Essential Work Samples for Hiring Top-Performing Sales Managers

Sales managers are the driving force behind successful revenue teams. They bridge the gap between executive leadership and frontline sales representatives, translating company vision into actionable strategies while developing and motivating their teams to achieve consistent results. The effectiveness of your sales leadership directly impacts your company's bottom line, making the hiring process for this role particularly critical.

Traditional interviews often fail to reveal a candidate's true capabilities in sales management. While candidates may articulate impressive strategies or showcase charisma during conversations, these qualities alone don't guarantee success in the multifaceted role of sales management. The best sales managers demonstrate a unique blend of coaching ability, analytical thinking, strategic vision, and interpersonal skills that can only be properly evaluated through practical application.

Work samples provide a window into how candidates actually perform in realistic scenarios they'll face daily. By observing candidates in action—coaching a struggling rep, analyzing pipeline data, developing territory strategies, or handling difficult conversations—you gain invaluable insights that standard interview questions simply cannot provide.

The following work samples are designed to evaluate the core competencies essential for sales management success. Each exercise simulates real-world challenges sales managers encounter, allowing you to assess candidates' practical skills rather than theoretical knowledge. By implementing these exercises in your hiring process, you'll significantly improve your ability to identify candidates who can truly drive sales performance and team development.

Activity #1: Sales Coaching Role Play

This exercise evaluates a candidate's ability to provide effective coaching to sales representatives—a fundamental responsibility for any sales manager. Great sales managers don't just identify problems; they develop their team members through constructive feedback, strategic guidance, and actionable improvement plans.

Directions for the Company:

• Prepare a 5-7 minute recording of a mock sales call with clear areas for improvement (e.g., poor discovery questions, failure to address objections, weak closing techniques).
• Share this recording with the candidate 24 hours before the interview.
• Explain that they will role-play a coaching session with an actor playing the sales representative who conducted the call.
• The role play should last 15-20 minutes.
• Provide the candidate with basic performance context about the fictional rep (e.g., tenure, recent performance trends, previous coaching topics).

Directions for the Candidate:

• Review the provided sales call recording and identify key strengths and areas for improvement.
• Prepare to conduct a coaching session with the sales representative.
• During the role play, demonstrate your coaching approach by:
• Establishing rapport with the rep
• Asking the rep for self-assessment before providing your own observations
• Providing specific, actionable feedback
• Collaboratively developing improvement strategies
• Setting clear expectations for implementation and follow-up

Feedback Mechanism:

• After the role play, the interviewer should provide two pieces of feedback: one aspect of the coaching approach that was particularly effective, and one area where the coaching could be improved.
• Give the candidate 5 minutes to reflect on the feedback and then conduct a brief follow-up segment addressing the improvement area.
• Observe how receptive the candidate is to feedback and how effectively they incorporate it—this demonstrates their own coachability.

Activity #2: Pipeline Review and Forecast Analysis

This exercise assesses a candidate's analytical abilities and understanding of sales pipeline management—critical skills for accurate forecasting and strategic resource allocation. Effective sales managers must quickly identify pipeline issues and develop action plans to address them.

Directions for the Company:

• Create a mock sales pipeline spreadsheet with 15-20 opportunities across various stages, including relevant data points (deal size, close probability, days in stage, next steps, etc.).
• Include deliberate anomalies and red flags (stalled deals, unrealistic close dates, insufficient activity, etc.).
• Provide the candidate with this spreadsheet 30-60 minutes before this portion of the interview.
• Include basic information about quarterly targets and historical conversion rates by stage.

Directions for the Candidate:

• Review the provided pipeline data and prepare a 10-minute presentation covering:
• Your assessment of the current pipeline health
• Identification of key risks and opportunities
• Your forecast for the quarter based on the data
• 3-5 specific actions you would take to improve pipeline health
• How you would prioritize the team's focus based on this analysis
• Be prepared to answer questions about your methodology and reasoning.
• Focus on practical, actionable insights rather than theoretical approaches.

Feedback Mechanism:

• The interviewer should provide feedback on one strength in the candidate's analysis and one area where additional insight or a different approach might be valuable.
• Allow the candidate 5 minutes to address the improvement area by explaining how they would adjust their analysis or recommendations.
• This tests both analytical skills and the ability to adapt thinking based on new perspectives.

Activity #3: Sales Strategy Development

This exercise evaluates a candidate's strategic thinking and ability to develop effective sales approaches tailored to specific market conditions. Great sales managers must translate company objectives into actionable sales strategies that maximize team performance and market opportunity.

Directions for the Company:

• Create a scenario brief that includes:
• A description of a product or service offering
• Target market information and competitive landscape
• Current sales approach and results
• Company growth objectives
• Available resources and constraints
• Send this brief to candidates 24-48 hours before the interview.
• Prepare follow-up questions that probe the candidate's reasoning and adaptability.

Directions for the Candidate:

• Review the provided scenario and develop a sales strategy presentation (10-15 minutes) that addresses:
• Key market opportunities and challenges
• Recommended sales approach (target segments, messaging, channels, etc.)
• Team structure and role specialization (if applicable)
• Required enablement and support resources
• Implementation timeline and key milestones
• Success metrics and how you would measure them
• Be prepared to explain the rationale behind your recommendations and how you would adapt if certain assumptions prove incorrect.

Feedback Mechanism:

• After the presentation, interviewers should highlight one particularly strong element of the strategy and one area that could benefit from further development or a different approach.
• Give the candidate 5-7 minutes to address the improvement area by refining their approach or addressing specific concerns.
• This tests both strategic thinking and adaptability—key traits for sales leaders who must constantly refine strategies in changing market conditions.

Activity #4: Team Performance Management Scenario

This exercise assesses how candidates handle the complex human aspects of sales management, including performance issues, team dynamics, and difficult conversations. Effective sales managers must balance accountability with support while maintaining team morale and productivity.

Directions for the Company:

• Create a detailed scenario involving a challenging team management situation, such as:
• A previously top-performing rep whose numbers have declined significantly
• A talented but difficult team member who creates tension with colleagues
• A team that is meeting individual quotas but failing to collaborate effectively
• A new initiative facing resistance from tenured team members
• Provide relevant background information including performance data, team dynamics, and previous management approaches.
• Assign an interviewer to role-play as the employee(s) involved.

Directions for the Candidate:

• Review the scenario and prepare to demonstrate how you would handle the situation.
• The exercise will involve a 15-20 minute role play where you address the issue with the relevant team member(s).
• Focus on:
• Establishing the right tone and approach for the conversation
• Clearly articulating expectations and concerns
• Actively listening and responding to the employee's perspective
• Collaboratively developing an improvement plan
• Setting clear next steps and accountability measures
• Be prepared to explain your approach and the reasoning behind your decisions.

Feedback Mechanism:

• After the role play, the interviewer should provide feedback on one effective aspect of the candidate's approach and one area where a different technique might be more effective.
• Allow the candidate 5 minutes to reflect and explain how they would adjust their approach based on this feedback.
• This tests both people management skills and adaptability in handling complex interpersonal situations.

Frequently Asked Questions

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

Each work sample requires approximately 30-45 minutes, including setup, execution, feedback, and candidate adjustment time. We recommend selecting 2-3 exercises most relevant to your specific needs rather than attempting all four in a single interview day. Consider spreading them across different interview sessions or focusing on those that align with your most critical requirements.

Should we use the same scenarios for all candidates?

Yes, using consistent scenarios allows for more objective comparison between candidates. However, you should customize the specific details to prevent candidates from sharing information with each other. Maintain the same core challenges and evaluation criteria while varying names, products, or specific numbers.

How should we weight these exercises compared to traditional interviews?

Work samples typically provide more predictive information than traditional interview questions. We recommend they constitute 50-60% of your evaluation weight. Traditional interviews remain valuable for assessing cultural fit, motivation, and career trajectory, but these practical exercises offer the best insight into how candidates will actually perform in the role.

What if a candidate has limited experience with a specific aspect of one exercise?

Focus your evaluation on the candidate's approach and reasoning rather than specific technical knowledge that can be learned. For example, if a candidate hasn't used your CRM system, assess their analytical process in the pipeline review rather than their familiarity with specific tools. The best candidates will acknowledge knowledge gaps while demonstrating transferable skills and learning agility.

How should we prepare our team to conduct these exercises effectively?

Ensure interviewers thoroughly understand the exercises and evaluation criteria before implementation. Create detailed rubrics that define what excellent, good, and concerning performance looks like for each exercise. Consider conducting mock interviews to practice delivering consistent instructions and providing constructive feedback. The quality of your evaluation depends heavily on proper interviewer preparation.

Can these exercises be conducted remotely?

Yes, all these exercises can be adapted for remote interviews using video conferencing and screen sharing. For role plays, ensure all participants have stable internet connections and are comfortable with the technology. Share materials through secure links before the interview, and consider recording sessions (with candidate permission) to allow for more thorough evaluation afterward.

Implementing these work samples will significantly enhance your ability to identify sales managers who can truly drive team performance and business results. By observing candidates in action rather than simply discussing their past experiences, you'll gain deeper insights into their practical capabilities and leadership approach.

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