that pile and realize they weren’t the only person I was talking to. I don’t know if it was effective, but I enjoyed nodding toward that stack while asking, “Tell me more about why you’d be a great fit for us.”

Interviewing sales candidates requires a different approach than hiring for other positions. Whether the role has “sales” in the title or not, anyone who interfaces with clients is selling.

Let’s talk about how to find the right people to represent your company.

What Makes a Great Sales Candidate?

First and foremost — and I’ll sound like Ted Lasso here — a great sales candidate is curious. Curiosity about technology is good, but curiosity about people is essential.

Great sales candidates:

• Listen actively and make connections between ideas
• Communicate well and tell compelling stories
• Affable without being smarmy
• Relatable and genuine
• Take an outside interest or hobby seriously

For instance, I’ve hired many musicians because of their dedication to their craft. They organize their professional lives well so they don’t have to compromise on their passion.

The best salespeople are logically inquisitive, clever, and can tell stories with a point. They make connections between concepts and communicate those connections effectively to others.

I avoid the stereotypical “smarmy, golf-playing salesperson” type. Many candidates stress that they’re “not in sales” but rather a production manager or other role. I don’t care about the title — if you’re customer-facing, you need sales qualities, regardless of what we call the position.

And no, playing golf isn’t a criterion for success.

The Interview Process

My interview process follows a simple structure: introduction, job explanation, conversation, and next steps.

Introduction

When I worked in management, my office faced the parking lot, giving me a preview of each candidate. I’d watch them drive up, observe how they parked, how they walked to the building, and how they presented themselves.

Once, I watched a candidate take the last few puffs of a cigarette before putting it out in the parking lot. His interview was exceptionally brief.

When the candidate enters the building, I start by shaking hands and offering coffee. I’m suspicious of people who accept coffee during an interview — better to just get down to business.

If I feel positive about a candidate, I might give them a tour of the building and introduce them to the team. Then I share my 30-second elevator pitch about the company and ask them to tell me a bit about themselves.

This is the first test: Do they pick up on the cue and give a concise pitch in return, or do they launch into their life story?

The Conversation

After briefly explaining the position, I start my questioning:

“Tell me how you got started in the business.”

“Tell me why you’re interested in this job.”

For candidates with previous sales experience, I ask about their first sales jobs:

“What did you learn? What do you know now that you didn’t know then? What do you wish you had known?”

This allows them to tell a story, connect, and show how far they’ve come. Can they be self-effacing, or do they just brag about past successes?

The latter suggests they might lean toward the smarmy side.

The Customer Experience Question

I always ask, “Where do you go when you want to feel like you’re being treated well as a customer? And why?”

This reveals what kind of customer service appeals to them and gives another chance to tell a story. Are they passionate about something? Can they articulate what makes an experience great?

The Hobby Question

If the interview is going well, I’ll ask about hobbies. Then, I’ll follow up: “If I gave you a week with nothing else to do and $10,000 to spend on a hobby, what would you spend it on?”

This question allows candidates to be relatable, clever, and think outside the box. It also gives them another chance to tell a story.

After they answer, I share something about myself in return. The best candidates will show curiosity and ask follow-up questions about what I’ve shared.

This exchange is critical. Our customers care about interests we might not personally share. If a customer is interested in golf and you don’t golf, you still need to be interested and ask questions. Can this candidate do that?

Closing Questions

I always ask, “What do you want to know about the job? What do you need to know to help you decide whether we’re a good company to work for?”

The best candidates ask substantive questions that show they’re trying to find the right fit for themselves. This allows me to sell them on the position.

If I’m seriously considering a candidate, I’ll ask, “What would you hope we would do to get you started in your role? What would the first 10 days look like?”

Their answer reveals whether they understand what it takes to be successful. I grow suspicious if they only mention learning products, technology, and pricing without discussing customer outreach.

I’d be impressed by someone who said, “I’d love to see a list of people you haven’t talked to in a couple of years. Let me reach out to them and have a conversation.” That shows initiative and understanding of the sales process.

Next Steps

Before the interview ends, I explain the next steps clearly:

“I’m interviewing a number of people. I’ll get back to you by Friday to let you know whether we’re moving forward.”

I’m straightforward with candidates. If I don’t think they’re right for the job, I’ll tell them directly.

However, I’ve hired many people into different roles than they initially interviewed for. Sometimes a sales candidate would make an excellent project manager, or vice versa.

I’ve also discovered great sales talent in people interviewing for technical positions. Rather than asking directly, “Would you like to be a salesperson?” (which often gets a negative reaction), I ask, “Have you considered being customer-facing and helping guide clients to the right solution?” or, “Would you like to help our customers buy better?”

Their response reveals whether they might excel in sales despite not seeking it out.

If I see potential, I schedule another interview or tell them specifically when I’ll follow up. Having a deadline keeps the process moving.

It’s About People Skills, Not Technical Knowledge

Technical knowledge can be taught. What can’t be taught as easily is how to talk to people. That’s why I often hire from the hospitality industry — those candidates already know how to talk to event planners and corporate clients.

The essence of sales is listening, mirroring, empathizing, and telling stories. And above all, being curious.

Find curious people who want to work with you, and you’ll build a sales team that connects with clients.