Presenting a 20 minute presentation to your future possible Employer has become more and more common in the final stage interview process for many Senior Sales candidates recently, but the debatable question is:
“What subject should they present?”
We have come across a few companies who ask the Sales candidate to present the solution of the company they are interviewing at, back to the Leadership Team, often in a role playing format. So for example, a Software Sales Executive with a CRM background interviewing at a MarTech vendor, will be judged on his / her ability to sell a MarTech solution they have never had the chance to learn properly or sold in the past. How accurate a format is this within an interview process?
Would it not make sense to ask the Sales person to present the solution they have recently been selling to enable the interviewing company to really see them in true action? The argument I have heard against this is that this will be too easy for the Sales candidate and the interviewer wishes to instead really test how one stands on their own two feet under pressure in an unfamiliar situation.
Occasionally, some companies have asked the Sales Candidate to present for 15-20 minutes on any subject they are truly passionate about. This could include personal interests like sailing or indeed business hobbies like their love of the stock market.
I would love to hear from Software Firm Leaders and Senior Sales Candidates as to what presentation topics in their opinion offer the strongest insight at final interview stage as to the strength of a Software Sales Executive and any personal views or experiences?
Ben Watkins is a Director of European Headhunting Firm, Intrinsic Executive Search, placing Senior Commercial Executives for SaaS firms across Europe.