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The goal of an interview role-play is to measure coachability, not existing skill. Give the candidate the script beforehand, run the call, and interrupt them immediately upon a mistake to provide feedback. Rerunning the call three times reveals how they handle feedback and what the coaching dynamic would feel like, which is more predictive than a single polished performance.
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To efficiently screen sales reps, hold a group interview where candidates perform a pre-sent script. Then, provide live feedback and ask them to try again. This quickly assesses their preparation, ego, and coachability.
To hire for traits over background, Mark Kosaglo suggests testing for coachability directly. Run a skill-based roleplay (e.g., discovery), provide specific feedback, and then run the exact same roleplay again. The key is to see if the candidate can actually implement the coaching, not just if they are open to receiving it.
To assess a sales candidate's self-awareness and adaptability, ask them to describe their process for a C-level meeting. After they detail their strategy, challenge them with: "So why haven't you done that in this meeting?" Their real-time reaction is a powerful indicator of their ability to course-correct under pressure.
To accurately assess an unteachable trait like coachability, you can't just ask about it. You must create a situation that requires it. For coachability, run a brief role-play, provide direct feedback, and ask them to do it again, observing their verbal and non-verbal reactions to the coaching itself.
In an SDR interview, the first mock cold call will likely be poor. The real test is the second attempt. Give the candidate one or two pieces of feedback and observe if they can implement the change. Their ability to be coached is a far better predictor of success.
During interviews, the first mock cold call is expected to be poor. The real test is giving the candidate one or two pieces of feedback and observing their second attempt. Their ability to listen, adapt, and apply coaching is a far better indicator of potential than their initial performance.
A powerful interview question to test for coachability is, "Tell me about your favorite leader." Coachable candidates praise leaders who actively taught and developed them. Uncoachable candidates often praise leaders who simply left them alone and "got out of their way."
To simulate interview coaching, feed your written answers to case study questions into an LLM. Prompt it to score you on a specific rubric (structured thinking, user focus, etc.), identify exact weak phrases, explain why, and suggest a better approach for structured, actionable feedback.
Ask a candidate to rate their sales ability on a 1-10 scale. Then, ask what specific skill, if mastered, would move them up one point. This trick question forces them to reveal a genuine area for improvement, demonstrating self-awareness and coachability.
Simulation-based training isn't just for post-hire practice; it's a powerful tool for talent evaluation. By having candidates run through realistic role-playing scenarios during the interview process, companies can better assess their skills and predict on-the-job performance before making an offer.
