Candidate First Name

Candidate Last Name

Today's Date

Opener( No Grade Needed) : “Tell me a little about yourself and your sales background? Candidates answer

Question 1 : “Walk me through your average sales week — how do you find and close new deals?”Why ask: You're looking for structured thinking, not fluff. Real closers have systems. 🚦 Green flag: They have a clear prospecting → pitch → close routine 🚩 Red flag: They “just talk to people” or rely on luck/connections

Question 2: “How many deals did you close last week — and how did you get them?”Green flag: “I closed 6 last week. 3 came from outbound calls, 2 referrals, 1 from LinkedIn.” 🚩 Red flag: “Uh... I don’t track weekly like that... but I’ve had great months before.”

Question 3: “Tell me about the toughest sales week you’ve had — and what you did to recover? (why ask: You want resilience and ownership, not excuse-makers. 🚦 Green flag: “I missed quota one week, then stayed late the next three nights to catch up.” 🚩 Red flag: “It was a bad week... leads were slow... not much I could do.”)

Question 4: “What would your previous clients or manager say about how you deliver results? (Why ask: Self-awareness + accountability. Bonus if they offer proof.)

Question 5: “As a 1099 contractor, what do you expect from me — and what do you not need? (Why ask: Gauges their independence and mindset. 🚦 Green flag: “Clear expectations and tools — I’ll handle the rest.” 🚩 Red flag: “I’ll need a CRM, lead list, call script, appointment setter, etc)

Question 6: “What’s your process if you haven’t closed anything by Thursday?”( Why ask: Tests urgency and how they self-correct without being micromanaged.)

Question 7: “Can you walk me through your follow-up process after the first contact? ( Why ask: Great salespeople have consistent, structured follow-up routines).

Sales Interview Grading Guide

- Missed Calla AI GRADING SYSTEM (1-5 Scale per Question)

5 - Killer: Top producer, confident & data-driven with receipts

4 - Solid: Good answers, may need small testing/training

3 - Meh: Not impressive, vague, or slightly inconsistent

2 - Weak: Lacks track record, overhypes, lots of buzzwords

1 - Red Flag: excuses, ego, or avoidance of specifics Total Score: Out of 35 (7 questions)

30-35: Hire now or test immediately

25-29: Watch for gaps, consider trial run

18-24: Likely talkers, not doers

Below 18: No-go RED FLAGS TO CUT FAST "I don't like tracking numbers." "It depends" (on every answer) Never mentions prospecting Blames marketing or leads "I'm more of a relationship-builder" (translation: slow closer)