Compensation
Ask how base salary, commission rate, accelerators, caps, draws, guarantees, chargebacks, and payment timing work.
Candidate resources
Evaluate sales opportunities more carefully
Look beyond the headline OTE. Understand the territory, quota, lead flow, commission rules, ramp period, expenses, turnover, and manager expectations.
Opportunity checklist
Questions to ask before accepting a sales role
Quota
Ask what percentage of the team reached quota, how quota is set, and how territories differ.
Pipeline
Clarify whether leads are provided, how accounts are assigned, and how much self-prospecting is expected.
Ramp period
Understand training, onboarding, time to first sale, guaranteed compensation, and early performance milestones.
Expenses
Ask about mileage, travel, phone, home office, samples, entertainment, and reimbursement policies.
Management
Ask how coaching, CRM activity, pipeline reviews, field time, and performance improvement are handled.
Interview preparation
Bring evidence, not only enthusiasm
- Revenue, margin, quota attainment, ranking, and growth results
- New accounts opened and strategic accounts expanded
- Average deal size, sales cycle, and close rate
- Territory size, industries, and buyer personas
- CRM discipline, forecasting accuracy, and pipeline coverage
- Examples of discovery, objections, negotiation, and retention
Watch for unclear claims
Statements such as “unlimited income,” “warm leads,” or “six-figure potential” should be supported by written compensation rules, actual team attainment, realistic ramp expectations, and transparent expense responsibilities.