Sales Interviewing & Hiring Archives

When Will My New Hire Start Selling?

Sales managers are often looking for new salespeople who are ready to hit the ground running and start selling as soon as possible. So, of course, they test and interview for candidates high in Drive. However, since they know that Drive is essential for success as a “hunter” salesperson, some managers figure they can get away with hiring candidates high in Drive but low on experience, and then throw them to the wolves on day one. This is a critical mistake and a recipe for trouble down the road. When Will My New Hire Start Selling? was last modified: November

Can My Candidate Handle Difficult Customers?

Relationship skills are critical for high-performing salespeople, whether they are in account acquisition or account maintenance roles. Many companies look for candidates who can start producing very quickly. Whether they are cold calling a new account or managing a demanding current client, the best salespeople are skilled at making emotional connections that last a lifetime. One of the most important aspects of doing so is dealing with difficult customers. To gauge a candidate’s ability to do so, we can ask one key question . . . Can My Candidate Handle Difficult Customers? was last modified: October 31st, 2013 by Dr.

Should I Hire a Greedy Salesperson?

Sales managers occasionally tell us they are looking for salespeople who are motivated primarily by money. They may look for candidates with a mortgage, a couple of car payments or kids in college as a way of insuring a consistent pressure for the salesperson to perform. However, this approach can have some dangerous long-term consequences . . . Should I Hire a Greedy Salesperson? was last modified: December 8th, 2025 by Dr. Chris Croner

A Tempting Trap . . . Hiring a Candidate Just Like You

Most hiring managers have been here before: The interview with the latest candidate has been going great! You have been really connecting with the candidate and there have been really strong positive vibes. In fact, this candidate even reminds you a bit of yourself early on in your career. He or she has many of the same characteristics you do. He even has the same quirky sense of humor! What is not to like, right? Actually, hiring a sales candidate who is just like you can potentially be dangerous for several key reasons. A Tempting Trap . . . Hiring

Should I Clone My Top Performing Salesperson?

Sales managers often wonder if they should attempt to use testing to clone their top performing salespeople. This can be a very tempting proposition . . . who would not want an entire team that performs just like the top producer? However before we apply testing for this purpose, we need to keep a few critical caveats in mind . . . Should I Clone My Top Performing Salesperson? was last modified: September 5th, 2013 by Dr. Chris Croner

Why is Need for Achievement so Important in Sales?

In our hiring recommendations to sales managers, we stress the importance of sizing up candidates relative to all three elements of Drive: Need for Achievement Competitiveness Optimism Learn why a high Need for Achievement is especially crucial during the vetting process and can mean the difference between having a banner sales year or a headache of a candidate on your hands. Why is Need for Achievement so Important in Sales? was last modified: December 8th, 2025 by Dr. Chris Croner

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Lists*

When Will My New Hire Start Selling?

Can My Candidate Handle Difficult Customers?

Should I Hire a Greedy Salesperson?

A Tempting Trap . . . Hiring a Candidate Just Like You

Should I Clone My Top Performing Salesperson?

Why is Need for Achievement so Important in Sales?