Interview Guide for

Enterprise Account Executive

This comprehensive interview guide is designed to help you effectively evaluate candidates for the Enterprise Account Executive role. It provides a structured approach to assessing candidates' skills, experience, and fit for the position through multiple interview stages and a work sample exercise.

How to Use This Guide

To make the most of this interview guide and improve your hiring decisions:

Familiarize yourself with the job description and ideal candidate profile before conducting interviews. This will help you better assess candidate fit and potential.
Customize the guide to align with your company's specific needs and culture. You can edit questions or add new ones using Yardstick, ensuring the interview process remains relevant and effective.
Use the same questions and scorecards for each interview stage to ensure consistency across candidates. This standardized approach allows for more accurate comparisons and data-driven decision-making.
Take detailed notes during interviews to support your evaluations. Yardstick's AI-powered note-taking feature can help capture key insights without distracting you from the conversation.
Complete the scorecard immediately after each interview while your impressions are fresh. This helps maintain accuracy and facilitates easier comparisons between candidates.
Conduct a thorough debrief with the hiring team using the provided debrief questions. This collaborative discussion ensures all perspectives are considered before making a final decision.
Use Yardstick's analytics to track the effectiveness of each element of the interview guide over time. This data-driven approach allows you to refine and improve your hiring process continuously.

Remember that this guide is a tool to support your decision-making process. Use your judgment and expertise to evaluate candidates holistically, considering both their qualifications and potential cultural fit.

For more interview question ideas specific to this role, visit: Enterprise Account Executive Interview Questions

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This guide aims to help you make informed hiring decisions and find the best candidate for your Enterprise Account Executive position. Good luck with your interviews!

Job Description

🌟 Enterprise Account Executive

About [Company]

[Company] is a leader in [Industry], providing innovative solutions for [Value Proposition]. Our mission is to [Company's mission statement]. Founded in [Year], we have [number] employees across [locations] and have raised [amount] in funding to date.

🎯 What You'll Do

As an Enterprise Account Executive, you will play a crucial role in accelerating our market penetration and driving revenue growth. Your responsibilities will include:

🏗️ Build and own a territory of large existing and prospective enterprise customers
📈 Develop and execute outbound strategies to create and nurture opportunities
🔄 Own the full sales cycle from lead to close
🤝 Establish and grow relationships with multiple stakeholders within prospects
💼 Develop and execute strategic account plans
📣 Provide quality feedback from prospects to our product team

🧠 What We're Looking For

5+ years of enterprise SaaS selling experience as a top performer
Strong track record of succeeding in enterprise SaaS sales
Ability to autonomously generate leads, qualify opportunities, and close deals
Comfort with ambiguity and confidence in exercising good judgment
Hunger to learn, be coached, and become a world-class salesperson
Self-starter who thrives in constantly evolving environments

💼 Preferred Qualifications

Experience in value-based selling in large enterprise settings
Experience selling [Our solutions] to [Customer's Industry]

🌈 Our Values

Own it: We learn from our mistakes and build on our successes
Stay curious: We focus on long-term goals while addressing short-term challenges
Do what's right - even when it's hard: We maintain a growth mindset
Collaborate and challenge with empathy: We invest in each other's success
Empower Customers: We strive to exceed customer expectations

💰 Benefits

Equity in a rapidly growing company
[Health Insurance and benefits details]
Unlimited annual leave
Enhanced parental leave
[Other benefits specific to the company]

🌍 Location

This position will be remote in [Location]

🌱 Equal Employment Opportunity

[Company] is an equal opportunity employer. We value diversity and do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status.

Hiring Process

Our hiring process is designed to be comprehensive and give you a clear understanding of the role while allowing us to get to know you better. Here's what you can expect:

📞 Initial Screening Call

A brief conversation with our recruiting team to discuss your background and interest in the role.

🎭 Work Sample: Mock Discovery Call

You'll conduct a simulated discovery call with a potential customer, allowing you to showcase your sales skills in a realistic scenario.

👔 Hiring Manager Interview

An in-depth discussion about your experience and approach to enterprise sales with the hiring manager.

🧠 Behavioral Competency Interview

A focused conversation about your past experiences and how they relate to key competencies for this role.

👨‍💼 Executive Interview

A final interview with a senior leader to discuss your strategic thinking and alignment with our company vision.

We aim to provide feedback promptly after each stage and are happy to answer any questions you may have throughout the process.

Ideal Candidate Profile (Internal)

Role Overview

The Enterprise Account Executive will be responsible for driving revenue growth through strategic selling to large enterprise customers. This role requires a blend of sales expertise, relationship-building skills, and industry knowledge to effectively communicate the value of our solutions to high-level decision-makers.

Essential Behavioral Competencies

Strategic Thinking: Ability to analyze complex business situations and develop long-term account strategies.
Relationship Building: Skill in establishing and nurturing strong relationships with multiple stakeholders at various levels within client organizations.
Consultative Selling: Capability to understand client needs deeply and propose tailored solutions that align with their business objectives.
Resilience and Adaptability: Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, evolving environment and bounce back from setbacks.
Results Orientation: Strong drive to meet and exceed targets, with a track record of consistent high performance.

Example Goals for Role

Achieve or exceed annual sales quota of [amount] by closing [X]% of opportunities at an average annual contract value of [amount].
Expand existing accounts by [X]% through upselling and cross-selling initiatives.
Maintain a pipeline of [X] times quota to ensure consistent performance throughout the year.
Achieve a customer satisfaction score of [X]% or higher for all accounts managed.

Ideal Candidate Profile

Proven track record of consistently exceeding quota in enterprise SaaS sales
Strong understanding of [Industry] trends and challenges
Experience selling complex, high-value solutions to C-level executives
Excellent communication and presentation skills
Demonstrated ability to manage long sales cycles effectively
Analytical mindset with the ability to leverage data in decision-making
Collaborative team player who can work effectively across departments
Self-motivated with a strong work ethic and commitment to continuous improvement
[Location] based or willing to relocate

📞 Screening Interview

Directions for the Interviewer

This initial screening interview 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 Enterprise Account Executive role. Please provide concise but thorough answers. Do you have any questions before we begin?"

Interview Questions

Tell me about your most recent enterprise SaaS sales role and your typical deal size.

Areas to Cover:

Relevance of past sales experience
Complexity of deals
Length of sales cycles

Possible Follow-up Questions:

What was your quota attainment in that role?
How many deals did you typically manage simultaneously?
What was your average win rate?

What interests you most about this Enterprise Account Executive role at our company?

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 enterprise software sales?

Walk me through your sales process for a complex enterprise deal.

Areas to Cover:

Structured sales methodology
Stakeholder management
Value proposition articulation

Possible Follow-up Questions:

How do you typically identify and engage key decision makers?
What tools or resources do you leverage throughout the process?
How do you handle objections or roadblocks?

Tell me about your biggest sales achievement in the past year.

Areas to Cover:

Quantifiable results
Strategic approach
Obstacles overcome

Possible Follow-up Questions:

What was your quota and by how much did you exceed it?
What specific strategies led to your success?
How did you celebrate this achievement?

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

Areas to Cover:

Learning agility
Self-motivation
Industry knowledge

Possible Follow-up Questions:

What sales books or resources have you found most valuable?
Have you attended any recent sales conferences or trainings?
How do you apply new learnings to your sales approach?

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

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?

Are you legally authorized to work in [Location] without sponsorship?

Areas to Cover:

Confirmation of work eligibility 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?

Interview Scorecard

Relevant Sales Experience

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: No enterprise SaaS sales experience
2: Some enterprise sales experience but in unrelated industry
3: 3-5 years of relevant enterprise SaaS sales experience
4: 5+ years of highly relevant enterprise SaaS sales experience

Performance History

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Consistently misses quota
2: Occasionally meets quota
3: Consistently meets quota
4: Consistently exceeds quota by significant margin

Sales Process Knowledge

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unable to articulate coherent sales process
2: Basic understanding of sales process
3: Clear, structured approach to complex sales
4: Highly sophisticated, strategic sales methodology

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

Learning Agility

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: No evidence of 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

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

Overall Recommendation

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

🎭 Work Sample: Mock Discovery Call

Directions for the Interviewer

This work sample assesses the candidate's ability to conduct an effective discovery call with a potential enterprise customer. Twenty-four hours before the exercise, provide the candidate with background information on the prospective customer, information about your product/service, and a recording of a well executed discovery call. Evaluate their preparation, questioning strategy, active listening, and ability to articulate value propositions.

Best practices:

Provide the background materials 24 hours before the exercise
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
Provide positive and corrective feedback on their execution
Re-enact a small portion of the discovery call after you've provided feedback

Directions to Share with Candidate

"For this exercise, you'll conduct a mock discovery call with a potential enterprise customer interested in our [product/service]. I'll play the role of the customer. Your goal is to uncover the customer's needs, pain points, and priorities while beginning 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 "customer" (your role)
Recording of a well executed discovery call
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

Objection Handling

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Becomes defensive or unable to address objections
2: Provides basic responses to objections
3: Effectively addresses objections with relevant information
4: Skillfully reframes objections as 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 or exceed annual sales quota of [amount] by closing [X]% of opportunities at an average annual contract value of [amount].

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: Expand existing accounts by [X]% through upselling and cross-selling initiatives.

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 pipeline of [X] times quota to ensure consistent performance throughout the year.

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 a customer satisfaction score of [X]% or higher for all accounts managed.

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

Of all the jobs you've held, which was your favorite and why?

Areas to Cover:

Motivations and preferences
Alignment with current role
Self-awareness

Possible Follow-up Questions:

What aspects of that role do you hope to find in this position?
How did that experience shape your career goals?

Tell me about your role at [company]. What attracted you to this opportunity?

Areas to Cover:

Company background and product/service overview
Target customer profile and market positioning
Sales process and methodology
Lead generation and prospecting approach
Pricing model and deal structures

Possible Follow-up Questions:

Who was your ideal customer, and how did you identify them?
Walk me through your typical sales process from first touch to close.
How did you generate or receive leads?
What was the typical sales cycle length for different deal sizes?
How did your product/service differentiate from competitors?
How much of your business was new logos vs. existing account growth?

Tell me about your quota and territory when you started. How did that change over time?

Areas to Cover:

Territory/market definition
Target customer profile
Quota expectations
Team structure and support
Sales cycle length

Possible Follow-up Questions:

What was your annual quota broken down by product/service?
How was your territory defined?
How did you prioritize accounts within your territory?
Walk me through your typical deal size range.
What resources did you have available to support your sales efforts?
How many other reps were covering similar territories/accounts?

What were your key achievements in this role?

Areas to Cover:

Quota attainment percentage
Rankings among peers
Major deals closed
Awards or recognition
Pipeline growth metrics
Customer retention rates

Possible Follow-up Questions:

What percentage of quota did you achieve each year?
Can you break down the components of your largest deal?
How did you rank among your peers in [specific metric]?
Who internally at this job was the most important to your success and why?
What was your average deal size compared to the team average?
What was your win rate on opportunities?

What were the most significant challenges you faced and how did you handle them?

Areas to Cover:

Major obstacles overcome
Lost deals and learnings
Problem solving approach
Territory/market challenges
Internal barriers
Competitive situations

Possible Follow-up Questions:

What was the specific situation that created this challenge?
Walk me through your thought process in addressing it.
What resources or support did you leverage?
What was the quantifiable impact of your solution?
What would you do differently if faced with the same situation today?

Describe your relationship with your sales leadership and team.

Areas to Cover:

Management style preferences
Coaching received
Cross-functional collaboration
Team contributions
Sales culture fit
Peer Relationships
Performance review process

Possible Follow-up Questions:

What was the most valuable coaching you received?
How did you work with sales engineering/solution architects?
Tell me about a time you helped another sales team member.
What aspects of the sales culture drove your success?
How was your performance evaluated beyond quota?

‍Which job that you've had in the past does this one remind you of the most?

Areas to Cover:

Sales process and customer similarities
Team structure comparisons
Product complexity alignment
Required skills overlap
Success metrics alignment

Possible Follow-up Questions:

What specific aspects feel similar to you?
What challenges from that role might you anticipate here?
What skills from that experience would transfer well?
What would you do differently based on that experience?
How would you adapt your approach given the similarities?
What key differences do you see despite the similarities?

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

Deal Complexity

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Primarily transactional sales with limited complexity
2: Some experience with moderately complex deals
3: Proven success with complex, multi-stakeholder enterprise deals
4: Exceptional track record with highly strategic, organization-wide implementations

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 or exceed annual sales quota of [amount] by closing [X]% of opportunities at an average annual contract value of [amount].

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: Expand existing accounts by [X]% through upselling and cross-selling initiatives.

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 pipeline of [X] times quota to ensure consistent performance throughout the year.

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 a customer satisfaction score of [X]% or higher for all accounts managed.

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 Enterprise Account Executive 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

Tell me about a time when you had to develop and execute a strategic account plan for a complex enterprise customer. What was your approach, and what were the results? (Strategic Thinking, Consultative Selling)

Areas to Cover:

Analysis of customer's business and needs
Development of long-term account strategy
Execution of plan and stakeholder management
Measurable outcomes and lessons learned

Possible Follow-up Questions:

How did you prioritize initiatives within your account plan?
How did you adapt your strategy as the customer's needs evolved?
What tools or resources did you use to track and measure your progress?

Describe a situation where worked on a deal with multiple stakeholders with varying motivations. How did you approach this? (Relationship Building)

Areas to Cover:

Identification of key stakeholders and their interests
Strategies for engaging different personas
Handling conflicting priorities or objectives
Long-term impact on the account

Possible Follow-up Questions:

How did you tailor your communication style for different stakeholders?
What challenges did you face in aligning diverse stakeholder interests?
How have you maintained these relationships over time?

Give me an example of a time when you worked on an opportunity with significant setbacks or challenges. How did you handle it? (Resilience and Adaptability, Results Orientation)

Areas to Cover:

Nature of the setback or challenge
Initial reaction and emotional management
Strategies for overcoming obstacles
Outcome and lessons learned

Possible Follow-up Questions:

How did you maintain motivation during this difficult period?
What support did you seek from your team or management?
How has this experience influenced your approach to future challenges?

Interview Scorecard

Strategic Thinking

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Struggles to think beyond tactical execution
2: Demonstrates basic strategic planning abilities
3: Develops comprehensive, effective account strategies
4: Creates innovative, market-leading strategic approaches

Relationship Building

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Difficulty forming strong customer relationships
2: Builds adequate relationships with some stakeholders
3: Consistently develops strong, multi-level customer relationships
4: Masterfully cultivates deep, lasting partnerships across organizations

Consultative Selling

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Focuses on product features rather than customer needs
2: Basic ability to understand and address customer pain points
3: Effectively uncovers and addresses complex customer needs
4: Exceptional at aligning solutions with strategic business objectives

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: Demonstrates resilience and ability to adapt to challenges
4: Thrives in dynamic environments, turning obstacles into opportunities

Results Orientation

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Lacks focus on achieving measurable outcomes
2: Generally works towards goals but may miss targets
3: Consistently meets or exceeds performance targets
4: Demonstrates exceptional drive, consistently surpassing expectations

Goal: Achieve or exceed annual sales quota of [amount] by closing [X]% of opportunities at an average annual contract value of [amount].

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: Expand existing accounts by [X]% through upselling and cross-selling initiatives.

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 pipeline of [X] times quota to ensure consistent performance throughout the year.

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 a customer satisfaction score of [X]% or higher for all accounts managed.

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

👨‍💼 Executive 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

Tell me about a time when you had to persuade a skeptical executive to consider your solution. How did you approach this challenge? (Strategic Thinking, Consultative Selling)

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 executive's key priorities and concerns?
What resources or evidence did you leverage to build your case?
How has this experience shaped your approach to executive-level sales?

Describe a situation where you had to balance the needs of multiple clients or deals simultaneously. How did you manage your time and priorities? (Results Orientation, Resilience and Adaptability)

Areas to Cover:

Scope and complexity of competing priorities
Strategies for time management and organization
Communication with clients and internal stakeholders
Results achieved across multiple deals

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?

Give me an example of a time you identified that your team's sales processes or strategies were ineffective or inefficient. (Strategic Thinking)

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

Strategic Thinking

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Focuses primarily on short-term, tactical execution
2: Demonstrates some longer-term planning
3: Develops comprehensive strategies aligned with business goals
4: Creates innovative, market-leading strategic approaches

Consultative Selling

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Relies on product features rather than addressing client needs
2: Shows basic understanding of client needs
3: Effectively aligns solutions with client's business objectives
4: Demonstrates exceptional ability to uncover and address complex client needs

Results Orientation

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Lacks self-motivation or sense of urgency
2: Meets basic expectations with some prompting
3: Consistently self-motivated to exceed goals
4: Demonstrates exceptional drive, inspiring others through example

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: Demonstrates resilience and adapts well to challenges
4: Thrives in dynamic environments, turning obstacles into opportunities

Goal: Achieve or exceed annual sales quota of [amount] by closing [X]% of opportunities at an average annual contract value of [amount].

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: Expand existing accounts by [X]% through upselling and cross-selling initiatives.

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 pipeline of [X] times quota to ensure consistent performance throughout the year.

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 a customer satisfaction score of [X]% or higher for all accounts managed.

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 Enterprise Account Executive 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.

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.

How well does the candidate's experience align with our need for an Enterprise Account Executive who can achieve or exceed an annual sales quota of [amount] by closing [X]% of opportunities at an average annual contract value of [amount]?

Guidance: Discuss specific examples from the candidate's past performance that indicate their ability to meet or exceed this goal.

How confident are we in the candidate's ability to maintain a pipeline of [X] times quota to ensure consistent performance throughout the year?

Guidance: Reflect on the candidate's organizational skills, strategic thinking, and past performance in pipeline management.

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

When conducting reference checks, aim to speak with former managers and colleagues who have directly worked with the candidate. Explain that their feedback will be kept confidential and used to help make a hiring decision. Ask the same core questions to each reference for consistency, but feel free to ask follow-up questions based on their responses.

Questions for Reference Checks

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

Guidance: This helps establish the context of the relationship and the relevance of the reference's feedback.

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

Guidance: This helps verify the candidate's claims about their previous role and responsibilities.

How would you rate [Candidate Name]'s sales performance compared to their peers?

Guidance: Try to get specific metrics or rankings if possible. This helps validate the candidate's claims about their performance.

Can you give an example of a particularly complex or challenging sale that [Candidate Name] successfully closed?

Guidance: This helps assess the candidate's ability to handle the complexity of enterprise sales.

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

Guidance: This helps confirm whether the information gathered during the interview process is accurate.

What would you say are [Candidate Name]'s areas for improvement or something [Candidate] doesn't like doing?

Guidance: This helps provide a balanced view of the candidate and can highlight areas where additional support or development might be needed.

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 provides a clear, quantifiable measure of the reference's overall impression of the candidate.

Reference Check Scorecard

Verification of Role and Responsibilities

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Significant discrepancies with candidate's claims
2: Some minor discrepancies
3: Mostly aligns with candidate's claims
4: Fully verifies and expands on candidate's claims

Sales Performance

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Below average performer
2: Average performer
3: Above average performer
4: Top performer

Complexity of Deals Handled

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Primarily handled simple, transactional sales
2: Some experience with moderately complex deals
3: Regularly handled complex enterprise deals
4: Excelled at managing highly complex, strategic deals

Relationship Building Skills

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Struggled to build strong customer relationships
2: Built adequate relationships with customers
3: Excelled at building strong customer relationships
4: Masterful at building deep, lasting customer partnerships

Overall Recommendation from Reference

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

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I customize this interview guide for my specific needs?

You can tailor this guide by adjusting the questions to better align with your company's culture and the specific requirements of the Enterprise Account Executive role. Feel free to add or remove questions, but maintain the overall structure and focus on assessing key competencies. Yardstick‘s toolset includes tools to build, modify, and coordinate the use of interview guides.

Can I use this guide for other sales roles?

While this guide is specifically designed for an Enterprise Account Executive role, many elements can be adapted for other sales positions. You may need to adjust the questions and competencies to match the specific requirements of the role you're hiring for. For more targeted interview guides, check out our other sales interview guides.

How long should each interview stage take?

The screening interview typically takes 30 minutes, the work sample 30-45 minutes, and the behavioral and hiring manager interviews about 45-60 minutes each. However, you can adjust these times based on your needs and the candidate's availability.

What if a candidate doesn't have specific enterprise SaaS sales experience?

While enterprise SaaS sales experience is preferred, focus on transferable skills and competencies. Look for candidates with a strong track record in complex B2B sales, ability to learn quickly, and excellent relationship-building skills. You can find more guidance on assessing these skills in our blog post on hiring for potential.

How can I ensure consistency across different interviewers?

Provide this guide to all interviewers and conduct a brief training session to ensure everyone understands how to use it effectively. Encourage interviewers to stick to the provided questions and scoring criteria. You can use Yardstick to assign and coordinate interview assignments. For more tips on maintaining consistency, read our article on structured interviewing.

What should I do if there's disagreement among interviewers about a candidate?

Hold a thorough debrief meeting where all interviewers can share their perspectives. Focus on specific examples and behaviors observed during the interviews. If disagreement persists, consider bringing the candidate in for an additional interview or assigning extra weight to the assessments most relevant to the role's key competencies.

How can I improve my interviewing skills?

Practice active listening, ask follow-up questions to dig deeper into candidates' responses, and consistently use the scoring criteria. For more interviewing tips, check out our guide on conducting effective job interviews.

Should I share the interview questions with candidates in advance?

It's generally not recommended to share specific questions in advance, as this can lead to rehearsed responses. However, you can provide candidates with a general overview of the interview process and topics to be covered, allowing them to prepare thoughtful examples from their experience.

How do I handle candidates who struggle with the work sample?

Consider the candidate's thought process and problem-solving approach, not just the final output. If a candidate struggles but demonstrates a willingness to learn and adapt, this could still be a positive sign. Use the experience as a discussion point in the follow-up interview to gauge their reflections and ability to learn from challenges.

What if a candidate doesn't have examples for some behavioral questions?

Encourage candidates to think broadly about their experiences, including from non-work contexts if necessary. If they still struggle, note this and consider whether the competency is crucial for the role or if it can be developed with training.