Interview Guide for

Enterprise Account Sales Manager

This comprehensive interview guide for an Enterprise Account Sales Manager provides a structured framework to assess candidates' qualifications, skills, and fit for this critical revenue-generating role. Leveraging behavioral interview techniques, role-plays, and competency-based assessments, this guide will help you identify sales professionals with the right experience and abilities to drive enterprise sales growth.

How to Use This Guide

This interview guide serves as a template to create a consistent, thorough evaluation process for Enterprise Account Sales Manager candidates. Here's how to maximize its effectiveness:

Customize for Your Needs: Adapt questions to reflect your specific industry, products, and sales cycle.
Share with Your Team: Distribute to everyone involved in the hiring process to ensure alignment on evaluation criteria.
Maintain Consistency: Use the same core questions with all candidates for fair comparisons.
Leverage Follow-up Questions: Dig deeper into responses to get beyond rehearsed answers to real experiences.
Score Independently: Have interviewers complete scorecards individually before discussing candidates as a group.

For more guidance, check out our resources on conducting effective job interviews and using structured interviews.

Job Description

Enterprise Account Sales Manager

About [Company]

[Company] is a leading provider of [Products/Services] helping enterprises solve [specific business challenges]. Our innovative solutions have positioned us as [market position] in the [Industry] space, with a commitment to customer success and innovation that drives our continued growth.

The Role

As an Enterprise Account Sales Manager, you'll be a key revenue driver, building and nurturing relationships with strategic enterprise accounts. You'll develop comprehensive account strategies to grow revenue, identify new opportunities, and serve as a trusted advisor to senior-level stakeholders. Your expertise in consultative selling and ability to navigate complex enterprise sales environments will be crucial to our continued market expansion.

Key Responsibilities

Develop and execute strategic account plans for enterprise clients, outlining pathways for revenue growth and customer success
Identify and qualify new sales opportunities through proactive outreach and collaboration with marketing and sales teams
Manage complex sales cycles from initial contact to closing, including needs analysis, solution presentation, negotiation, and contract execution
Build trusted relationships with key stakeholders at all levels within enterprise accounts, from C-level executives to IT leaders
Effectively communicate our value proposition and tailor solutions to meet specific enterprise needs
Provide accurate sales forecasts and manage pipeline using our CRM system
Collaborate cross-functionally with marketing, customer success, and product teams
Stay current on industry trends, competitive landscape, and evolving customer needs
Consistently meet or exceed assigned sales quotas and revenue targets

What We're Looking For

Proven track record of exceeding sales quotas and closing large enterprise deals
Strong understanding of enterprise sales methodologies and consultative selling
Excellent communication, presentation, and interpersonal skills
Ability to build and maintain strong relationships with C-level executives
Superior negotiation and problem-solving capabilities
Self-motivated with strong planning and organizational skills
Experience with CRM systems and sales technology stack
Coachability and receptiveness to feedback
Industry knowledge and technical aptitude to understand complex solutions
Resilience and resourcefulness in navigating enterprise sales challenges

Why Join [Company]

At [Company], we're not just building a product – we're transforming how enterprises approach [specific value proposition]. You'll be joining a team of passionate professionals dedicated to innovation and excellence, with a collaborative culture that celebrates success.

Competitive compensation including base salary and uncapped commission potential
Comprehensive benefits package including health, dental, and vision coverage
Career development opportunities and mentorship
Collaborative, high-energy sales environment
[Other benefits like equity, flexible work arrangements, etc.]

Hiring Process

We've designed our interview process to be thorough yet efficient, allowing us to make timely decisions while getting to know you well:

Initial screening call with a recruiter to discuss your experience and our opportunity
In-depth interview with the hiring manager about your sales career and approach
Sales role play exercise simulating a discovery call with a prospective client
Competency-based interview with sales leadership
Final conversation with a senior executive (for select candidates)

We respect your time and will keep you informed at each step of the process, with opportunities for you to ask questions and learn more about our company and culture.

Ideal Candidate Profile (Internal)

Role Overview

The Enterprise Account Sales Manager is responsible for driving revenue growth by developing and executing strategic sales plans for assigned enterprise accounts. This role requires a seasoned sales professional who can navigate complex buying environments, build relationships at multiple levels, and position our solutions as strategic investments. Success in this role requires a combination of enterprise sales expertise, relationship-building capabilities, consultative selling skills, and the ability to analyze business needs and articulate compelling value propositions.

Essential Behavioral Competencies

Strategic Account Management: Ability to develop and execute comprehensive account plans that align with customer business objectives and drive long-term revenue growth rather than pursuing transactional sales.

Consultative Selling: Skill in understanding customer business challenges, asking insightful questions, and positioning solutions as strategic answers to specific business needs rather than focusing solely on product features.

Relationship Building: Capability to establish and nurture trusted relationships with multiple stakeholders across customer organizations, particularly at executive levels, creating a foundation of trust for long-term partnerships.

Business Acumen: Demonstrates understanding of customer business models, industry trends, and financial drivers that allows for meaningful conversations with executives and alignment of solutions to business objectives.

Resilience: Ability to maintain momentum and positive attitude despite obstacles, objections, and the inevitable challenges of complex enterprise sales cycles.

Desired Outcomes

Achieve or exceed assigned sales quota of [specific target] through a combination of account expansion and new business acquisition within assigned territory
Develop and implement strategic account plans for each major customer that result in at least 20% year-over-year revenue growth in established accounts
Maintain a healthy sales pipeline with at least 3x quota coverage to ensure consistent achievement of quarterly objectives
Successfully navigate complex sales cycles, averaging 4-6 months, while maintaining win rates above industry average
Build and maintain C-level relationships within key accounts, becoming a trusted advisor on strategic initiatives

Ideal Candidate Traits

The ideal Enterprise Account Sales Manager has proven success selling complex solutions to enterprise organizations, preferably in the [Industry] space. They are strategically minded, able to understand customer business challenges and connect our solutions to measurable outcomes. They excel at building relationships at all levels, particularly with executive stakeholders, and can navigate matrixed organizations effectively.

The right candidate is both analytical and personable, combining data-driven planning with exceptional interpersonal skills. They are self-motivated and can work independently while also collaborating effectively with cross-functional teams. They demonstrate resilience in the face of challenges, creative problem-solving abilities, and unwavering accountability for results.

Industry knowledge, while valuable, is secondary to proven enterprise sales capabilities, consultative approach, and track record of consistent quota achievement. The ideal candidate has experience selling solutions of similar complexity and price point to our offerings, with demonstrated ability to articulate compelling value propositions.

Screening Interview

Directions for the Interviewer

This initial screening interview aims to quickly identify candidates with high potential for the Enterprise Account Sales Manager role. Focus on assessing the candidate's relevant experience, skills, and motivations. This conversation should help determine if their background aligns with our needs and if there's potential for success in this role.

Look for evidence of enterprise sales success, consultative selling approach, and ability to build strategic relationships. Pay attention to how they articulate their achievements, their understanding of enterprise sales cycles, and their approach to account management. Notice their communication style and professionalism, as these will be critical in client-facing situations.

Keep the conversation flowing naturally while ensuring you cover all key areas. Allow time for candidate questions at the end (about 5-10 minutes), as their questions can provide additional insight into their priorities and understanding of the role.

Directions to Share with Candidate

Today's conversation will help us understand your sales experience and approach, particularly in enterprise environments. I'll ask questions about your background, achievements, and approach to enterprise sales, and I'll leave time at the end for your questions. This is a two-way conversation, so please feel free to ask for clarification if needed.

Interview Questions

Walk me through your sales career, focusing on your experience selling to enterprise-level accounts.

Areas to Cover

Progression of sales roles and responsibilities
Types of products/services sold and their complexity
Size and nature of enterprise accounts managed
Average deal sizes and sales cycle length
Industry experience relevant to our market

Possible Follow-up Questions

What was the most complex sale you've managed, and how did you navigate it?
How do you define "enterprise" in your current role?
What enterprise sales methodologies have you used successfully?

Tell me about your most significant enterprise sales achievement in the past year.

Areas to Cover

Specific details about the deal size and importance
Challenges overcome during the sales process
Strategies and approaches that led to success
Cross-functional collaboration involved
Lessons learned that influenced future sales

Possible Follow-up Questions

How did you identify this opportunity initially?
What stakeholders were involved and how did you navigate their different priorities?
How did you differentiate your solution from competitors?

How do you typically develop and execute an account strategy for major enterprise customers?

Areas to Cover

Approach to account planning and analysis
Methods for identifying growth opportunities
Stakeholder mapping and relationship development
Alignment with customer business objectives
Measurement of account strategy effectiveness

Possible Follow-up Questions

How do you prioritize opportunities within an account?
How do you gain access to executives within target accounts?
How do you handle situations where the account strategy needs to change?

Describe your approach to building relationships with C-level executives.

Areas to Cover

Specific techniques for gaining executive access
Value proposition messaging at executive level
Understanding of executive priorities and language
Maintaining relationships beyond immediate sales
Examples of successful executive relationships built

Possible Follow-up Questions

What's your preparation process before meeting with a C-level executive?
How do you add value in executive conversations beyond selling your solution?
Tell me about a time when you turned a skeptical executive into an advocate.

What's your process for qualifying enterprise sales opportunities?

Areas to Cover

Framework or methodology used for qualification
Key qualification criteria considered
Red flags that lead to disqualification
Balance between pursuing opportunities and time management
Examples of correctly qualifying or disqualifying opportunities

Possible Follow-up Questions

How do you determine if an opportunity is worth pursuing?
How do you handle situations where sales leadership wants you to pursue an opportunity you believe isn't qualified?
What information do you absolutely need to properly qualify an opportunity?

What are your current sales metrics? How have you performed against quota in the last 2-3 years?

Areas to Cover

Specific quota attainment percentages
Consistency of performance over time
Pipeline coverage and conversion rates
Average deal size and growth trends
Context around performance (market conditions, company changes)

Possible Follow-up Questions

What contributed to your highest performing period?
How did you recover from any periods of underperformance?
How do you forecast sales and manage your pipeline?

What questions do you have for me about the role or company?

Areas to Cover

Level of preparation and research done
Strategic nature of questions asked
Interest in company growth and vision
Alignment with career aspirations
Questions that demonstrate sales acumen

Possible Follow-up Questions

Based on what you've learned, what aspects of this role are most appealing to you?
What would you need to be successful in this position?
How does this opportunity align with your career goals?

Interview Scorecard

Enterprise Sales Experience

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Limited experience with enterprise accounts or primarily transactional sales
2: Some enterprise sales experience but lacks depth or consistent success
3: Proven track record selling to enterprise accounts with consistent results
4: Exceptional enterprise sales background with demonstrated success in complex environments similar to ours

Consultative Selling Approach

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Primarily product-focused; limited evidence of consultative approach
2: Shows some consultative skills but may revert to feature-based selling
3: Consistent application of consultative methods, focusing on business outcomes
4: Advanced consultative selling skills with strong business acumen and strategic thinking

Relationship Building Skills

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Struggles to articulate relationship-building strategies, particularly at executive level
2: Has developed some relationships but limited experience with C-suite
3: Demonstrates ability to build and leverage relationships at multiple levels
4: Exceptional relationship builder with proven success engaging C-level executives

Sales Performance History

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Inconsistent quota attainment or significantly below expectations
2: Met quota occasionally but performance has been variable
3: Consistently achieved quota with some periods of overachievement
4: Exceptional track record of consistently exceeding quota and ranking as a top performer

Quota Achievement (Goal 1)

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to achieve annual sales targets
2: May achieve sales targets with significant support
3: Likely to achieve expected sales targets
4: Likely to exceed expected sales targets consistently

Account Growth (Goal 2)

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to drive significant account growth
2: May achieve modest account growth with guidance
3: Likely to achieve expected account growth targets
4: Likely to substantially exceed account growth expectations

Pipeline Management (Goal 3)

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to maintain healthy pipeline coverage
2: May maintain adequate pipeline with supervision
3: Likely to maintain recommended pipeline coverage
4: Likely to exceed pipeline targets with strong opportunity generation

Hiring Recommendation

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

Chronological Interview

Directions for the Interviewer

This chronological interview aims to thoroughly understand the candidate's career progression, particularly in enterprise sales roles. You'll explore their past sales roles in detail, focusing on their account management approach, achievements, challenges, and growth. This methodical review will help you assess their experience depth and relevance to our Enterprise Account Sales Manager position.

Focus deepest on the most recent and relevant roles (those involving enterprise sales and account management). For each role, explore their responsibilities, performance, relationships with management and customers, and reasons for transitions. Look for patterns in their approach to sales, relationship building, and how they've grown professionally. Pay attention to how they articulate their sales philosophy and methodology.

Maintain a conversational tone while systematically reviewing their career. Listen for inconsistencies or gaps that require clarification. Note their accountability, learning agility, and adaptability as they faced different challenges. Allow approximately 10 minutes at the end for candidate questions.

Directions to Share with Candidate

In this conversation, we'll take a chronological approach to understanding your sales career. We'll walk through your professional journey, spending more time on roles most relevant to this position. For each role, I'll ask about your responsibilities, achievements, challenges, and what you learned. This helps me understand your sales approach and how your experience relates to our needs. Feel free to ask for clarification on any questions, and we'll have time for your questions at the end.

Interview Questions

Before we review your career in detail, what would you say are the common threads or sales philosophies that have guided your approach throughout your professional journey?

Areas to Cover

Core sales values and principles
Consistency in approach across different environments
Evolution of sales philosophy over time
Self-awareness regarding strengths and style
Alignment with consultative enterprise sales approach

Possible Follow-up Questions

How has your sales philosophy evolved over time?
How do you adapt your core approach to different products or customers?
What sales methodologies have most influenced your approach?

Let's start with your current (or most recent) role at [Company]. What attracted you to this opportunity, and what are your core responsibilities?

Areas to Cover

Motivation for joining the company
Scope of sales responsibilities and territory
Types of accounts managed and sales cycle
Team structure and reporting relationships
Products/services sold and typical deal sizes

Possible Follow-up Questions

What was your ramp-up time in this role?
How were accounts allocated to you?
What metrics are used to evaluate your performance?

What are your most significant sales achievements in this role?

Areas to Cover

Specific examples with quantifiable results
Strategic approach that led to success
Stakeholders involved and relationship development
Challenges overcome during the sales process
Recognition received for achievements

Possible Follow-up Questions

What made this achievement particularly meaningful?
How did this compare to your peers' performance?
What specific strategies made the difference in winning these deals?

Tell me about the structure of your sales team. How do you collaborate with other departments?

Areas to Cover

Reporting relationships and team dynamics
Cross-functional collaboration approaches
Partnerships with marketing, product, and support
Internal relationship building strategies
Examples of successful collaborative wins

Possible Follow-up Questions

How do you leverage marketing resources in your sales process?
What's your relationship like with the customer success team?
How do you handle situations when other departments have different priorities?

Describe your relationship with your sales leadership. How would they describe your strengths and areas for development?

Areas to Cover

Quality of management relationships
Feedback received on performance
Self-awareness of strengths and weaknesses
Receptivity to coaching and development
Growth areas being addressed

Possible Follow-up Questions

What's the most valuable feedback you've received from your manager?
How have you implemented feedback to improve your performance?
What aspects of your performance receive the most recognition?

What has been the most challenging aspect of this role, and how have you addressed it?

Areas to Cover

Specific challenges faced and their impact
Problem-solving approach and resilience
Resources leveraged to overcome obstacles
Lessons learned from challenges
Adaptability and growth mindset

Possible Follow-up Questions

How did this challenge affect your performance or motivation?
What resources or support helped you navigate this challenge?
What would you do differently if faced with a similar situation?

[Repeat the above set of questions for each relevant previous role, with emphasis on enterprise sales positions]

Looking across your career, which role do you feel best prepared you for this Enterprise Account Sales Manager position, and why?

Areas to Cover

Self-assessment of relevant experience
Understanding of role requirements
Transferable skills and experiences
Strategic thinking about career progression
Alignment of past achievements with our needs

Possible Follow-up Questions

What skills from that role will be most valuable in this position?
What additional skills have you developed since then?
What aspects of our role might require the most adjustment from your previous experience?

What questions do you have about how this role compares to your previous experience?

Areas to Cover

Thoughtfulness of questions
Areas of interest or concern
Understanding of role expectations
Career motivations and priorities
Engagement with the opportunity

Possible Follow-up Questions

Based on what you've learned, what aspects of this role most interest you?
How does this opportunity align with your career goals?
What would you need to be successful in this position?

Interview Scorecard

Enterprise Sales Progression

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Limited or inconsistent progression in enterprise sales roles
2: Some progression but lacks substantial enterprise account management experience
3: Clear progression through increasingly responsible enterprise sales positions
4: Exceptional career trajectory showing mastery of enterprise sales and growing responsibilities

Sales Achievement History

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Limited evidence of consistent achievement or primarily in transactional sales
2: Mixed performance with some achievements but not consistently exceeding targets
3: Consistent record of meeting and often exceeding targets in relevant enterprise roles
4: Outstanding performance history with multiple significant achievements and consistent overachievement

Relationship Building Depth

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Primarily transactional relationships with limited executive engagement
2: Some relationship development but limited strategic depth or executive-level access
3: Demonstrated ability to build strong relationships at multiple levels, including senior leaders
4: Exceptional relationship builder with proven success developing C-level relationships and strategic partnerships

Sales Strategy Development

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Primarily reactive or tactical in approach to accounts
2: Develops basic account plans but may lack strategic depth
3: Consistently develops and executes effective account strategies
4: Sophisticated strategic thinking with exceptional account planning and execution

Leadership & Team Collaboration

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Limited collaboration or primarily individual contributor mindset
2: Works with teams but may not maximize cross-functional resources
3: Effectively collaborates across functions to drive sales results
4: Exceptional team player who elevates performance through strategic collaboration

Quota Achievement (Goal 1)

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to achieve annual sales targets based on history
2: May achieve sales targets with significant support and structure
3: Likely to achieve expected sales targets based on consistent past performance
4: Likely to exceed expected sales targets consistently based on exceptional track record

Account Growth (Goal 2)

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Limited evidence of growing existing accounts successfully
2: Some account growth experience but lacking strategic approach
3: Demonstrated ability to grow accounts through strategic planning
4: Exceptional track record of account expansion and relationship deepening

Complex Sales Cycle Management (Goal 4)

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Limited experience with complex, longer sales cycles
2: Some experience with complex sales but struggles with certain aspects
3: Proficient in managing complex enterprise sales cycles
4: Masterful at navigating complex sales environments with exceptional win rates

Hiring Recommendation

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

Sales Role Play

Directions for the Interviewer

This role play exercise will assess the candidate's enterprise sales capabilities in a simulated client interaction. You'll evaluate their discovery skills, consultative approach, ability to identify business challenges, and how effectively they position value. This exercise reveals their sales instincts, listening skills, and ability to think strategically during client conversations.

The scenario involves a discovery call with a potential enterprise client. Provide the candidate with the scenario information at least 24 hours before the interview to allow for preparation. During the exercise, play the role of the client contact (provide details about your role, priorities, and challenges). Observe how the candidate builds rapport, asks strategic questions, listens actively, handles objections, and moves the opportunity forward appropriately.

After the role play, allow time for self-reflection before providing feedback. Ask what they thought went well and what they might do differently. Their self-awareness and receptivity to feedback provide additional insights about their coachability and learning agility. End with a few follow-up questions to explore their typical approach to similar situations.

Directions to Share with Candidate

You'll participate in a role play exercise simulating a discovery call with a potential enterprise client. I'll email you background information about the client and scenario at least 24 hours before our meeting so you can prepare. During our call, I'll play the role of the client contact, and you'll lead the conversation as an Enterprise Account Sales Manager for [Company].

Your goal is to conduct an effective discovery call to understand my business challenges, establish rapport, and determine if there might be a fit between my needs and your solutions. Approach this as you would a real client conversation, focusing on uncovering business challenges rather than diving too quickly into product details. After the role play, we'll discuss the experience and I'll have a few follow-up questions.

Role Play Scenario (to be shared 24 hours in advance)

Client Background:

Company: [Placeholder] Corporation
Industry: [Relevant industry aligned with your solutions]
Size: Fortune 500 company with 12,000+ employees globally
Current Situation: Experiencing challenges with [problem your solution addresses]
Your Contact: [Name], [Title] (VP or Director level)
Meeting Context: Initial discovery call after a brief introduction at an industry conference

Your Role:

You are an Enterprise Account Sales Manager representing [Company]
Your company provides [brief solution description]
This is your first meaningful conversation with this contact
You have 20 minutes for this discovery call

Your Objectives:

Build rapport and establish credibility
Uncover the client's key business challenges and priorities
Identify potential pain points related to your solution area
Determine if there's a potential fit between their needs and your solutions
Establish next steps if appropriate

Evaluation Criteria:

Discovery skills and questioning techniques
Active listening and responsiveness
Business acumen and understanding of client challenges
Value positioning and solution alignment
Professionalism and relationship building
Objection handling
Ability to advance the sales process appropriately

Follow-up Discussion Questions

How did you prepare for this discovery call? Walk me through your preparation process.

Areas to Cover

Research and preparation approach
Strategic planning for the conversation
Question development methodology
Adaptability during the conversation
Self-assessment of performance

Possible Follow-up Questions

What additional information would have been helpful before the call?
How did you adapt your approach as you learned more during the conversation?
What signals were you looking for to determine the client's interest level?

What do you think went well in the conversation, and what would you do differently next time?

Areas to Cover

Self-awareness and critical thinking
Recognition of effective techniques used
Identification of missed opportunities
Learning and improvement mindset
Adaptability and coachability

Possible Follow-up Questions

How would you follow up after this call?
What questions yielded the most valuable insights?
How would you prepare for the next conversation with this prospect?

How would you assess this opportunity based on the conversation? What would be your next steps?

Areas to Cover

Qualification assessment
Strategic thinking about opportunity
Proposed next steps and rationale
Understanding of sales process stages
Plan for advancing the relationship

Possible Follow-up Questions

How would you determine the priority level of this opportunity?
Who else would you want to engage at the prospect company?
What information would you need to build a compelling business case?

Interview Scorecard

Discovery Skills

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Asked basic or primarily closed-ended questions with limited discovery value
2: Conducted basic discovery but missed key business challenges or opportunities
3: Effective discovery with good questions revealing relevant business needs
4: Exceptional discovery approach with strategic questions that uncovered deep insights

Consultative Approach

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Primarily product-focused with limited business conversation
2: Some consultative elements but reverted to features before understanding needs
3: Maintained consultative approach, focusing on business challenges before solutions
4: Masterful consultative selling, establishing trusted advisor positioning through business dialogue

Active Listening

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Limited listening; frequently interrupted or missed important cues
2: Basic listening skills but occasionally missed opportunities to dive deeper
3: Demonstrated good listening, followed up appropriately on important points
4: Exceptional listening skills, building each question on previous responses and showing deep understanding

Business Acumen

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Limited understanding of business context or industry challenges
2: Basic business knowledge but missed connections to broader business impact
3: Good business acumen, connecting solutions to meaningful business outcomes
4: Sophisticated business understanding, discussing solutions in terms of strategic business impact

Objection Handling

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Struggled with objections or responded defensively
2: Basic objection handling but relied on prepared responses
3: Handled objections well, demonstrating understanding before responding
4: Masterful objection handling, turning potential obstacles into opportunities

Quota Achievement (Goal 1)

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Approach unlikely to generate sufficient qualified opportunities
2: May identify opportunities but struggle to develop them fully
3: Approach likely to generate and develop qualified opportunities
4: Strategy and skills likely to exceed opportunity development expectations

C-Level Relationship Building (Goal 5)

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Approach unlikely to resonate with executive stakeholders
2: Basic executive engagement capabilities but lacking sophistication
3: Demonstrated ability to engage effectively at executive level
4: Exceptional executive presence and ability to build strategic relationships

Complex Sales Cycle Navigation (Goal 4)

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Approach too transactional for complex enterprise sales
2: Understands complex sales but may struggle with certain aspects
3: Demonstrated ability to navigate complex sales environments
4: Sophisticated approach perfectly suited to complex enterprise sales cycles

Hiring Recommendation

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

Competency Interview

Directions for the Interviewer

This interview focuses on assessing the candidate's abilities in four essential competencies for the Enterprise Account Sales Manager role: Strategic Account Management, Consultative Selling, Relationship Building, and Resilience. The structured behavioral questions will help you evaluate how the candidate has demonstrated these competencies in past situations.

Use the STAR (Situation, Task, Action, Result) framework to guide the candidate through complete responses. Listen for specificity in their examples, the actions they personally took, and the measurable results they achieved. Pay attention to their decision-making process, lessons learned, and how they adapted their approach over time. Take note of how they interacted with different stakeholders and navigated complex situations.

After each response, use follow-up questions to dig deeper into areas that need more clarity or to better understand their thought process. This will help you get beyond rehearsed answers to understand their authentic approach. Set aside approximately 5-10 minutes at the end for candidate questions, noting the strategic nature and thoughtfulness of what they ask.

Directions to Share with Candidate

In this interview, I'll ask behavioral questions about specific situations you've handled in past roles. These questions will focus on key competencies relevant to the Enterprise Account Sales Manager position. For each question, please provide detailed examples of actual situations you've experienced. Describe the context, your specific actions, and the measurable results. I may ask follow-up questions to better understand certain aspects of your examples. We'll have time at the end for any questions you might have about the role or company.

Interview Questions

Tell me about a time when you developed and executed a strategic account plan that resulted in significant revenue growth with an enterprise customer. (Strategic Account Management)

Areas to Cover

Account analysis and opportunity identification process
Strategy development and goal setting approach
Cross-functional collaboration and resource allocation
Execution challenges and how they were addressed
Measurable outcomes and business impact

Possible Follow-up Questions

How did you identify the highest-value opportunities within this account?
What stakeholders did you need to engage to execute your plan?
How did you measure the success of your account strategy?
How did this approach differ from your standard account management process?

Describe a situation where you used a consultative approach to uncover a customer's business challenges and position your solution as a strategic answer to their needs. (Consultative Selling)

Areas to Cover

Discovery techniques and questioning strategies
Business need identification and qualification
Solution alignment and value proposition development
Differentiation from competitors
Customer's reaction and ultimate outcome

Possible Follow-up Questions

What research did you do before engaging with this customer?
How did you adapt your approach as you learned more about their challenges?
How did you translate technical capabilities into business value?
What objections did you encounter and how did you address them?

Tell me about your most successful experience building relationships with C-level executives that led to new business or account expansion. (Relationship Building)

Areas to Cover

Executive access strategy and approach
Understanding of executive priorities and language
Value creation beyond immediate sales opportunity
Relationship nurturing over time
Tangible business outcomes resulting from relationship

Possible Follow-up Questions

How did you initially gain access to these executives?
What value did you provide that kept them engaged?
How did you adjust your communication style for different executives?
How did these relationships impact your broader account strategy?

Describe a time when you faced significant obstacles or setbacks during a complex sales cycle but persevered to win the business. (Resilience)

Areas to Cover

Nature of obstacles encountered and their impact
Initial reaction and emotional management
Problem-solving approach and adaptability
Resources leveraged to overcome challenges
Lessons learned and application to future situations

Possible Follow-up Questions

At what point did you realize you needed to change your approach?
What personal strengths helped you persevere through this challenge?
How did you maintain momentum and motivation during difficult periods?
What would you do differently if faced with a similar situation today?

Interview Scorecard

Strategic Account Management

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Limited evidence of strategic account planning; primarily reactive
2: Basic account planning but lacking comprehensive strategy or execution
3: Effective strategic account management with demonstrated results
4: Sophisticated account strategy development and execution driving exceptional results

Consultative Selling

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Primarily product-focused approach with limited business conversation
2: Some consultative elements but struggles to connect solutions to strategic outcomes
3: Effective consultative approach focusing on business challenges before solutions
4: Masterful consultative selling approach demonstrating trusted advisor capabilities

Relationship Building

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Limited evidence of strategic relationship development, especially at executive level
2: Some relationship building skills but lacks depth with senior stakeholders
3: Demonstrated ability to build and leverage relationships at multiple levels
4: Exceptional relationship builder with proven success engaging C-level executives

Resilience

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Struggles with setbacks; limited evidence of perseverance
2: Shows basic resilience but may become discouraged by significant obstacles
3: Demonstrates strong resilience, effectively navigating challenges to achieve goals
4: Exceptional resilience; transforms obstacles into opportunities with determination

Quota Achievement (Goal 1)

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Approach and history suggest difficulty meeting quota expectations
2: May achieve quota with significant support and favorable conditions
3: Likely to consistently achieve quota expectations
4: Track record and approach indicate high probability of exceeding quota

Account Growth (Goal 2)

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Limited evidence of strategic account growth capabilities
2: Basic account expansion abilities but lacking sophisticated approach
3: Demonstrated ability to grow accounts strategically
4: Exceptional account growth history with sophisticated expansion strategies

Pipeline Management (Goal 3)

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unstructured approach to pipeline management
2: Basic pipeline management but may struggle with forecasting accuracy
3: Effective pipeline management with reliable forecasting
4: Sophisticated pipeline management ensuring consistent achievement

C-Level Relationship Building (Goal 5)

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Limited executive relationship-building experience or approach
2: Some executive engagement but lacking strategic depth
3: Demonstrated ability to build meaningful executive relationships
4: Exceptional executive relationship builder with trusted advisor status

Hiring Recommendation

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

Executive Leader Interview (Optional)

Directions for the Interviewer

This optional interview provides senior leadership with an opportunity to assess the candidate's strategic thinking, cultural fit, and leadership potential. Focus on evaluating whether the candidate aligns with the company's vision, values, and growth strategy. This conversation should be high-level rather than technical, exploring the candidate's perspective on industry trends, their personal growth trajectory, and how they envision contributing to the organization's success.

Ask open-ended questions that reveal the candidate's thinking on enterprise sales strategy, market positioning, and customer relationship development. Assess their understanding of our industry and competitive landscape. Pay attention to their communication style, executive presence, and ability to articulate complex ideas clearly. Consider whether they demonstrate the leadership qualities and strategic vision needed for potential advancement beyond the immediate role.

Keep the conversation conversational and natural, allowing the candidate to ask questions throughout. Their questions will provide insight into what they value and how they're evaluating the opportunity. Set aside approximately 10-15 minutes at the end for candidate questions, noting the strategic nature and thoughtfulness of what they ask.

Directions to Share with Candidate

This conversation is an opportunity for us to explore broader topics related to enterprise sales strategy, industry trends, and how your experience might align with our organization's direction. I'm interested in understanding your perspective on effective enterprise sales approaches, how you've contributed to organizational success in past roles, and what excites you about this opportunity. Please feel free to ask questions throughout our discussion as we get to know each other better.

Interview Questions

What do you see as the most significant changes occurring in enterprise sales, and how have you adapted your approach to stay ahead of these trends?

Areas to Cover

Industry knowledge and strategic vision
Adaptability and forward thinking
Understanding of changing buyer behavior
Digital transformation impact on sales process
Innovation and continuous learning mindset

Possible Follow-up Questions

How do you stay informed about industry trends?
What skills have become more important for enterprise sales success?
How have customer expectations changed in recent years?

From your perspective, what are the key elements of a successful enterprise sales organization, and how have you contributed to building or improving these elements?

Areas to Cover

Strategic vision for sales organization effectiveness
Leadership philosophy and approach
Experience improving sales processes or outcomes
Cross-functional collaboration perspective
Results orientation and accountability

Possible Follow-up Questions

What metrics do you consider most important for measuring enterprise sales success?
How have you helped other sales team members develop and succeed?
What role does technology play in your vision of an effective sales organization?

Tell me about a time when you identified a strategic opportunity with an enterprise account that others had missed. What was your approach, and what were the results?

Areas to Cover

Strategic thinking and opportunity identification
Initiative and proactive problem solving
Innovative approaches to customer challenges
Influence without authority
Business impact and results achievement

Possible Follow-up Questions

What gave you the insight that others missed?
How did you gain buy-in for your approach?
What broader impact did this have on the customer relationship?

How do you balance the pressures of achieving short-term sales targets while building long-term strategic relationships with enterprise customers?

Areas to Cover

Strategic vs. tactical thinking
Prioritization and time management
Value creation perspective
Ethical approach to customer relationships
Long-term vision while delivering near-term results

Possible Follow-up Questions

How do you handle situations where short-term goals conflict with long-term relationship building?
What approaches have you found most effective for maintaining relationships during non-buying periods?
How do you ensure the solutions you sell deliver the promised value?

As you've progressed in your career, what have been your most significant professional growth areas, and what are you currently focused on developing?

Areas to Cover

Self-awareness and learning orientation
Growth mindset and development focus
Adaptability and continuous improvement
Leadership capabilities and potential
Strategic career management

Possible Follow-up Questions

How do you approach your professional development?
What feedback have you received that's been most valuable?
What leadership qualities do you most admire and try to emulate?

Interview Scorecard

Strategic Vision

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Limited strategic thinking; primarily tactical focus
2: Demonstrates some strategic thinking but lacks depth or breadth
3: Clear strategic vision with good understanding of industry dynamics
4: Exceptional strategic thinker with sophisticated understanding of market trends

Leadership Potential

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Limited leadership capabilities or experience
2: Shows some leadership potential but needs development
3: Demonstrates strong leadership capabilities with good self-awareness
4: Exceptional leadership qualities with proven ability to drive results through others

Executive Presence

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Struggles to communicate effectively at executive level
2: Adequate communication but room for improvement in executive settings
3: Strong executive presence with clear, confident communication
4: Exceptional executive presence; would represent company excellently with C-suite clients

Cultural Alignment

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Potential misalignment with company values or culture
2: Generally aligned but some areas of potential friction
3: Strong alignment with company values and culture
4: Exceptional fit with potential to enhance and strengthen company culture

Quota Achievement (Goal 1)

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Strategic approach unlikely to drive consistent quota achievement
2: May achieve quota but lacks sophisticated strategy for overachievement
3: Strategic approach likely to result in consistent quota achievement
4: Sophisticated strategy with high probability of exceeding quota targets

Account Growth (Goal 2)

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Limited strategic vision for account growth
2: Basic understanding of account growth but lacks comprehensive approach
3: Strong strategic vision for driving account growth
4: Exceptional strategic approach to maximizing account potential

Executive Relationship Building (Goal 5)

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to develop strong C-level relationships
2: May build basic executive relationships with guidance
3: Demonstrated ability to build meaningful executive relationships
4: Exceptional ability to develop strategic C-level partnerships

Hiring 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 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 from 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.

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

These reference checks are a critical final step in validating the candidate's past performance and work style. Rather than treating them as a formality, approach them as an opportunity to gather objective data about how the candidate has performed in similar environments. The goal is to verify the consistency of what you've learned during interviews and to identify any potential red flags or areas for development.

Ask the candidate to provide references who can speak specifically to their enterprise sales performance, particularly managers who directly supervised them and clients who can attest to their relationship-building and consultative selling approach. Request that the candidate make the initial introduction to ensure references are expecting your call.

During the conversation, listen carefully for hesitations or qualifiers that might indicate concerns. Ask follow-up questions to get specific examples rather than accepting generalities. Pay particular attention to descriptions of the candidate's sales approach, achievement record, and how they handled challenging situations. Look for patterns across references that either reinforce or contradict your interview findings.

Remember that this is your last opportunity to identify potential concerns before making a hiring decision. Be particularly attentive to any inconsistencies with what you learned during interviews.

Questions for Reference Checks

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

Guidance: Establish the context and depth of the relationship. Determine if they were a direct supervisor, colleague, or client, and how recently they worked together. This helps calibrate how much weight to give their feedback.

Could you describe [Candidate]'s role and key responsibilities while working with you?

Guidance: Verify the accuracy of how the candidate has represented their role and responsibilities during interviews. Listen for any discrepancies in scope or level.

How would you describe [Candidate]'s approach to enterprise sales and account management?

Guidance: Listen for alignment with the consultative, strategic approach needed for this role. Pay attention to whether they mention relationship building, business acumen, and strategic thinking versus purely transactional selling.

Can you share specific examples of [Candidate]'s achievements in sales? How did they rank compared to peers?

Guidance: Seek quantifiable results and context about their performance relative to others. For sales roles, understanding their ranking on previous teams provides important context about their achievement level.

How would you describe [Candidate]'s ability to build and maintain relationships with executives and senior stakeholders?

Guidance: This is critical for the Enterprise Account Sales Manager role. Listen for specific examples of executive relationships they built and how they managed complex stakeholder environments.

What were [Candidate]'s greatest strengths in their role?

Guidance: Listen for mention of the key competencies needed for this role: strategic account management, consultative selling, relationship building, business acumen, and resilience.

In what areas did [Candidate] need the most development, and how did they respond to feedback?

Guidance: Everyone has development areas - pay attention to whether these would be critical for success in your role and how receptive they were to coaching. Their response to feedback indicates their coachability and growth mindset.

On a scale of 1-10, how likely would you be to hire [Candidate] again if you had an appropriate opening, and why?

Guidance: This forces a quantifiable assessment and the reasoning often reveals their true feelings. Anything below an 8 warrants deeper exploration.

Reference Check Scorecard

Performance Verification

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Performance described is significantly below what candidate represented
2: Some inconsistencies between reference account and candidate's claims
3: Reference confirms solid performance aligned with candidate's representation
4: Reference describes exceptional performance exceeding candidate's own claims

Enterprise Sales Capabilities

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Reference indicates limited effectiveness in enterprise sales environment
2: Described as adequately handling enterprise sales but not exceptional
3: Strong enterprise sales capabilities confirmed with specific examples
4: Exceptional enterprise sales approach with demonstrated strategic thinking

Relationship Building

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Limited evidence of strong relationship building, particularly at executive level
2: Adequate relationship building but not distinguished in this area
3: Strong relationship building capabilities confirmed with examples
4: Exceptional relationship builder, particularly noted for executive-level engagement

Coachability & Teamwork

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Described as resistant to feedback or difficult to manage
2: Generally receptive to coaching but may have some blind spots
3: Highly coachable with good teamwork and collaboration skills
4: Exceptional at incorporating feedback and contributing to team success

Quota Achievement (Goal 1)

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Reference indicates inconsistent quota achievement or underperformance
2: Met expectations but rarely exceeded targets
3: Consistently achieved quota with some overachievement
4: Consistently ranked as a top performer with significant overachievement

Account Growth (Goal 2)

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Limited success growing existing accounts
2: Some account growth but not strategically exceptional
3: Successful account expansion with strategic approach
4: Exceptional account growth success stories with significant impact

Executive Relationship Building (Goal 5)

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Limited executive engagement mentioned by reference
2: Some executive relationship capabilities but not distinguished
3: Strong executive relationship builder with good examples
4: Exceptional at developing C-level relationships and trust

Frequently Asked Questions

How should I adapt this interview guide for my specific industry?

Customize the role play scenario to reflect your industry's specific challenges and buying considerations. Modify the competency questions to include industry-specific situations that an enterprise sales professional in your field would face. Ensure the work sample aligns with your typical sales process and solution complexity.

What's the best way to evaluate a candidate's ability to sell our specific product/service?

The role play provides the best opportunity to observe their approach to your specific offering. Provide enough information about your solution in advance for them to be prepared, but evaluate how they position the value rather than their product knowledge. Look for their ability to ask insightful questions about business challenges and connect solutions to outcomes rather than focusing on features. For more guidance, check out our interview question framework for sales roles.

How do I balance evaluating past performance with potential for growth?

While past performance is a strong predictor, particularly in sales roles, also consider how candidates approach new challenges and learn. During the chronological interview, note how they've grown throughout their career and adapted to different products or markets. In reference checks, specifically ask about their response to coaching. Candidates with strong fundamentals who demonstrate learning agility often outperform those with more experience but fixed mindsets. Our article on hiring for potential offers additional insights.

What if a candidate has limited enterprise sales experience but strong SMB sales success?

Focus on transferable skills like consultative selling approach, relationship building, and complex sales cycle management. Use the competency interview to understand how they've handled situations with multiple stakeholders or longer sales cycles, even if not at enterprise scale. The work sample will reveal their readiness for enterprise conversations. Consider whether your onboarding and training can bridge the gap in enterprise-specific knowledge. Learn more about assessing transferable skills in sales candidates.

How should I weigh different aspects of the interview process when making a final decision?

The work sample and competency interview often provide the most predictive insights for sales roles. The chronological interview helps verify past performance claims and identify patterns, while reference checks validate your observations. Give more weight to behaviors and skills that directly relate to your key success metrics (quota achievement, account growth, etc.). The debrief meeting is crucial for integrating these perspectives. For further guidance, read our article on using interview scorecards.

What's the most effective role play format for evaluating enterprise sales candidates?

Discovery call scenarios typically provide the best assessment of consultative selling skills, which are crucial for enterprise sales success. These show how candidates ask questions, uncover needs, and begin positioning value. For more senior roles, you might consider a multi-stakeholder scenario where the candidate needs to navigate different perspectives. Provide context 24 hours beforehand, as preparation is a positive indicator. For more insights, see our guide on mastering role-playing interviews.