Interview Guide for

Chief Revenue Officer (CRO)

This comprehensive interview guide for Chief Revenue Officer (CRO) candidates provides a structured framework to identify, evaluate, and select top revenue leadership talent. Designed with best practices in mind, this guide helps hiring teams conduct thorough interviews that assess both technical expertise and leadership qualities essential for driving revenue growth across your organization.

How to Use This Guide

This interview guide is designed to help you conduct effective and consistent interviews with Chief Revenue Officer candidates. Follow these guidelines to make the most of this resource:

Customize to your needs: Adapt this template to align with your company's specific industry, culture, and revenue challenges.
Share with your interview team: Distribute this guide to everyone involved in the interview process to ensure alignment and consistency.
Follow the interview sequence: Use the structured approach to evaluate each candidate against the same criteria.
Use follow-up questions strategically: Probe deeper with follow-up questions to get beyond rehearsed answers and understand how candidates truly approach challenges.
Score independently: Each interviewer should complete their scorecard before discussing the candidate with others to minimize bias.

For additional guidance, check out how to conduct a job interview and learn more about using an interview guide effectively.

Job Description

Chief Revenue Officer (CRO)

About [Company]

[Company] is a [industry] leader dedicated to [brief description of company mission/vision]. With our innovative approach and cutting-edge solutions, we're transforming how [industry] operates and delivers value to customers.

The Role

As Chief Revenue Officer, you'll drive [Company]'s overall revenue strategy and execution. Reporting directly to the CEO, you'll lead and align sales, marketing, customer success, and revenue operations to accelerate growth and maximize revenue potential. This is a critical leadership position with significant impact on the company's strategic direction and financial performance.

Key Responsibilities

Develop and execute comprehensive revenue strategy aligned with company goals
Lead and scale high-performing sales, marketing, and customer success teams
Define and implement go-to-market strategies for new and existing products/services
Drive cross-functional alignment between revenue-generating departments
Establish metrics, forecasts, and reporting systems to track and analyze performance
Identify and pursue new market opportunities and revenue streams
Build and nurture strategic customer and partner relationships
Collaborate with product teams to ensure solutions meet market needs
Create a culture of accountability, continuous improvement, and customer focus
Lead revenue operations, including systems, processes, and tools optimization

What We're Looking For

10+ years of progressive leadership experience in revenue-generating roles
Proven track record scaling revenue organizations and achieving ambitious growth targets
Experience aligning sales, marketing, and customer success functions
Strong analytical skills with data-driven decision making approach
Strategic thinker with ability to anticipate market trends and opportunities
Exceptional leadership abilities and track record building high-performing teams
Experience with SaaS/technology business models (preferred)
Outstanding communication and relationship-building skills
Bachelor's degree required; MBA or equivalent preferred

Why Join [Company]

Opportunity to shape the strategic direction of a growing company
Collaborative, innovative culture focused on excellence and impact
Competitive compensation package including:
Base salary: [Pay Range]
Performance-based bonus structure
Equity participation
Comprehensive benefits and retirement plans
Professional development opportunities

Hiring Process

We've designed a streamlined hiring process to respect your time while ensuring we find the right candidate for this critical role:

Initial Screening Interview: A 30-minute conversation with our talent acquisition team to discuss your background and the role.
Chronological Interview: A 60-minute discussion with our CEO about your career journey and relevant experiences.
Strategy & Vision Interview: A 60-minute conversation with key executives to discuss your strategic approach and vision for the role.
Leadership Competency Interview: A 60-minute assessment of your leadership style and core competencies with key stakeholders.
Revenue Role Play: A practical exercise where you'll analyze our revenue data and present your insights and recommendations.
Final Executive Interviews (optional): Additional conversations with board members or executive team members as needed.

Ideal Candidate Profile (Internal)

Role Overview

The Chief Revenue Officer will spearhead all revenue-generating activities and strategy across the organization. This executive will unify sales, marketing, customer success, and revenue operations under cohesive leadership to maximize growth and efficiency. The CRO must possess exceptional strategic vision, leadership capabilities, and analytical skills to drive sustainable revenue growth.

Essential Behavioral Competencies

Strategic Vision: Ability to develop comprehensive, long-term revenue strategies that align with company objectives and adapt to changing market conditions.

Results Orientation: Demonstrates unwavering focus on achieving measurable revenue outcomes with accountability for performance against defined metrics and targets.

Cross-Functional Leadership: Skill in unifying diverse teams across sales, marketing, and customer success to create cohesive, efficient revenue systems with clear accountability.

Business Acumen: Deep understanding of business fundamentals, market dynamics, and financial principles that drive revenue growth and profitability.

Change Management: Capability to lead organizational transformation, implement new processes, and drive adoption of revenue-enhancing strategies across teams.

Desired Outcomes

Increase annual recurring revenue by [target percentage] within the first 18 months through enhanced sales efficiency and expansion strategies
Design and implement an integrated go-to-market strategy that reduces customer acquisition costs by [target percentage] while improving win rates
Build and scale high-performing revenue teams, improving productivity metrics across all revenue functions
Establish a data-driven revenue infrastructure with clear KPIs, forecasting methodology, and accountability systems
Develop and execute strategies to improve customer retention and expansion, increasing net revenue retention by [target percentage]

Ideal Candidate Traits

Our ideal CRO candidate combines strategic vision with execution excellence and demonstrates:

Proven experience driving substantial revenue growth at companies of similar size and complexity
Strong analytical mindset with ability to translate data into actionable strategies
Experience successfully navigating complex B2B sales environments in [industry]
Track record of building and scaling high-performing revenue teams
Exceptional communication skills that resonate with customers, team members, and executives
Growth mindset with continuous learning approach and adaptability
Comfort with ambiguity and ability to make decisions with incomplete information
Customer-centric perspective that balances short-term results with long-term value creation
Collaborative leadership style that fosters cross-functional alignment
Intellectual curiosity about [industry] trends, challenges, and opportunities

Screening Interview

Directions for the Interviewer

This initial screening interview aims to quickly assess if candidates have the foundational experience and qualities needed for the CRO role. Focus on understanding their revenue leadership background, achievements, and alignment with our company's needs. Look for evidence of revenue growth track record, strategic thinking, and leadership capabilities. This interview should efficiently identify promising candidates who warrant a deeper assessment in subsequent interview stages.

Ask all candidates the same core questions to ensure fair evaluation, but feel free to probe areas specific to their background. Take detailed notes on their responses, especially regarding quantifiable achievements and leadership approach. The goal is to identify candidates with the right combination of experience, skills, and potential to excel in this critical revenue leadership role.

Directions to Share with Candidate

During this 30-minute conversation, I'll ask about your career background, key achievements, and approach to revenue leadership. This helps us understand if there's potential alignment between your experience and what we're looking for in our CRO. I'll leave time at the end for you to ask questions about the role and our company.

Interview Questions

Tell me about your current role and responsibilities related to revenue generation and leadership.

Areas to Cover

Current scope of responsibility (teams, functions, budgets)
Revenue size and growth they're accountable for
Their position in the organizational structure
How they approach revenue strategy and execution
Key challenges they're currently addressing

Possible Follow-up Questions

What revenue functions (sales, marketing, CS) fall under your leadership?
What's the size of the team you're currently leading?
How has the revenue organization changed under your leadership?
What revenue metrics are you personally held accountable for?

Walk me through your most significant revenue growth achievement. What was the situation, what actions did you take, and what were the results?

Areas to Cover

Specific metrics and percentages of growth achieved
Strategic approach and key initiatives implemented
Challenges encountered and how they were overcome
Their specific role and contributions
Timeframe and sustainability of the growth

Possible Follow-up Questions

What specific strategies drove the most impact?
How did you align different teams toward this goal?
What metrics did you use to track progress?
What would you do differently if you could do it again?

How do you approach building and structuring a revenue organization?

Areas to Cover

Their philosophy on organizational design
How they align sales, marketing, and customer success
Approach to role specialization vs. generalization
Methods for scaling teams efficiently
How they determine resource allocation

Possible Follow-up Questions

How do you determine when to add headcount?
What revenue functions do you believe should report directly to the CRO?
How have you previously structured compensation plans?
What technology stack do you prefer for revenue operations?

Describe your experience with [relevant business model - e.g., SaaS, enterprise sales, channel sales].

Areas to Cover

Depth of experience with relevant business models
Understanding of metrics specific to the business model
Strategies they've employed for this type of business
Challenges specific to this business model they've solved
Results they've achieved in similar environments

Possible Follow-up Questions

What metrics do you find most important for measuring success?
How did you adapt your approach to the specific requirements of this model?
What were the biggest challenges you faced with this model?
How does your experience translate to our business context?

What interests you most about the CRO role at [Company], and why do you believe you're a good fit?

Areas to Cover

Their understanding of our company and industry
Alignment between their experience and our needs
Authenticity of their interest in the specific role
Their perception of the value they can bring
Career motivations and long-term aspirations

Possible Follow-up Questions

What aspects of our business model or market position appeal to you?
What do you see as the biggest challenges and opportunities for our revenue organization?
How does this role fit into your career trajectory?
What questions do you have about the company or position?

How do you approach forecasting and setting revenue targets?

Areas to Cover

Methodology for creating forecasts
How they incorporate historical data, market trends, and other factors
Approaches to setting achievable yet ambitious targets
Process for tracking and adjusting throughout the period
How they hold teams accountable to targets

Possible Follow-up Questions

How accurate have your forecasts typically been?
How do you handle forecast adjustments during a quarter or year?
What data sources do you rely on most heavily?
How do you balance top-down and bottom-up forecasting?

Interview Scorecard

Revenue Leadership Experience

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Limited experience leading revenue teams or functions
2: Has led individual revenue functions but not integrated revenue organization
3: Demonstrated experience leading integrated revenue teams with good results
4: Exceptional track record leading complex, integrated revenue organizations with outstanding results

Strategic Thinking

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Primarily tactical focus with limited strategic perspective
2: Shows some strategic thinking but may lack depth or comprehensive view
3: Demonstrates strong strategic thinking with clear examples of implementation
4: Exceptional strategic vision with proven ability to translate strategy into transformative results

Cross-Functional Leadership

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Limited experience with cross-functional leadership
2: Has managed cross-functional initiatives with mixed results
3: Strong history of effective cross-functional leadership
4: Outstanding ability to unify diverse teams toward common goals with exceptional results

Increase annual recurring revenue by [target percentage]

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to Achieve Revenue Growth Target
2: May Partially Achieve Revenue Growth Target
3: Likely to Achieve Revenue Growth Target
4: Likely to Exceed Revenue Growth Target

Design and implement an integrated go-to-market strategy

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to Successfully Implement Go-to-Market Strategy
2: May Develop Partial Go-to-Market Improvements
3: Likely to Successfully Implement Effective Go-to-Market Strategy
4: Likely to Implement Transformative Go-to-Market Strategy

Build and scale high-performing revenue teams

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to Successfully Build High-Performing Teams
2: May Build Partially Effective Teams
3: Likely to Build Effective, High-Performing Teams
4: Likely to Build Exceptional, Industry-Leading Teams

Establish a data-driven revenue infrastructure

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to Establish Effective Revenue Infrastructure
2: May Create Basic Revenue Tracking Systems
3: Likely to Establish Solid Data-Driven Revenue Infrastructure
4: Likely to Implement Advanced, Transformative Revenue Systems

Develop strategies to improve customer retention and expansion

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to Improve Retention Metrics
2: May Achieve Modest Improvements in Retention
3: Likely to Successfully Improve Retention Metrics
4: Likely to Drive Exceptional Improvements in Retention and Expansion

Hiring Recommendation

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

Chronological Interview

Directions for the Interviewer

This chronological interview aims to systematically explore the candidate's career progression with emphasis on revenue leadership roles. Your goal is to develop a comprehensive understanding of the candidate's experience, achievements, challenges, and growth across relevant positions. This deep dive will help assess patterns of behavior, leadership evolution, and consistent performance.

Focus on their most recent and relevant revenue leadership roles, dedicating more time to positions similar to our CRO opportunity. For each role, establish context (company size, growth stage, challenges) before exploring their specific contributions and results. Pay special attention to the candidate's approach to building teams, driving growth, and managing through challenges. Look for evidence of progressive responsibility, adaptability, and increasing impact throughout their career journey.

Directions to Share with Candidate

In this interview, we'll take a chronological approach to understanding your career journey, focusing particularly on your revenue leadership experiences. For each relevant role, I'll ask you to describe the context, your responsibilities, key achievements, challenges faced, and what you learned. This helps us understand your growth and how your experiences have prepared you for the CRO role at [Company].

Interview Questions

Throughout your career, which role have you found most fulfilling and why?

Areas to Cover

What aspects of the role were most satisfying
Alignment between their values and the role
Achievements they're most proud of
Work environment factors that contributed to fulfillment
How this relates to their interest in our CRO position

Possible Follow-up Questions

What made this role more fulfilling than others?
How did this experience shape your leadership philosophy?
What aspects of this role would you like to find in your next position?
How did this role challenge you to grow professionally?

For each relevant position, starting with the most recent: Tell me about your role at [company]. What attracted you to this opportunity?

Areas to Cover

Company context (size, growth stage, industry, business model)
Their reporting structure and scope of responsibility
Size of teams and budgets managed
Their primary goals and objectives
Reason for joining the company

Possible Follow-up Questions

What was the company's revenue when you joined and what is it now?
How was the revenue organization structured when you arrived?
What were the biggest challenges facing the company when you joined?
What was the company's competitive position in the market?

What were your key revenue achievements in this role?

Areas to Cover

Specific metrics and percentage improvements
Strategies implemented to drive results
Timeline for achieving these results
Their specific contributions versus team efforts
Sustainability of the achievements

Possible Follow-up Questions

What specific initiatives had the biggest impact on revenue?
How did you measure success beyond topline revenue growth?
How did these achievements compare to company expectations?
What was your approach to maintaining momentum after initial success?

Tell me about the revenue team structure and key personnel in this role.

Areas to Cover

Organizational design and reporting structure
Key leaders on their team and how they were selected
Team development and evolution during their tenure
Performance management approach
How they addressed underperformance

Possible Follow-up Questions

Who were your direct reports and how did you select them?
Did you inherit the team or build it from scratch?
What changes did you make to the team structure and why?
How would your team members describe your leadership style?

What were the most significant challenges you faced in this position and how did you address them?

Areas to Cover

Nature and severity of challenges
Their approach to problem-solving
Resources and support leveraged
Outcomes achieved
Lessons learned from the experience

Possible Follow-up Questions

How did these challenges impact the overall business?
What strategies were most effective in addressing these issues?
What would you do differently if facing similar challenges today?
How did you communicate these challenges to other stakeholders?

Describe your relationship with executive leadership in this role.

Areas to Cover

Reporting structure and key stakeholders
Communication style and frequency
Alignment or conflicts regarding strategy
How they influenced organizational decisions
Growth in executive leadership capabilities

Possible Follow-up Questions

How did you align with the CEO on revenue strategy?
How did you manage disagreements with other executives?
How did you communicate revenue performance to the board?
What executive skills did you develop in this role?

What factors led to your transition from this role?

Areas to Cover

Reasons for leaving (opportunities, challenges, organizational changes)
How the transition was managed
State of the revenue organization upon departure
Relationship with the company after leaving
Career development considerations

Possible Follow-up Questions

How was your successor selected and onboarded?
What unfinished business did you leave behind?
How would the company describe your legacy?
What did you learn from this transition?

Which job from your past does this CRO opportunity most remind you of, and why?

Areas to Cover

Similarities in company stage, industry, or challenges
Relevant experiences that transfer to our opportunity
Lessons from previous roles they could apply here
How they would approach this role differently based on past experience
Their understanding of our specific context

Possible Follow-up Questions

What approaches from that experience would you bring to our company?
What would you do differently based on lessons learned?
How would you adapt your approach to our specific market context?
What unique challenges do you see in our situation?

Interview Scorecard

Growth Achievement Track Record

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Limited evidence of driving significant revenue growth
2: Some achievements in revenue growth but inconsistent or in limited contexts
3: Strong history of driving substantial revenue growth across multiple roles
4: Exceptional, consistent pattern of transformative revenue growth achievements

Leadership Progression

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Limited progression in scope and responsibility
2: Some progression but with gaps or plateaus
3: Clear, steady progression of increasing responsibility and impact
4: Exceptional advancement with rapid growth in scope, impact, and leadership capability

Organizational Development Skills

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Limited experience building or transforming teams
2: Some experience with team development but mixed results
3: Strong track record of building effective revenue organizations
4: Exceptional ability to build and transform high-performing revenue teams

Executive Presence

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Limited evidence of executive-level communication and influence
2: Some executive skills but may need development in certain areas
3: Strong executive presence with effective C-level and board interactions
4: Exceptional executive presence with outstanding influence and stakeholder management

Increase annual recurring revenue by [target percentage]

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Past performance suggests unlikely to achieve target
2: Past performance suggests may achieve partial results
3: Past performance indicates likely to achieve target
4: Past performance demonstrates will likely exceed target

Design and implement an integrated go-to-market strategy

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Limited experience with comprehensive go-to-market strategies
2: Some experience but not fully integrated across functions
3: Strong history of successful go-to-market implementation
4: Exceptional track record of transformative go-to-market strategies

Build and scale high-performing revenue teams

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Limited evidence of team building success
2: Mixed results in team development and scaling
3: Consistent success building effective teams
4: Exceptional talent development with industry-leading teams

Establish a data-driven revenue infrastructure

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Limited experience with revenue systems and processes
2: Basic revenue tracking systems implemented
3: Strong history of implementing effective revenue systems
4: Sophisticated, innovative approaches to revenue infrastructure

Develop strategies to improve customer retention and expansion

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Limited focus on retention and expansion
2: Some retention initiatives but not comprehensive
3: Effective retention strategies with measurable results
4: Exceptional retention and expansion programs with outstanding results

Hiring Recommendation

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

Strategy & Vision Interview

Directions for the Interviewer

This interview focuses on assessing the candidate's strategic thinking, vision for revenue growth, and ability to develop comprehensive go-to-market approaches. The goal is to evaluate how the candidate analyzes complex business challenges, envisions solutions, and translates strategy into execution. Pay particular attention to the depth of their strategic thinking, their understanding of modern revenue models, and their ability to align strategy with company objectives.

Look for evidence of innovative thinking balanced with practical execution. The candidate should demonstrate not only big-picture vision but also a clear understanding of how to operationalize strategy through teams, systems, and processes. Assess whether their strategic approach aligns with your company's growth stage, market position, and culture. This interview should provide insight into how the candidate would develop and implement a comprehensive revenue strategy for your organization.

Directions to Share with Candidate

In this interview, we'll focus on your strategic approach to revenue leadership. I'll ask questions about how you develop and implement revenue strategies, your vision for go-to-market execution, and how you think about various revenue challenges. This helps us understand your strategic thinking and how you might approach building our revenue organization. Feel free to use specific examples from your experience, but also to share your broader philosophy and approach.

Interview Questions

How do you approach developing a comprehensive revenue strategy for an organization? (Strategic Vision)

Areas to Cover

Their process for assessing current state and market position
How they incorporate market research and competitive intelligence
Methods for aligning revenue strategy with company objectives
Approach to resource allocation and prioritization
How they balance short-term results with long-term growth

Possible Follow-up Questions

How do you incorporate input from different stakeholders?
What information do you consider most critical when developing strategy?
How do you determine the right balance between growth and profitability?
How have you adjusted strategies when market conditions changed?

What's your perspective on integrating sales, marketing, and customer success functions? How have you approached this in previous roles? (Cross-Functional Leadership)

Areas to Cover

Their philosophy on organizational alignment
Specific examples of cross-functional integration
Methods for resolving conflicts between departments
Approaches to shared metrics and accountability
Tools and processes used to facilitate collaboration

Possible Follow-up Questions

What are the biggest challenges you've faced in aligning these functions?
How do you handle conflicting priorities between departments?
What shared metrics have you found most effective?
How do you structure incentives to promote collaboration?

Describe your approach to entering new markets or launching new products. (Business Acumen)

Areas to Cover

Their methodology for market assessment and validation
How they build and resource go-to-market plans
Risk assessment and mitigation strategies
Timeline and milestone development
Methods for measuring success and course-correcting

Possible Follow-up Questions

How do you determine if a market is worth pursuing?
How do you balance resource allocation between existing and new markets?
What's your approach to pricing strategy for new offerings?
How do you handle a situation where market traction is slower than expected?

How do you approach transforming a revenue organization that isn't meeting expectations? (Change Management)

Areas to Cover

Their diagnostic approach to identify root causes
Process for developing transformation plan
Stakeholder management and communication strategies
Approaches to managing resistance to change
Methods for measuring transformation progress

Possible Follow-up Questions

How do you prioritize which issues to address first?
How do you maintain morale during difficult transitions?
How do you determine which team members to retain vs. replace?
What's your timeline expectation for turning around an underperforming organization?

Based on what you know about our company, what do you see as our biggest revenue opportunities and challenges? (Results Orientation)

Areas to Cover

Depth of research and understanding of our business
Quality of insights about our market position
Clarity of vision for addressing our specific situation
Practical approach to capitalizing on opportunities
Realistic assessment of potential obstacles

Possible Follow-up Questions

How would you prioritize these opportunities?
What resources would you need to address these challenges?
What timeline would you envision for implementing your approach?
How would you measure success in addressing these areas?

Interview Scorecard

Strategic Vision

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Tactical thinking with limited strategic depth
2: Basic strategic approach lacking sophistication or comprehensiveness
3: Strong strategic thinking with clear framework and methodology
4: Exceptional strategic vision with innovative yet practical approaches

Cross-Functional Leadership

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Siloed approach with limited cross-functional perspective
2: Recognizes importance of alignment but limited execution examples
3: Strong approach to cross-functional integration with effective methods
4: Sophisticated, transformative approach to organizational alignment

Business Acumen

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Limited understanding of business fundamentals
2: Basic business knowledge but gaps in critical areas
3: Strong business acumen with well-rounded understanding
4: Exceptional business insight with sophisticated market understanding

Change Management

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Limited experience or ineffective approach to driving change
2: Basic change management skills but potential execution gaps
3: Strong change leadership with proven methodologies
4: Masterful change agent with exceptional results in transformations

Results Orientation

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Limited focus on measurable outcomes
2: Basic results orientation but may lack rigor or accountability
3: Strong results focus with clear metrics and accountability
4: Exceptional drive for outcomes with sophisticated performance systems

Increase annual recurring revenue by [target percentage]

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Strategic approach unlikely to achieve revenue targets
2: May achieve partial progress toward revenue goals
3: Strategic approach likely to achieve revenue targets
4: Strategic vision likely to exceed revenue expectations

Design and implement an integrated go-to-market strategy

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Limited ability to develop comprehensive go-to-market strategy
2: Basic go-to-market approach with some integration gaps
3: Strong go-to-market methodology with effective integration
4: Innovative, comprehensive go-to-market approach with outstanding integration

Build and scale high-performing revenue teams

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Limited strategic approach to team development
2: Basic team development strategy but execution concerns
3: Strong team-building approach with clear methodology
4: Exceptional team development strategy with proven results

Establish a data-driven revenue infrastructure

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Limited vision for revenue systems and processes
2: Basic approach to revenue infrastructure
3: Strong methodology for building effective revenue systems
4: Sophisticated, innovative vision for revenue infrastructure

Develop strategies to improve customer retention and expansion

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Limited strategic focus on retention and expansion
2: Basic retention strategy but not comprehensive
3: Strong approach to retention with effective methodologies
4: Innovative, comprehensive retention strategy with proven results

Hiring Recommendation

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

Leadership Competency Interview

Directions for the Interviewer

This interview focuses on evaluating the candidate's leadership capabilities, particularly in the areas of strategic vision, results orientation, cross-functional leadership, business acumen, and change management. The goal is to assess how the candidate has demonstrated these competencies in past situations, which will help predict future performance as a CRO. Use these behavioral questions to uncover specific examples, not hypothetical responses.

For each question, push for detailed examples with follow-up questions that explore the context, actions, results, and lessons learned. Listen for evidence of self-awareness, growth mindset, and adaptability in addition to the specific competencies. Pay attention to how the candidate influenced others, overcame obstacles, and measured success. The best candidates will provide concrete examples that demonstrate a pattern of effective leadership across various challenging situations.

Directions to Share with Candidate

In this interview, I'll ask questions about specific situations where you've demonstrated key leadership competencies relevant to the CRO role. For each question, please share detailed examples from your experience, including the context, your specific actions, the outcomes, and what you learned. These examples help us understand how you approach leadership challenges and drive results.

Interview Questions

Tell me about a time when you developed and implemented a comprehensive revenue strategy that significantly transformed business results. (Strategic Vision)

Areas to Cover

The business context and challenges they were addressing
Their process for developing the strategy
Key components of their strategic approach
How they secured buy-in from stakeholders
Implementation challenges and how they overcame them
Specific results achieved and timeframe
Lessons learned from the experience

Possible Follow-up Questions

How did you determine the strategic priorities?
What alternatives did you consider and why did you reject them?
How did you communicate the strategy to various stakeholders?
What would you do differently if you were implementing this strategy today?

Describe a situation where you had to drive significant improvements in revenue performance against challenging targets. (Results Orientation)

Areas to Cover

The specific targets and why they were challenging
Their approach to analyzing performance gaps
Key initiatives implemented to improve results
How they tracked progress and maintained accountability
Obstacles encountered and how they addressed them
Final outcomes and impact on the business
How they sustained the improvements

Possible Follow-up Questions

How did you prioritize which initiatives to pursue?
How did you maintain team motivation during difficult periods?
What metrics did you use to track progress?
What tough decisions did you have to make to achieve the results?

Share an example of how you successfully aligned sales, marketing, and customer success teams to improve revenue outcomes. (Cross-Functional Leadership)

Areas to Cover

The initial state of alignment/misalignment
Their approach to diagnosing key issues
How they built consensus across functions
Specific structures, processes, or systems implemented
How they measured cross-functional performance
Results achieved through improved alignment
Ongoing challenges and how they were addressed

Possible Follow-up Questions

How did you handle resistance from specific departments?
What shared metrics did you implement to drive alignment?
How did you address cultural differences between teams?
What systems or technologies facilitated better collaboration?

Tell me about a time when you identified and capitalized on a significant market opportunity that others had overlooked. (Business Acumen)

Areas to Cover

How they identified the opportunity
Their analysis process and key insights
How they built the business case
Resources required and how they secured them
Implementation approach and go-to-market strategy
Results achieved and timeline
How they scaled the opportunity

Possible Follow-up Questions

What data or insights led you to spot this opportunity?
How did you convince skeptical stakeholders?
What risks did you identify and how did you mitigate them?
How did you determine the size and potential of the opportunity?

Describe a situation where you led a significant change initiative within a revenue organization. What approach did you take and what were the results? (Change Management)

Areas to Cover

The context and need for change
Their change management methodology
How they communicated the case for change
Approach to managing resistance
Implementation strategy and timeline
How they measured success
Lessons learned about driving organizational change

Possible Follow-up Questions

How did you identify which stakeholders would be most resistant?
What was your communication strategy throughout the process?
How did you maintain business continuity during the transition?
What would you do differently in your next change initiative?

Interview Scorecard

Strategic Vision

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Examples show limited strategic thinking or primarily tactical focus
2: Demonstrates basic strategic capabilities but lacks depth or comprehensiveness
3: Strong examples of effective strategic vision and implementation
4: Exceptional strategic thinking with transformative results

Results Orientation

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Limited evidence of driving significant measurable results
2: Some results achievement but inconsistent or without clear methodology
3: Strong track record of consistently achieving challenging targets
4: Exceptional results achievement with innovative approaches and sustained impact

Cross-Functional Leadership

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Examples show limited success in cross-functional alignment
2: Basic cross-functional leadership but with execution challenges
3: Strong evidence of effective cross-functional leadership and collaboration
4: Masterful cross-functional leadership with transformative impact on organization

Business Acumen

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Examples demonstrate limited business insight or market understanding
2: Shows basic business understanding but gaps in critical areas
3: Strong business acumen evidenced through insightful decisions and actions
4: Exceptional business insight with innovative market approaches

Change Management

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Limited success or experience with leading change
2: Basic change management skills but with execution challenges
3: Strong change leadership capabilities with effective results
4: Exceptional change management with transformative organizational impact

Increase annual recurring revenue by [target percentage]

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Examples suggest unlikely to achieve target
2: May achieve partial progress toward revenue goals
3: Examples indicate likely to achieve revenue targets
4: Past performance demonstrates ability to exceed revenue targets

Design and implement an integrated go-to-market strategy

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Limited evidence of successful go-to-market implementation
2: Basic go-to-market experience but not fully integrated
3: Strong examples of successful integrated go-to-market strategies
4: Exceptional go-to-market leadership with transformative results

Build and scale high-performing revenue teams

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Limited evidence of team-building success
2: Some team development achievements but with challenges
3: Strong track record of building effective revenue teams
4: Exceptional team development with industry-leading performance

Establish a data-driven revenue infrastructure

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Limited examples of building revenue systems
2: Basic systems implementation but lacking sophistication
3: Strong evidence of effective revenue infrastructure development
4: Innovative, comprehensive revenue systems with exceptional results

Develop strategies to improve customer retention and expansion

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Limited focus or success with retention strategies
2: Some retention initiatives but not comprehensive
3: Strong retention strategy examples with measurable results
4: Exceptional retention and expansion programs with outstanding impact

Hiring Recommendation

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

Revenue Role Play

Directions for the Interviewer

This role play exercise assesses the candidate's ability to analyze revenue data, identify opportunities and challenges, and present a strategic approach to addressing them. The goal is to evaluate their analytical skills, strategic thinking, communication style, and how they would approach real-world revenue challenges at your company.

Prior to the interview, prepare a sanitized version of your company's revenue data (or a realistic fictional dataset) that includes information such as revenue by product/service line, customer segments, sales channels, acquisition costs, retention rates, and other relevant metrics. Send this to the candidate 24 hours before the interview with instructions to prepare a 20-minute presentation on their analysis and recommendations.

During the session, allow the candidate to present uninterrupted for 20 minutes, then spend 25 minutes asking follow-up questions to test the depth of their understanding, the rigor of their analysis, and their ability to think on their feet. Look for evidence of data-driven decision making, strategic prioritization, and practical implementation plans rather than just theoretical concepts.

Directions to Share with Candidate

For this exercise, we'd like you to analyze the revenue data provided and prepare a 20-minute presentation outlining:

Your analysis of the current revenue performance, including strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats
3-5 key strategic recommendations to accelerate revenue growth
Implementation approach and timeline for your recommendations
Key metrics you would track to measure success

You'll present for 20 minutes, followed by 25 minutes of discussion and questions. This exercise helps us understand your analytical approach, strategic thinking, and how you would communicate revenue strategy as our CRO. Please approach this as if you were presenting to our executive team in your first 30 days on the job.

Interview Questions

Walk me through your analysis of our current revenue performance. What were your key observations and insights?

Areas to Cover

Thoroughness of their data analysis
Ability to identify meaningful patterns and insights
Understanding of key revenue drivers and challenges
Prioritization of issues based on impact
Comparison to industry benchmarks or best practices
Balance between strengths and areas for improvement

Possible Follow-up Questions

What additional data would have been helpful for your analysis?
Which metrics do you believe are most important for our business?
How does our performance compare to what you've seen in similar companies?
What surprised you most about our revenue data?

Explain your strategic recommendations in more detail. Why did you prioritize these particular areas?

Areas to Cover

Strategic thinking behind recommendations
Alignment with company goals and market realities
Expected impact and feasibility
Resource requirements and constraints
Risks and mitigation strategies
Prioritization methodology

Possible Follow-up Questions

What alternatives did you consider but decide against?
How would you adjust these recommendations if our budget were cut by 50%?
Which recommendation would you implement first and why?
What obstacles do you anticipate in implementing these strategies?

How would you approach implementing these recommendations? Who would need to be involved and what would the timeline look like?

Areas to Cover

Implementation methodology and phasing
Cross-functional coordination requirements
Resource allocation approach
Timeline realism and milestone development
Change management considerations
Accountability mechanisms

Possible Follow-up Questions

How would you secure buy-in from resistant stakeholders?
What would be your first 30-60-90 day actions?
How would you balance implementing these changes while maintaining current performance?
What would be your approach to communicating these changes to the organization?

What metrics would you establish to track progress, and how would you use them to guide ongoing decisions?

Areas to Cover

Metrics selection and alignment with strategic goals
Measurement methodology and frequency
Benchmarking approach
Use of leading vs. lagging indicators
Data visualization and communication
Decision-making framework based on metrics

Possible Follow-up Questions

How would you ensure these metrics drive the right behaviors?
What would trigger a course correction in your strategy?
How would you cascade these metrics throughout the organization?
What technology would you use to track and visualize these metrics?

Based on your analysis, what do you see as the biggest risks to achieving our revenue goals, and how would you mitigate them?

Areas to Cover

Risk identification and prioritization
Understanding of internal vs. external risks
Contingency planning approach
Early warning indicators
Creative mitigation strategies
Balanced perspective on risk management

Possible Follow-up Questions

Which risk concerns you the most and why?
How have you successfully mitigated similar risks in the past?
What assumptions in your plan have the highest uncertainty?
How would you adjust your strategy if [specific risk scenario] occurred?

Interview Scorecard

Data Analysis Skills

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Superficial analysis with limited insights
2: Basic analysis but missing important patterns or implications
3: Strong, thorough analysis with meaningful insights
4: Exceptional analysis with unique, valuable insights others might miss

Strategic Thinking

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Tactical recommendations lacking strategic framework
2: Basic strategic thinking but lacking depth or coherence
3: Strong strategic recommendations with clear rationale
4: Innovative yet practical strategy with exceptional insight

Execution Planning

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Vague implementation approach lacking specificity
2: Basic implementation plan but gaps in critical areas
3: Comprehensive, realistic implementation approach
4: Exceptional implementation plan balancing speed, impact, and feasibility

Communication Effectiveness

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Poor presentation structure or delivery
2: Adequate communication but room for improvement
3: Clear, persuasive communication with good executive presence
4: Outstanding communication with compelling narrative and influence

Increase annual recurring revenue by [target percentage]

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Strategy unlikely to achieve revenue targets
2: May achieve partial progress toward revenue goals
3: Strategy likely to achieve revenue targets
4: Approach likely to exceed revenue expectations

Design and implement an integrated go-to-market strategy

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Limited or uncoordinated go-to-market approach
2: Basic go-to-market strategy with some integration gaps
3: Strong, integrated go-to-market recommendations
4: Innovative, comprehensive go-to-market strategy

Build and scale high-performing revenue teams

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Limited attention to team structure and development
2: Basic team considerations but lacking detail
3: Thoughtful team structure and development recommendations
4: Exceptional team strategy with innovative approaches

Establish a data-driven revenue infrastructure

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Limited focus on systems and processes
2: Basic systems recommendations but gaps remain
3: Strong recommendations for effective revenue systems
4: Innovative, comprehensive revenue infrastructure approach

Develop strategies to improve customer retention and expansion

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Limited focus on retention and expansion
2: Basic retention elements but not comprehensive
3: Strong retention and expansion recommendations
4: Exceptional retention strategy with innovative approaches

Hiring Recommendation

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

Executive Board Interview (Optional)

Directions for the Interviewer

This interview is designed for board members or executive leadership to assess the candidate's executive presence, strategic vision, and cultural fit at the highest levels of the organization. The focus should be on evaluating whether the candidate has the mindset, leadership capability, and strategic acumen to serve as a key member of the executive team. Rather than repeating detailed questions from previous interviews, this session should focus on higher-level discussions about business vision, leadership philosophy, and organizational impact.

Look for evidence of sophisticated business thinking, ability to communicate effectively with board-level stakeholders, and alignment with company values and culture. Pay attention to how the candidate thinks about balancing short-term results with long-term value creation, their approach to navigating complex business challenges, and how they see their potential contribution to the executive team. This interview should help determine if the candidate can be an effective business partner to the CEO and other executives.

Directions to Share with Candidate

In this conversation, we'll focus on your leadership philosophy, strategic vision, and how you would partner with the executive team and board to drive company growth. This is an opportunity for mutual exploration - for us to understand your executive approach and for you to learn more about our organization at the highest levels. Feel free to ask questions throughout our discussion as we want this to be an interactive conversation.

Interview Questions

How do you see the role of a CRO evolving in today's rapidly changing business environment? (Strategic Vision)

Areas to Cover

Their perspective on revenue leadership trends
Understanding of modern revenue models and approaches
Views on technology's impact on revenue functions
Thoughts on balancing traditional and innovative approaches
Vision for what makes a world-class revenue organization

Possible Follow-up Questions

How has your approach to revenue leadership evolved over your career?
What revenue leadership trends do you find most promising or concerning?
How do you stay current with emerging revenue strategies and technologies?
How would you adapt the CRO role to our specific industry and challenges?

Describe how you typically partner with CEOs and boards to align on revenue strategy and performance. (Cross-Functional Leadership)

Areas to Cover

Communication style and cadence with senior leadership
Approach to influencing at the executive and board level
Methods for building trust and credibility
Handling of disagreements or conflicting priorities
Transparency around challenges and setbacks

Possible Follow-up Questions

How do you prepare for and structure board presentations?
How have you navigated situations where the board had different priorities?
What information do you find most valuable to share with the CEO?
How do you balance transparency with appropriate filtering of information?

What's your philosophy on balancing short-term revenue results with long-term value creation? (Business Acumen)

Areas to Cover

Strategic thinking about revenue sustainability
Approach to making trade-off decisions
Views on investment timing and return horizons
Perspective on customer lifetime value vs. acquisition costs
Examples of balancing competing time horizons

Possible Follow-up Questions

How do you make decisions when short and long-term goals conflict?
How do you communicate these trade-offs to various stakeholders?
What metrics do you use to ensure long-term health isn't sacrificed?
How have your views on this balance evolved throughout your career?

How would you approach building relationships with your executive peers and establishing credibility in your first 90 days? (Change Management)

Areas to Cover

Approach to integrating into a new executive team
Methods for understanding priorities of other functions
Strategy for establishing early wins and credibility
Balance between listening and asserting direction
Plan for diagnosing issues before making major changes

Possible Follow-up Questions

How do you adapt your approach to different executive personalities?
What information would you want to gather from each executive peer?
How would you establish shared goals with other departments?
How do you balance respecting existing practices while bringing new ideas?

What aspects of our company mission and vision resonate with you personally, and how would that influence your approach as CRO? (Results Orientation)

Areas to Cover

Authentic connection to company purpose
Understanding of our specific company culture and values
How they connect purpose to performance
Alignment between personal values and company direction
Examples of value-driven leadership

Possible Follow-up Questions

How have you aligned revenue organizations with company values in the past?
How do you ensure values translate into everyday decisions and behaviors?
How would you communicate our mission to potential customers and employees?
How do you measure success beyond financial metrics?

Interview Scorecard

Executive Presence

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Limited executive presence or strategic sophistication
2: Adequate presence but room for development at highest levels
3: Strong executive presence with clear strategic thinking
4: Exceptional presence with sophisticated, nuanced leadership approach

Strategic Vision

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Narrow or conventional strategic thinking
2: Solid strategy but lacks innovative or differentiated thinking
3: Strong strategic vision with clear direction and insight
4: Exceptional vision balancing innovation with practical execution

Cultural Alignment

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Significant misalignment with company values or culture
2: Basic alignment but potential friction points
3: Strong alignment with company culture and values
4: Exceptional fit with potential to enhance company culture

Board Communication

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Limited ability to engage effectively at board level
2: Basic board communication skills but room for improvement
3: Strong ability to communicate effectively with boards
4: Sophisticated, exceptional board-level communication

Increase annual recurring revenue by [target percentage]

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Strategy and approach unlikely to achieve revenue targets
2: May drive some progress but not complete target achievement
3: Likely to successfully achieve revenue growth targets
4: Positioned to exceed revenue growth expectations

Design and implement an integrated go-to-market strategy

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Limited strategic thinking on go-to-market approach
2: Basic go-to-market understanding but gaps remain
3: Strong, comprehensive go-to-market strategic thinking
4: Innovative, exceptional go-to-market strategic capability

Build and scale high-performing revenue teams

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Limited evidence of sophisticated team building approach
2: Basic team development strategy with some gaps
3: Strong team leadership philosophy and approach
4: Exceptional, proven approach to building world-class teams

Establish a data-driven revenue infrastructure

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Limited vision for revenue systems and processes
2: Basic understanding but lacks comprehensive approach
3: Strong vision for effective revenue infrastructure
4: Sophisticated, innovative approach to revenue systems

Develop strategies to improve customer retention and expansion

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Limited strategic focus on retention and expansion
2: Basic retention approach but not comprehensive
3: Strong strategic thinking on customer lifecycle
4: Exceptional retention and expansion strategic vision

Hiring 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 from 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.

Questions to Guide the Debrief Meeting

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

Reference checks are a critical final step in the CRO hiring process, providing valuable third-party validation of the candidate's capabilities, accomplishments, and leadership style. Your goal is to gather objective information that confirms (or challenges) your assessment of the candidate while uncovering any potential concerns that may not have surfaced during interviews.

For CRO candidates, aim to speak with a variety of references: their previous manager (ideally a CEO), peers from the executive team, direct reports, and possibly board members or investors. Ask the candidate to facilitate these introductions, which also demonstrates their network and relationships. Conduct thorough conversations, typically 30-45 minutes, and take detailed notes on specific examples and context provided by references.

Remember that glowing references are common, so pay attention to nuance, hesitations, and what isn't said. Ask follow-up questions to get beyond general praise to specific examples. Focus particularly on the candidate's revenue growth achievements, leadership style, executive team collaboration, and change management approach, as these are critical for CRO success.

Questions for Reference Checks

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

Guidance: Establish the reference's relationship to the candidate and the depth of their knowledge of the candidate's work. Determine if they have direct, relevant experience working with the candidate in situations similar to your CRO role.

Can you describe [Candidate]'s role and key responsibilities when you worked together?

Guidance: Verify the candidate's claimed responsibilities and scope. Listen for any discrepancies between what the candidate described and what the reference shares. Ask for specifics about team size, revenue responsibility, and organizational structure.

What were [Candidate]'s most significant contributions or achievements?

Guidance: Look for specific, measurable achievements related to revenue growth, team development, or strategic initiatives. Ask for metrics and timeframes. Probe for the candidate's specific contributions versus team efforts.

How would you describe [Candidate]'s leadership style? How did they build and develop their teams?

Guidance: Listen for leadership approaches that would work well in your organization. Probe for examples of coaching, talent development, handling underperformance, and creating team culture. Ask about turnover rates and team engagement under their leadership.

How did [Candidate] collaborate with other executives and stakeholders?

Guidance: Assess how the candidate operates as part of an executive team. Listen for examples of cross-functional leadership, handling conflicts, influencing peers, and working with boards. For a CRO role, collaboration skills are critical.

What would you say are [Candidate]'s greatest strengths?

Guidance: Note whether the strengths align with your key requirements. Ask for specific examples that demonstrate these strengths in action. Listen for strengths related to strategic vision, execution, leadership, and business acumen.

What areas would you suggest [Candidate] focus on for continued growth or development?

Guidance: This question often yields more honest feedback than asking about "weaknesses." Listen carefully for potential concerns that might impact performance in your role. Ask how these development areas manifested in actual situations.

How did [Candidate] handle challenging situations or setbacks?

Guidance: Resilience and problem-solving are critical for CRO success. Listen for specific examples of how the candidate navigated difficult situations, whether they maintained composure, and how they led teams through challenges.

On a scale of 1-10, how likely would you be to hire or work with [Candidate] again? Why?

Guidance: This forces a numerical assessment that can be revealing. Anything below an 8 deserves follow-up questions. The explanation often provides nuanced insight into how the reference truly feels about the candidate.

Is there anything else we should know about [Candidate] that would help us make our decision?

Guidance: This open-ended question sometimes yields unexpected insights. Listen carefully for hesitations or qualifiers in the response. If appropriate, ask if the reference has any reservations about the candidate's fit for your specific role.

Reference Check Scorecard

Verified Achievements

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: References unable to confirm major achievements or significant discrepancies exist
2: Partial confirmation of achievements with some qualifications
3: Strong confirmation of key achievements with specific examples
4: Exceptional validation of achievements with additional context enhancing their significance

Leadership Capabilities

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: References indicate significant leadership limitations or concerns
2: Mixed feedback on leadership effectiveness with some strengths and weaknesses
3: Strong leadership capabilities confirmed with positive examples
4: Exceptional leadership abilities with references citing transformative impact

Executive Collaboration

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: References suggest difficulties working with executive peers or boards
2: Adequate collaboration with occasional challenges
3: Strong collaborative skills with effective executive relationships
4: Exceptional ability to influence and partner at executive level

Change Management Effectiveness

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: References indicate limited success with organizational change
2: Mixed results with change initiatives
3: Strong change management capabilities with positive outcomes
4: Transformative change leadership with exceptional results

Increase annual recurring revenue by [target percentage]

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: References suggest candidate unlikely to achieve this goal
2: References indicate candidate might partially achieve this goal
3: References confirm candidate likely to achieve this goal
4: References strongly believe candidate will exceed this goal

Design and implement an integrated go-to-market strategy

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: References indicate limited success with go-to-market strategies
2: References suggest basic go-to-market capabilities
3: References confirm strong go-to-market strategy implementation
4: References describe exceptional, innovative go-to-market achievements

Build and scale high-performing revenue teams

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: References indicate challenges with team building and development
2: References suggest adequate but not exceptional team leadership
3: References confirm strong team building with positive results
4: References describe exceptional team development with outstanding outcomes

Establish a data-driven revenue infrastructure

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: References indicate limited focus on systems and processes
2: References suggest basic systems implementation
3: References confirm effective revenue infrastructure development
4: References describe sophisticated, innovative revenue systems

Develop strategies to improve customer retention and expansion

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: References indicate limited focus on retention
2: References suggest basic retention initiatives
3: References confirm effective retention strategies
4: References describe exceptional retention and expansion programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I determine which competencies are most important for our specific CRO role?

Review your company's growth stage, current challenges, and strategic priorities. For companies focused on rapid expansion, growth-oriented competencies like Strategic Vision and Results Orientation might take precedence. For organizations requiring significant internal alignment, Cross-Functional Leadership might be more critical. Tailor the weighting of competencies based on your most pressing revenue challenges and goals.

Should we prioritize industry experience for a CRO candidate?

While industry experience can accelerate a CRO's effectiveness, it's generally more important to find someone with a proven track record of revenue growth in similar business models (B2B, enterprise, transactional, etc.) than specific industry knowledge. The complexity of your sales cycle and product matters more than industry. Great CROs can learn industry nuances relatively quickly if they have strong fundamentals and relevant business model experience. For more on this topic, check out our guide on hiring for potential.

How should we evaluate candidates who have never held the exact CRO title but have relevant experience?

Focus on responsibilities rather than titles. Many successful CROs previously held titles like SVP of Sales, Chief Commercial Officer, or VP of Revenue. Look for candidates who have led multiple revenue functions (sales, marketing, customer success), managed teams of comparable size and complexity, and achieved relevant revenue targets. Evaluate their strategic thinking, cross-functional leadership, and ability to align teams toward common goals rather than focusing strictly on title history.

What are the most common pitfalls when hiring a CRO?

The biggest mistakes include: hiring a glorified sales leader rather than a true cross-functional revenue leader; overvaluing charisma and undervaluing analytical rigor; failing to check for cultural alignment with the CEO and executive team; not verifying claimed revenue achievements through references; and inadequate assessment of change management skills needed to transform revenue organizations. For more insights, read our article on why sales leadership hires fail.

How should we structure the CRO's compensation package?

A competitive CRO compensation package typically includes base salary, performance-based bonus, and equity. The performance component should align with both short-term revenue goals and longer-term strategic objectives like customer retention, efficient growth, and team development. Avoid creating incentives that drive short-term revenue at the expense of sustainable growth. The specific mix will depend on your company stage, industry, and geographical location, but ensure the package reflects the strategic importance of the role.

We're struggling to decide between two strong final candidates. What should we focus on?

Focus on three areas: 1) Cultural alignment and working relationship with the CEO and executive team, as these relationships are critical to success; 2) Specific experience addressing your most pressing revenue challenges; and 3) Change management capability if significant transformation is needed. Consider conducting a final focused interview on these specific areas. Reference checks can also provide valuable differentiating information at this stage.