Set up the call by saying this will be a challenging interview. This isn’t a sales role with a standard playbook. We discuss complex concepts with our prospects and no two calls look the same. An AE at Sequence has to be able to share back detailed product information and orient a discovery or demo call in the right direction depending on the prospect’s existing tech stack and needs.
| Component | Evaluative | Generative |
|---|---|---|
| Strategic and structured thinking. Goal is to test how someone thinks, how logical they are in their thought process and communication. | Why isn’t there a highly successful Youtube for Audio content? |
What considerations would Sequence have made when deciding to offer a broad product suite (quoting, billing, dunning, revenue recognition) vs a focused billing product? | | | Ability to ingest, interpret and succinctly summarise complex concepts | Prior to interview - Review our documentation on usage based pricing.
Prior to interview share Kyle Poyrar article on X or A16z article (e.g. https://a16z.com/vsaas-vertical-saas-ai-opens-new-markets/) - in the interview ask them to summarise the concept articulated in the article. | | | Attention to detail | How did users in your previous companies make buying decisions?
In which part of the funnel did you experience most friction? | | | Sales know-how | | What are some of your biggest learnings/insights for how to run an effective discovery call, demo call and how to get deals closed?
What mistakes have you made in previous deals that meant you didn’t close? | | Cultural fit (velocity + ownership) | | Give an example of where you made impact beyond the core scope of your role? | | | | | | Domain knowledge | | | | User need empathy | Watch a 5 minute clip of a chosen discovery call and give your analysis/feedback on how well it was conducted? | Imagine you’re selling Docusign/Stripe Checkout to an enterprise buyer? What would you ask a prospect in a discovery call? |
Other benefits of asking more complex/abstract questions: