Most bad hires don’t happen because somebody lied in an interview.
They happen because the interviewer assessed confidence instead of capability.
The best sales interviewers don’t just look for charisma, they look for evidence.
Here are some ways to improve your interview process and make better hiring decisions.
1. Define What Success Looks Like
Before interviewing anyone, ask:
“What does this person need to achieve in the first 12 months?”
For example:
New business generation?
Account growth?
Building a territory?
Managing inbound leads?
Many interviews fail because the role itself hasn’t been clearly defined.
2. Don’t Be Seduced by “Interview Salespeople”
Some candidates are excellent at interviewing.
That doesn’t automatically mean they are excellent at selling.
Strong salespeople should be able to:
Explain their numbers clearly
Describe how they win business
Talk through objections
Demonstrate commercial awareness
Ask intelligent questions
Good salespeople usually give specifics.
3. Ask About Process, Not Just Results
Most candidates can tell you they “smashed target.”
Fewer can explain how.
Useful questions include:
“How do you open new conversations?”
“What does your sales process look like?”
“What type of clients do you sell best to?”
“Tell me about a deal you lost and why.”
The quality of the answer is often revealing.
4. Look for Curiosity
Top salespeople usually:
Ask thoughtful questions
Want to understand the business
Challenge assumptions professionally
Show commercial interest
Candidates who ask nothing meaningful are often a risk.
5. Avoid the “Likeability Trap”
One of the most common hiring mistakes is:
“I liked them, so they must be good.”
Likeability matters, but capability matters more.
Hire the person most likely to perform, not the safest person in the room.
6. Assess Motivation Properly
Money matters in sales. That’s normal.
But look deeper:
Why are they moving?
What environment helps them succeed?
What frustrates them?
The best hires usually move towards opportunity, not away from frustration.
7. Sell The Opportunity
Strong sales candidates are interviewing your business too.
Remember:
Good candidates have options
Delayed processes lose people
Lack of clarity creates doubt
Poor communication damages perception
8. Speed Matters
Many businesses lose strong candidates because the process takes too long.
Where possible:
Keep momentum
Give feedback quickly
Avoid unnecessary stages
Make decisions decisively
The strongest candidates rarely stay available for long.
Final Thought
There is no “perfect” sales hire.
The best hiring decisions come from:
Clear expectations
Structured interviews
Honest conversations
Assessing evidence over personality
Apart from 6 months as a self-employed kissogram, I’ve spent the last 30+ years recruiting sales staff and I’ve always tried to adhere to the above principles when interviewing & assessing candidates.
Believe me, they work.