Interview Guide for

Business Development Representative

This interview guide provides a comprehensive framework for evaluating candidates for the Business Development Representative (BDR) role. It includes structured interviews, a work sample exercise, and behavioral competency assessments designed to thoroughly evaluate a candidate's skills, experience, and potential for success in the role.

How to Use This Guide

This guide is intended to be used by hiring managers and interviewers throughout the candidate evaluation process. It provides a structured approach to assess candidates consistently and objectively. Here are some tips for using this guide effectively:

Familiarize yourself with the entire guide before beginning the interview process.
Use the provided questions and follow-up prompts, but feel free to adapt them to your specific context as needed.
Take detailed notes during each interview, focusing on specific examples and behaviors.
Use the scorecards provided to evaluate candidates objectively on key competencies and goals.
Conduct a thorough debrief with all interviewers before making a final decision.

For additional ideas and alternative interview questions for the Business Development Representative role, you can refer to this resource: Business Development Representative Interview Questions

Remember, this guide is a tool to aid your decision-making process. While it provides structure and consistency, it's essential to consider the overall fit of the candidate with your team and organization.

Job Description

🎯 Role Overview

We're seeking a driven Business Development Representative (BDR) to join our growing sales team. This role is critical in generating qualified pipeline and identifying new opportunities to expand our customer base.

💼 Key Responsibilities

Qualify prospects through calls and emails to generate sales-ready meetings
Respond to inbound leads and provide feedback on campaign effectiveness
Partner with Account Executives on territory planning and outreach strategies
Conduct account research and execute targeted cold outreach
Collaborate with marketing on event outreach and campaign support
Articulate our value proposition clearly and concisely to potential customers
Develop a deep understanding of our target personas' challenges and needs
Run qualification calls to identify high-potential prospects
Test and validate new outbound strategies
Continuously develop sales skills and product knowledge

🌟 What Success Looks Like

Consistently meeting or exceeding quota for qualified meetings set
Maintaining a high conversion rate from leads to opportunities
Receiving positive feedback from Account Executives on lead quality
Demonstrating continuous improvement in outreach effectiveness
Contributing innovative ideas to improve team processes and strategies

📊 Qualifications

Must-Have

1+ year of sales or related experience
Track record of success in a metric-driven environment
Strong written and verbal communication skills
Proactive, self-motivated attitude with a desire to learn and grow
Ability to balance multiple priorities and manage time effectively

Nice-to-Have

Experience with CRM systems (e.g., Salesforce)
Familiarity with sales engagement tools (e.g., Outreach, SalesLoft)
Understanding of B2B software sales processes

💪 Core Competencies

Curiosity and continuous learning
Resilience and adaptability
Strong communication and interpersonal skills
Results orientation
Time management and organization

📍 Location & Work Environment

[Location - Remote/Hybrid/Office]

💰 Compensation

[Base Salary Range][Commission Structure][Additional Benefits]

Ideal Candidate Profile (Internal)

Role Overview

This role requires a blend of sales acumen, strategic thinking, and strong interpersonal skills. The ideal candidate will be able to quickly grasp complex product offerings and translate them into compelling value propositions for potential customers.

Essential Behavioral Competencies

Curiosity and Learning Agility
Resilience and Adaptability
Communication and Influence
Results Orientation
Time Management and Organization

Example Goals for Role

Achieve 120% of quarterly qualified meeting quota
Maintain a 40% conversion rate from qualified meetings to opportunities
Contribute to 20% of new business pipeline generation
Achieve an average lead quality score of 8/10 from Account Executives
Implement 2 new outreach strategies per quarter with measurable results

Ideal Candidate Profile

Demonstrated ability to quickly learn and articulate complex value propositions
Track record of consistently meeting or exceeding sales targets
Strong interpersonal skills with ability to build rapport quickly
Natural curiosity and desire to understand customer needs deeply
Excellent time management and prioritization skills
Comfort with using data to inform decision-making and strategy
Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, evolving environment
[Additional company-specific requirements]
Located in or willing to relocate to [location] if required

📝 Screening Interview

🧭 Directions for the Interviewer

This initial screening is crucial for quickly assessing if a candidate should move forward in the process. Focus on work eligibility, cultural fit, performance history, and key skills. Getting details on past performance early is essential. Ask all candidates the same questions to ensure fair comparisons.

📣 Directions to Share with Candidate

"I'll be asking you some initial questions about your background and experience to determine fit for our Business Development Representative role. Please provide concise but thorough answers. Do you have any questions before we begin?"

🔍 Interview Questions

1. Can you confirm your eligibility to work in [country] without sponsorship?

Guidance for Interviewer:

Areas to Cover:
- Current work authorization status
- Any visa or work permit requirements
Possible Follow-up Questions:
- When does your current work authorization expire?
- Are there any restrictions on your ability to work?

2. Tell me about your most recent sales or customer-facing role and your typical responsibilities.

Guidance for Interviewer:

Areas to Cover:
- Relevance of past experience
- Key metrics and targets
- Types of customers or industries worked with
Possible Follow-up Questions:
- What were your main KPIs in that role?
  - How did you perform against your targets?
Can you give an example of a successful customer interaction?

3. What interests you most about this Business Development Representative role at our company?

Guidance for Interviewer:

Areas to Cover:
- Knowledge of company/product
- Alignment with role expectations
- Career motivations
Possible Follow-up Questions:
- What do you know about our product and target market?
- How does this role fit into your long-term career goals?
- What excites you most about B2B software sales?

4. Describe your approach to prospecting and qualifying new leads.

Guidance for Interviewer:

Areas to Cover:
- Research methods
- Outreach strategies
- Qualification process
Possible Follow-up Questions:
- What tools or resources do you typically use for prospecting?
- How do you personalize your outreach?
- What criteria do you use to determine if a lead is qualified?

5. Tell me about a time when you had to meet a challenging sales target. How did you approach it?

Guidance for Interviewer:

Areas to Cover:
- Goal-setting and planning
- Execution strategies
- Outcome and lessons learned
Possible Follow-up Questions:
- What specific actions did you take to meet the target?
- How did you overcome any obstacles?
- What did you learn from this experience?

6. How do you stay current on industry trends and continuously improve your sales skills?

Guidance for Interviewer:

Areas to Cover:
- Learning methods
- Resources used
- Application of new knowledge
Possible Follow-up Questions:
- What sales books or resources have you found most valuable?
- Have you attended any recent sales training or conferences?
- How do you apply new learnings to your daily work?

7. What questions do you have about the role or our company?

Guidance for Interviewer:

Areas to Cover:
- Depth of candidate research
- Genuine interest in role
- Thoughtfulness of questions
Possible Follow-up Questions:
- What excites you most about potentially joining our team?
- Is there anything that gives you hesitation about the role?

📊 Interview Scorecard

Work Eligibility

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Not eligible to work without sponsorship
2: Eligible with significant restrictions
3: Eligible with minor restrictions
4: Fully eligible without restrictions

Relevant Experience

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: No relevant sales or customer-facing experience
2: Some related experience but in different industry/context
3: 1-2 years of relevant sales or customer-facing experience
4: 2+ years of highly relevant B2B sales experience

Sales Approach

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Lacks clear sales methodology or approach
2: Basic understanding of sales processes
3: Well-defined, effective sales approach
4: Sophisticated, data-driven sales methodology

Goal Orientation

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Struggles to articulate goal achievement strategies
2: Basic approach to meeting targets
3: Clear, structured approach to achieving goals
4: Exceptional track record of exceeding challenging targets

Learning Agility

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Shows little interest in continuous learning
2: Some effort towards skill development
3: Consistent focus on improvement and industry knowledge
4: Passionate self-learner with innovative approaches to development

Cultural Fit

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Poor alignment with company values and culture
2: Some misalignment with company values and culture
3: Good alignment with company values and culture
4: Excellent alignment and enthusiasm for company culture

Overall Recommendation

1: Strong No Hire
2: No Hire
3: Hire
4: Strong Hire

💼 Work Sample: Mock Prospecting and Qualification Call

🧭 Directions for the Interviewer

This work sample assesses the candidate's ability to conduct effective prospecting and qualification calls. Provide the candidate with background information on a fictional target company and your product/service. Evaluate their preparation, questioning strategy, active listening, and ability to articulate value propositions.

Best practices:

Give the candidate 15-20 minutes to prepare before the role-play
Limit the role-play to 20-30 minutes
Take notes on specific behaviors and statements
Provide a brief opportunity for the candidate to self-reflect after the exercise

📣 Directions to Share with Candidate

"For this exercise, you'll conduct a mock prospecting and qualification call with a potential customer interested in our [product/service]. I'll play the role of the prospect. You'll have 15 minutes to prepare using the background information provided. Your goal is to qualify the prospect, uncover their needs and pain points, and begin to position our solution. The call will last about 20 minutes. Do you have any questions?"

Provide the candidate with:

Brief overview of your product/service
Target customer profile
LinkedIn profile of the "prospect" (your role)
Any other relevant background information

📊 Interview Scorecard

Preparation

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unprepared, no clear strategy
2: Basic preparation, generic approach
3: Well-prepared with tailored strategy
4: Extensively prepared with innovative approach

Questioning Strategy

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Asks few or irrelevant questions
2: Asks basic qualifying questions
3: Asks probing questions to uncover needs and pain points
4: Asks insightful questions revealing hidden opportunities

Active Listening

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Frequently interrupts or misses key information
2: Listens passively with minimal follow-up
3: Demonstrates good listening with relevant follow-up questions
4: Exceptional listening skills, building on responses to drive conversation

Value Articulation

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unable to articulate relevant value propositions
2: Communicates generic value propositions
3: Clearly articulates tailored value propositions
4: Compellingly communicates unique value aligned with specific customer needs

Qualification Process

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Fails to qualify prospect effectively
2: Basic qualification with limited depth
3: Thorough qualification covering key criteria
4: Sophisticated qualification process uncovering hidden opportunities

Next Steps/Follow-up

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Fails to establish clear next steps
2: Suggests vague or generic next steps
3: Establishes clear, mutually agreed upon next steps
4: Creates a compelling action plan with customer buy-in

Goal: Achieve 120% of quarterly qualified meeting quota

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to Achieve Goal
2: Likely to Partially Achieve Goal
3: Likely to Achieve Goal
4: Likely to Exceed Goal

Goal: Maintain a 40% conversion rate from qualified meetings to opportunities

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to Achieve Goal
2: Likely to Partially Achieve Goal
3: Likely to Achieve Goal
4: Likely to Exceed Goal

Goal: Contribute to 20% of new business pipeline generation

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to Achieve Goal
2: Likely to Partially Achieve Goal
3: Likely to Achieve Goal
4: Likely to Exceed Goal

Goal: Achieve an average lead quality score of 8/10 from Account Executives

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to Achieve Goal
2: Likely to Partially Achieve Goal
3: Likely to Achieve Goal
4: Likely to Exceed Goal

Overall Recommendation

1: Strong No Hire
2: No Hire
3: Hire
4: Strong Hire

👥 Hiring Manager Interview

🧭 Directions for the Interviewer

This interview focuses on the candidate's relevant work history and performance. Ask the following questions for each relevant previous role, adapting as needed for time and the number of relevant roles. Ask all questions on the most recent or most relevant role. Probe for specific examples and quantifiable results. Pay attention to the progression of responsibilities and achievements across roles.

📣 Directions to Share with Candidate

"I'd like to discuss your relevant work experience in more detail. We'll go through each of your previous roles, focusing on your responsibilities, achievements, and lessons learned. Please provide specific examples and metrics where possible."

🔍 Interview Questions

1. What were your main responsibilities in this role?

Guidance for Interviewer:

Areas to Cover:
- Scope of role
- Target market/customer base
- Team structure and interactions
Possible Follow-up Questions:
- How did your responsibilities evolve over time?
- What was the most challenging aspect of the role?
- How did this role prepare you for your next career step?

2. What were your key performance metrics and how did you perform against them?

Guidance for Interviewer:

Areas to Cover:
- Specific quotas and targets
- Performance relative to peers
- Consistency of achievement
Possible Follow-up Questions:
- What strategies did you use to consistently meet/exceed your targets?
- How did you recover from any periods of underperformance?
- What tools or resources were most helpful in tracking and improving your performance?

3. Tell me about your most significant sales or business development achievement in this role.

Guidance for Interviewer:

Areas to Cover:
- Deal size or impact
- Stakeholders involved
- Unique challenges overcome
Possible Follow-up Questions:
- What was your specific role in achieving this success?
- How did you navigate any obstacles or competition?
- What lessons from this achievement have you applied to subsequent work?

4. Describe a time when you faced a significant setback or failure in your sales efforts. What happened and what did you learn?

Guidance for Interviewer:

Areas to Cover:
- Ability to self-reflect
- Lessons learned and applied
- Resilience and adaptability
Possible Follow-up Questions:
- How did you handle the disappointment personally and with your team?
- What specific changes did you make to your approach after this experience?
- How have you used this experience to improve your performance or help others?

📊 Interview Scorecard

Relevant Experience

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Limited relevant experience
2: Some relevant experience but gaps in key areas
3: Strong relevant experience aligned with role requirements
4: Extensive highly relevant experience exceeding role requirements

Performance History

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Consistently underperformed against targets
2: Occasionally met targets with inconsistent performance
3: Consistently met or exceeded targets
4: Consistently top performer, significantly exceeding targets

Sales Acumen

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Limited understanding of sales processes
2: Basic sales skills with some areas for improvement
3: Strong sales skills across prospecting, qualifying, and closing
4: Exceptional sales acumen with innovative approaches

Learning and Adaptability

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Struggles to adapt or learn from experiences
2: Shows some ability to learn and adapt
3: Demonstrates good self-awareness and applies lessons learned
4: Highly self-aware with clear examples of continuous improvement and adaptation

Goal: Achieve 120% of quarterly qualified meeting quota

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to Achieve Goal
2: Likely to Partially Achieve Goal
3: Likely to Achieve Goal
4: Likely to Exceed Goal

Goal: Maintain a 40% conversion rate from qualified meetings to opportunities

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to Achieve Goal
2: Likely to Partially Achieve Goal
3: Likely to Achieve Goal
4: Likely to Exceed Goal

Goal: Contribute to 20% of new business pipeline generation

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to Achieve Goal
2: Likely to Partially Achieve Goal
3: Likely to Achieve Goal
4: Likely to Exceed Goal

Goal: Achieve an average lead quality score of 8/10 from Account Executives

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to Achieve Goal
2: Likely to Partially Achieve Goal
3: Likely to Achieve Goal
4: Likely to Exceed Goal

Overall Recommendation

1: Strong No Hire
2: No Hire
3: Hire
4: Strong Hire

🧠 Behavioral Competency Interview

🧭 Directions for the Interviewer

This interview assesses the candidate's behavioral competencies critical for success in the Business Development Representative role. Ask all candidates the same questions, probing for specific examples and details about the situation, actions taken, results achieved, and lessons learned. Avoid hypothetical scenarios and focus on past experiences.

📣 Directions to Share with Candidate

"I'll be asking you about specific experiences from your past that relate to key competencies for this role. Please provide detailed examples, including the situation, your actions, the outcomes, and what you learned. Take a moment to think before answering if needed."

🔍 Interview Questions

1. Tell me about a time when you had to quickly learn about a new product, industry, or technology to be effective in your role. How did you approach this challenge? (Curiosity and Learning Agility)

Guidance for Interviewer:

Areas to Cover:
- Learning strategies used
- Time management
- Application of new knowledge
- Impact on performance
Possible Follow-up Questions:
- What resources did you find most valuable in your learning process?
- How did you balance learning with your existing responsibilities?
- How has this experience influenced your approach to learning in subsequent roles?

2. Describe a situation where you had to persist through multiple rejections or setbacks to achieve a sales goal. How did you maintain your motivation and effectiveness? (Resilience and Adaptability)

Guidance for Interviewer:

Areas to Cover:
- Specific challenges faced
- Coping strategies
- Adjustments made to approach
- Ultimate outcome
Possible Follow-up Questions:
- How did you manage your emotions during this challenging period?
- What specific changes did you make to your strategies or tactics?
- How has this experience shaped your approach to handling rejection in sales?

3. Give me an example of how you've used data or market insights to improve your outreach effectiveness or qualify leads more efficiently. (Results Orientation, Time Management and Organization)

Guidance for Interviewer:

Areas to Cover:
- Sources of data or insights used
- Analysis process
- Implementation of findings
- Measurable impact on performance
Possible Follow-up Questions:
- How did you identify which data points or insights were most valuable?
- What tools or processes did you use to track and analyze your results?
- How have you shared your approach with teammates or applied it to other areas of your work?

📊 Interview Scorecard

Curiosity and Learning Agility

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Shows little interest in learning or understanding
2: Learns when required but doesn't seek out new knowledge
3: Demonstrates genuine curiosity and eagerness to learn
4: Proactively seeks new knowledge and applies it innovatively

Resilience and Adaptability

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Struggles to cope with setbacks or changes
2: Can adapt when given clear direction
3: Recovers well from setbacks and adapts to change
4: Thrives in dynamic environments, turning challenges into opportunities

Results Orientation

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Focuses on activities rather than outcomes
2: Achieves some results but lacks consistent focus
3: Consistently drives towards and achieves meaningful results
4: Exceeds expectations and inspires others to achieve high performance

Time Management and Organization

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Often disorganized or struggles with priorities
2: Basic organization with some time management skills
3: Well-organized with effective prioritization and time management
4: Exceptionally organized, optimizing processes for maximum efficiency

Goal: Achieve 120% of quarterly qualified meeting quota

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to Achieve Goal
2: Likely to Partially Achieve Goal
3: Likely to Achieve Goal
4: Likely to Exceed Goal

Goal: Maintain a 40% conversion rate from qualified meetings to opportunities

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to Achieve Goal
2: Likely to Partially Achieve Goal
3: Likely to Achieve Goal
4: Likely to Exceed Goal

Goal: Contribute to 20% of new business pipeline generation

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to Achieve Goal
2: Likely to Partially Achieve Goal
3: Likely to Achieve Goal
4: Likely to Exceed Goal

Goal: Achieve an average lead quality score of 8/10 from Account Executives

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to Achieve Goal
2: Likely to Partially Achieve Goal
3: Likely to Achieve Goal
4: Likely to Exceed Goal

Overall Recommendation

1: Strong No Hire
2: No Hire
3: Hire
4: Strong Hire

👨‍💼 Skip Level Behavioral Interview

🧭 Directions for the Interviewer

This interview further assesses the candidate's behavioral competencies from a different perspective. Ask all candidates the same questions, probing for specific examples and details about the situation, actions taken, results achieved, and lessons learned. Avoid hypothetical scenarios and focus on past experiences.

📣 Directions to Share with Candidate

🔍 Interview Questions

1. Tell me about a time when you had to persuade a skeptical prospect to take a meeting or consider your solution. How did you approach this challenge? (Communication and Influence)

Guidance for Interviewer:

Areas to Cover:
- Initial objections or skepticism
- Research and preparation
- Tailoring of message and approach
- Outcome and follow-up
Possible Follow-up Questions:
- How did you identify the prospect's key priorities and concerns?
- What resources or evidence did you leverage to build your case?
- How has this experience shaped your approach to handling objections?

2. Describe a situation where you had to balance multiple competing priorities or leads. How did you manage your time and ensure nothing fell through the cracks? (Time Management and Organization)

Guidance for Interviewer:

Areas to Cover:
- Scope and complexity of competing priorities
- Strategies for time management and organization
- Communication with stakeholders
- Results achieved across multiple responsibilities
Possible Follow-up Questions:
- What tools or systems do you use to stay organized?
- How do you decide when to delegate or seek support?
- Can you give an example of a time when you had to make a difficult prioritization decision?

3. Give me an example of how you've contributed to improving your team's sales processes or outreach strategies. (Results Orientation, Curiosity and Learning Agility)

Guidance for Interviewer:

Areas to Cover:
- Identification of improvement opportunity
- Development of solution or new approach
- Implementation and change management
- Measurable impact on team performance
Possible Follow-up Questions:
- How did you gain buy-in from leadership and team members?
- What challenges did you encounter during implementation and how did you overcome them?
- How have you continued to iterate on this improvement over time?

📊 Interview Scorecard

Communication and Influence

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Struggles to communicate effectively or persuade others
2: Can communicate and influence in straightforward situations
3: Consistently communicates clearly and persuades effectively
4: Masterfully communicates and influences at all levels

Time Management and Organization

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Often disorganized or reactive in approach
2: Basic organization with some proactive planning
3: Well-organized with effective prioritization and planning
4: Exceptionally organized, optimizing processes for maximum efficiency

Results Orientation

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Focuses on activities rather than outcomes
2: Achieves some results but lacks consistent focus
3: Consistently drives towards and achieves meaningful results
4: Exceeds expectations and inspires others to achieve high performance

Curiosity and Learning Agility

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Shows little interest in learning or improving processes
2: Learns when required but doesn't seek out new knowledge
3: Demonstrates genuine curiosity and eagerness to learn and improve
4: Proactively seeks new knowledge and drives innovation in processes

Goal: Achieve 120% of quarterly qualified meeting quota

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to Achieve Goal
2: Likely to Partially Achieve Goal
3: Likely to Achieve Goal
4: Likely to Exceed Goal

Goal: Maintain a 40% conversion rate from qualified meetings to opportunities

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to Achieve Goal
2: Likely to Partially Achieve Goal
3: Likely to Achieve Goal
4: Likely to Exceed Goal

Goal: Contribute to 20% of new business pipeline generation

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to Achieve Goal
2: Likely to Partially Achieve Goal
3: Likely to Achieve Goal
4: Likely to Exceed Goal

Goal: Achieve an average lead quality score of 8/10 from Account Executives

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to Achieve Goal
2: Likely to Partially Achieve Goal
3: Likely to Achieve Goal
4: Likely to Exceed Goal

Overall Recommendation

1: Strong No Hire
2: No Hire
3: Hire
4: Strong Hire

Debrief Meeting

🧭 Directions for Conducting the Debrief Meeting

The Debrief Meeting is an open discussion for the hiring team members to share the information learned during the candidate interviews. Use the questions below to guide the discussion.

Start the meeting by reviewing the requirements for the role and the key competencies and goals to succeed.
The meeting leader should strive to create an environment where it is okay to express opinions about the candidate that differ from the consensus or the leadership's opinions.
Scores and interview notes are important data points but should not be the sole factor in making the final decision.
Any hiring team member should feel free to change their recommendation as they learn new information and reflect on what they've learned.

🔍 Debrief Meeting Questions

1. Does anyone have any questions for the other interviewers about the candidate?

Guidance: The meeting facilitator should initially present themselves as neutral and try not to sway the conversation before others have a chance to speak up.

2. Are there any additional comments about the Candidate?

Guidance: This is an opportunity for all the interviewers to share anything they learned that is important for the other interviewers to know.

3. How well do you think the candidate aligns with our key competencies for this role?

Guidance: Review each of the core competencies (Curiosity and Learning Agility, Resilience and Adaptability, Communication and Influence, Results Orientation, Time Management and Organization) and discuss the candidate's demonstrated strengths and potential areas for growth.

4. Based on what we've learned, how likely do you think the candidate is to achieve our key goals for this role?

Guidance: Discuss each of the goals (120% of quarterly qualified meeting quota, 40% conversion rate, 20% of new business pipeline generation, 8/10 average lead quality score) and the candidate's potential to meet or exceed these targets.

5. Is there anything further we need to investigate before making a decision?

Guidance: Based on this discussion, you may decide to probe further on certain issues with the candidate or explore specific issues in the reference calls.

6. Has anyone changed their hire/no-hire recommendation?

Guidance: This is an opportunity for the interviewers to change their recommendation from the new information they learned in this meeting.

7. If the consensus is no hire, should the candidate be considered for other roles? If so, what roles?

Guidance: Discuss whether engaging with the candidate about a different role would be worthwhile.

8. What are the next steps?

Guidance: If there is no consensus, follow the process for that situation (e.g., it is the hiring manager's decision). Further investigation may be needed before making the decision. If there is a consensus on hiring, reference checks could be the next step.

Reference Checks

🧭 Directions for Conducting Reference Checks

Select references that can provide insight into the candidate's recent performance and relevant skills.
Ask the candidate to make the initial contact with the references to set up the calls.
Prepare by reviewing the candidate's resume and interview notes.
Start the call by explaining the purpose and expected duration.
Use the questions below as a guide, but be prepared to ask follow-up questions based on the responses.
Take detailed notes during the call.

🔍 Reference Check Questions

1. In what capacity did you work with [Candidate Name], and for how long?

Guidance: This helps establish the context of the reference's relationship with the candidate and the relevance of their insights.

2. Can you describe [Candidate Name]'s primary responsibilities in their role?

Guidance: Compare this information with what the candidate shared during interviews to verify consistency.

3. How would you rate [Candidate Name]'s performance in terms of meeting or exceeding sales targets?

Guidance: Ask for specific examples and metrics if possible. This helps validate the candidate's claims about their performance.

4. Can you give an example of how [Candidate Name] demonstrated resilience or adaptability in challenging situations?

Guidance: This question aligns with the Resilience and Adaptability competency. Look for concrete examples of how the candidate handled setbacks or changes.

5. How would you describe [Candidate Name]'s approach to learning new products, technologies, or market trends?

Guidance: This question addresses the Curiosity and Learning Agility competency. Look for examples of proactive learning and application of new knowledge.

6. Can you share an instance where [Candidate Name] contributed to improving sales processes or strategies?

Guidance: This question relates to both Results Orientation and Curiosity and Learning Agility. Look for examples of innovation and impact on team performance.

7. On a scale of 1-10, how likely would you be to hire [Candidate Name] again if you had an appropriate role available? Why?

Guidance: This question can provide a quick overall assessment. Ask for specific reasons behind the rating.

📊 Reference Check Scorecard

Performance and Results Orientation

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Consistently underperformed against targets
2: Occasionally met targets with inconsistent performance
3: Consistently met targets with solid performance
4: Consistently exceeded targets, driving exceptional results

Resilience and Adaptability

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Struggled to cope with setbacks or changes
2: Managed change adequately with support
3: Demonstrated good resilience and adaptability
4: Thrived in dynamic environments, turning challenges into opportunities

Curiosity and Learning Agility

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Showed little interest in learning or improving
2: Learned when required but didn't seek out new knowledge
3: Demonstrated genuine curiosity and eagerness to learn
4: Proactively sought new knowledge and drove innovation

Communication and Influence

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Struggled to communicate effectively or persuade others
2: Communicated adequately in most situations
3: Communicated clearly and influenced effectively
4: Exceptional communicator, influencing at all levels

Overall Recommendation from Reference

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Would not rehire (1-3 on scale)
2: Might rehire with reservations (4-6 on scale)
3: Would likely rehire (7-8 on scale)
4: Would enthusiastically rehire (9-10 on scale)

By using this guide for the Debrief Meeting and Reference Checks, you'll be able to make a more informed and objective decision about the candidate's suitability for the Business Development Representative role, considering both the interview results and external validation from references.

FAQ

How do I customize this interview guide for my specific company and role?

This guide provides a comprehensive framework that can be adapted to your specific needs. You can customize it by:

Adding company-specific questions or scenarios to the work sample
Adjusting the behavioral questions to focus on competencies most critical for your company culture
Modifying the scorecards to align with your internal evaluation criteria
Incorporating additional role-specific technical questions as needed

For more ideas on customizing interview questions, check out our Business Development Representative Interview Questions resource.

How many interviewers should be involved in the process?

Typically, 3-5 interviewers are recommended for a comprehensive evaluation:

A recruiter or HR representative for the initial screening
The hiring manager for the in-depth role-specific interview
A peer or team member for the work sample evaluation
A skip-level manager for the behavioral competency interview
Optionally, a cross-functional stakeholder for additional perspective

This approach ensures a well-rounded evaluation while avoiding interview fatigue for the candidate.

How long should each interview session last?

As a general guideline:

Screening Interview: 30 minutes
Work Sample: 45-60 minutes
Hiring Manager Interview: 60 minutes
Behavioral Competency Interview: 45-60 minutes
Skip Level Behavioral Interview: 45-60 minutes

Adjust these times as needed based on your specific process and the candidate's responses.

How do I ensure consistency across different interviewers?

To maintain consistency:

Provide this guide to all interviewers in advance
Hold a brief alignment meeting before starting the interview process
Use the provided scorecards for objective evaluation
Conduct a thorough debrief meeting to compare notes and align on final decisions

For more tips on conducting consistent interviews, read our blog post on The Science of Sales Hiring: The Structured Interviewing Difference.

How should we handle candidates who don't perform well in the work sample?

While the work sample is a crucial part of the evaluation, it shouldn't be the sole determining factor. Consider the following:

Evaluate the candidate's approach and problem-solving process, not just the end result
Discuss any challenges they faced during the exercise and how they addressed them
Consider their performance in other areas of the interview process
If appropriate, offer a second chance or alternative exercise if you believe nerves or external factors significantly impacted their performance

Remember, the goal is to assess their potential for success in the role, not just their performance in a single exercise.

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