Effective Work Samples for Hiring Top Channel Sales Managers

Channel Sales Managers serve as the critical bridge between your organization and your partner ecosystem. They're responsible for driving revenue growth through strategic partnerships, requiring a unique blend of relationship-building skills, strategic thinking, analytical capabilities, and sales acumen. Traditional interviews often fail to reveal how candidates will actually perform in these complex scenarios.

Work samples and role plays provide a window into a candidate's actual capabilities by simulating real-world challenges they'll face in the role. For Channel Sales Managers, these exercises reveal how candidates build relationships, negotiate partnerships, analyze performance data, and develop strategic plans—all essential functions that determine success in the position.

By incorporating practical exercises into your hiring process, you can significantly reduce the risk of a poor hire. Research shows that work samples are among the most predictive assessment methods, far outperforming unstructured interviews and resume reviews. For Channel Sales Managers, where the cost of a bad hire can mean lost partnership opportunities and revenue, this approach is particularly valuable.

The following four activities are designed to evaluate the core competencies required for Channel Sales Manager success: strategic thinking, relationship building, analytical capabilities, and execution skills. Each exercise simulates a real challenge the candidate would face in the role, providing you with concrete evidence of their capabilities rather than relying on self-reported experience.

Activity #1: Partner Negotiation Role Play

This role play assesses a candidate's ability to navigate complex partnership negotiations—a fundamental skill for Channel Sales Managers. The exercise reveals how candidates build rapport, communicate value propositions, handle objections, and structure mutually beneficial agreements. Strong candidates will demonstrate active listening, strategic thinking, and the ability to align partner goals with organizational objectives.

Directions for the Company:

• Select an interviewer to play the role of a potential channel partner who is interested but has specific concerns about the partnership.
• Provide the candidate with background information 24 hours in advance, including:
• A one-page company overview with product/service details
• The potential partner's profile (company size, market focus, current partnerships)
• Partnership program structure and benefits
• Common objections partners typically raise
• The role play should last 20-25 minutes, with the interviewer raising at least two significant objections during the discussion.
• The interviewer should take notes on how the candidate builds rapport, articulates value, handles objections, and proposes solutions.

Directions for the Candidate:

• Review the provided materials and prepare for a partnership discussion with a potential channel partner.
• Your goal is to advance the partnership conversation by understanding the partner's needs, addressing concerns, and proposing a mutually beneficial arrangement.
• Be prepared to explain your company's partner program, discuss potential revenue opportunities, and negotiate terms that would be attractive to both parties.
• The conversation should feel natural while still covering key partnership elements including revenue sharing, support resources, and go-to-market strategy.

Feedback Mechanism:

• After the role play, the interviewer should provide specific feedback on one strength (e.g., "You did an excellent job addressing our margin concerns with creative solutions") and one area for improvement (e.g., "You could have asked more questions about our current sales process before proposing integration steps").
• Give the candidate 5 minutes to reflect, then 10 minutes to revisit the area identified for improvement, demonstrating how they would handle that portion differently.
• Observe how receptive the candidate is to feedback and how effectively they incorporate it into their revised approach.

Activity #2: Channel Strategy Development

This exercise evaluates a candidate's strategic thinking and planning capabilities—essential for developing effective channel programs that drive growth. It reveals how candidates analyze market opportunities, prioritize partner segments, and create actionable plans. Strong candidates will demonstrate market insight, resource allocation skills, and the ability to align channel strategy with business objectives.

Directions for the Company:

• Prepare a scenario packet containing:
• Company overview and current channel performance data
• Market information including competitor channel strategies
• Business goals for the next fiscal year
• Current challenges in the channel program
• Send this packet to candidates 48 hours before the interview.
• Allocate 20 minutes for the candidate's presentation and 10 minutes for questions.
• Ensure the interviewing panel includes stakeholders from sales leadership and potentially product or marketing teams.

Directions for the Candidate:

• Review the provided materials and develop a 12-month channel strategy that addresses:
• Partner segmentation and prioritization
• Resource allocation across partner types
• Key initiatives to drive partner recruitment, enablement, and performance
• Success metrics and measurement approach
• Prepare a concise presentation (5-7 slides) outlining your strategy.
• Be prepared to explain your rationale and how you would implement this strategy.
• Include a high-level timeline for implementation and expected results.

Feedback Mechanism:

• After the presentation, provide feedback on one strength (e.g., "Your partner segmentation approach was data-driven and well-reasoned") and one area for improvement (e.g., "The enablement plan could be more specific about resource requirements").
• Ask the candidate to spend 5 minutes revising their approach to the area identified for improvement.
• Evaluate both their initial strategy and their ability to quickly refine their thinking based on feedback.

Activity #3: Partner Performance Analysis

This exercise assesses a candidate's analytical capabilities and data-driven decision-making skills—crucial for optimizing channel performance. It reveals how candidates interpret performance data, identify trends, diagnose issues, and develop action plans. Strong candidates will demonstrate analytical rigor, problem-solving skills, and the ability to translate insights into practical recommendations.

Directions for the Company:

• Create a realistic but anonymized dataset showing performance metrics for 8-10 channel partners over the past 4 quarters, including:
• Revenue by partner and product line
• Deal registration volume and conversion rates
• Partner engagement metrics (training completion, marketing activity)
• Partner satisfaction scores
• Include some clear performance anomalies and concerning trends.
• Provide this dataset to the candidate 24 hours before the interview.
• Prepare questions about specific partners that require deeper analysis.

Directions for the Candidate:

• Review the partner performance data and prepare a 15-minute analysis that:
• Identifies the top and bottom-performing partners
• Highlights significant trends or patterns in the data
• Diagnoses potential causes for underperformance
• Recommends specific actions to improve partner performance
• Be prepared to discuss how you would prioritize your time across these partners.
• Include both tactical interventions for immediate improvement and strategic recommendations for long-term growth.
• Explain how you would communicate performance feedback to partners.

Feedback Mechanism:

• After the presentation, provide feedback on one strength (e.g., "Your diagnosis of Partner C's declining performance was insightful") and one area for improvement (e.g., "Your recommendations could be more tailored to each partner's specific situation").
• Ask the candidate to spend 5 minutes developing a more detailed action plan for one specific underperforming partner.
• Evaluate their analytical depth, practical recommendations, and ability to refine their approach based on feedback.

Activity #4: Partner Onboarding Simulation

This exercise evaluates a candidate's ability to effectively onboard and enable new partners—a critical skill for driving partner success. It reveals how candidates structure onboarding processes, communicate expectations, and set partners up for success. Strong candidates will demonstrate organizational skills, clear communication, and the ability to anticipate and address partner needs.

Directions for the Company:

• Create a scenario involving a newly signed partner with specific characteristics:
• Partner company profile (size, market focus, technical capabilities)
• Partner's goals for the relationship
• Available resources for onboarding (training materials, support staff)
• Timeline constraints (e.g., partner wants to be selling within 60 days)
• Assign an interviewer to play the role of the partner's channel manager.
• Provide these materials to the candidate 24 hours in advance.

Directions for the Candidate:

• Review the provided materials and prepare for a 30-minute partner kickoff call.
• During the call, you should:
• Establish rapport and set a positive tone for the partnership
• Outline the onboarding process and timeline
• Clarify expectations on both sides
• Address any questions or concerns from the partner
• Identify next steps and action items
• Be prepared to share what resources and support you would provide to ensure the partner's success.
• Consider how you would measure the effectiveness of the onboarding process.

Feedback Mechanism:

• After the simulation, provide feedback on one strength (e.g., "You created a clear roadmap that aligned with the partner's timeline needs") and one area for improvement (e.g., "You could have asked more questions about their technical capabilities before outlining training requirements").
• Ask the candidate to spend 5 minutes revising their approach to the area identified for improvement.
• Evaluate their organizational skills, communication clarity, and ability to adapt their approach based on feedback.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long should we allocate for these work samples in our interview process?

Each activity requires approximately 45-60 minutes, including preparation, execution, feedback, and the improvement opportunity. We recommend selecting 1-2 activities that best align with your specific needs rather than attempting all four. The Partner Negotiation Role Play and Channel Strategy Development exercises provide the broadest assessment of critical skills.

Should we use these exercises for all candidates or only finalists?

These exercises are most valuable in the later stages of your hiring process after initial screening. They require significant time investment from both candidates and your team, so reserve them for candidates who have already demonstrated basic qualifications through resume screening and preliminary interviews.

How should we evaluate candidates across different exercises?

Create a standardized scoring rubric for each exercise that aligns with the competencies in your job description. Rate candidates on specific behaviors rather than general impressions. For example, in the Partner Negotiation Role Play, evaluate "ability to articulate value proposition" and "effectiveness in handling objections" rather than just "negotiation skills."

What if our company doesn't have all the materials needed for these exercises?

You can create simplified versions of these exercises using publicly available information about your industry and generic partner scenarios. The key is maintaining realistic challenges that test relevant skills. If you're a startup without established channel programs, focus on how candidates would build these programs from scratch.

How do we ensure these exercises don't disadvantage candidates from different backgrounds?

Provide clear instructions and equal preparation time to all candidates. Avoid industry-specific jargon or references that might favor candidates from certain backgrounds. Focus evaluation on the problem-solving approach and core competencies rather than specific knowledge that could be quickly learned on the job.

Can we adapt these exercises for virtual interviews?

All of these exercises can be conducted virtually using video conferencing tools. For the Partner Performance Analysis, use screen sharing to review the data together. For role plays, ensure both parties have stable internet connections and consider recording the session (with permission) for later review by other team members.

Implementing these work samples will significantly improve your ability to identify top Channel Sales Manager talent. By observing candidates in action rather than just discussing past experiences, you'll gain deeper insights into their capabilities and fit for your specific environment.

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