Lauren Schwartz on Interviewing Sales Candidates

A sales leader recommends specific, evidence-focused questions.

LSLauren SchwartzGuest · VP of Enterprise Sales
Channel
20VC with Harry Stebbings
Published
Oct 20, 2022
Video
0:40
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1 min
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SUMMARY

In 30 seconds

Schwartz explains why she asks about past attainment, collaborators and lessons rather than relying only on hypotheticals.

  1. 1SpecificsSchwartz looks for concrete evidence.
  2. 2Past performanceShe suggests asking about attainment.
  3. 3Follow-upAsk about process and collaborators.

Takeaways

  1. Ask for specific metrics.
  2. Explore actual past work.
  3. Follow up on collaborators and lessons.
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01

Test specifics

Sales leader Lauren Schwartz argues that interviews should test concrete performance rather than rely on an open-ended story.

Sales leader Lauren Schwartz argues that interviews should test concrete performance rather than rely on an open-ended story.

She recommends asking about specific metrics and repeatable results to understand what a candidate actually accomplished.

02

Ask about past work

Schwartz says a theoretical first-90-days question can elicit a rehearsed answer and suggests asking about prior attainment instead.

Schwartz says a theoretical first-90-days question can elicit a rehearsed answer and suggests asking about prior attainment instead.

Her follow-up questions include how the candidate achieved the result, who else contributed and what they would do differently.

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