Sales Simulation in Recruitment: Scenario and Scorecard

You can talk for an hour about experience and still not know whether the candidate can sell. Effective sales recruitment is about seeing selling, not just hearing about it. That is what a sales simulation is for: a short, realistic task in which the candidate does what they will be paid to do.

The simulation is one stage of the whole process. I describe the full process, from profile to onboarding, in how to recruit salespeople.

Why run a simulation

A job interview rewards people who talk well about themselves. A simulation rewards people who sell well. These are different skills, and they rarely come together in full measure. So a candidate who spoke brilliantly for half an hour and falls apart in the simulation has just shown you the truth. And someone slightly tense in the interview who comes alive in the simulation and takes control is often your person.

How to prepare the simulation

1. Choose a scenario that matches the role. For a salesperson winning new clients, it is a cold call. For someone running meetings, it is a discovery conversation. For an account manager, it is a renegotiation conversation.
2. Write a short description of the client's role: who they are, what they do, what concerns they have.
3. Prepare 2-3 objections to bring in during the conversation.
4. Set the time: usually 10-15 minutes.
5. Warn the candidate about the format, but do not give them the scenario. You want to see how they react live.

Ready-made scenario: cold call

Tell the candidate:

I'm the finance director of a mid-sized manufacturing company. I don't know you. You're calling me. You have 30 seconds to open. Go.

During the conversation, bring in these in turn:

• "I don't have time right now."
• "We already have a supplier."
• "Send me an offer by email."

Don't make it easy. A real client won't either.

Scorecard

Score each criterion on a scale of 1 to 5. The most important thing is to write down one observation behind each score.

• Opening the conversation: does it start with my problem, or with themselves and their company?
• Listening: do they ask questions and respond to the answers, or follow their own script?
• Handling objections: do they probe, or defend themselves straight away?
• Goal of the conversation: do they push for a concrete next step (a meeting, a date)?
• Control of the conversation: do they lead it, or let themselves be led?
• Behaviour under pressure: do they stay calm and specific, or fall apart?

I describe the typical mistakes worth noticing in cold calling mistakes. A good salesperson doesn't sell in the first conversation; they book the next step.

How to run the simulation

• Play the client credibly. Be slightly sceptical, not hostile.
• Don't prompt. Even if the candidate goes quiet, wait a moment.
• Don't interrupt with assessment. Take notes and leave the scoring until the end.
• Ask for a self-assessment. After the simulation, ask: "What would you do differently?" A good salesperson reflects; a weak one gets defensive or claims it went brilliantly.

The most common mistakes in a simulation

• A client who is too easy. The result shows nothing.
• An unrealistic scenario that is too hard. The candidate has no chance, and you learn nothing either.
• No scorecard. Then you are judging an impression, not behaviour.
• Different scenarios for different candidates. You cannot compare them.
• The simulation as a formality. If it has no influence on the decision, there is no point in doing it.

A simulation makes sense together with good questions. You will find a list of questions in salesperson interview questions, and the full meeting plan in sales rep job interview: step by step.

Recruiting salespeople is one of the things I help companies with, from building the candidate profile through selection to simulations and onboarding. See the service: sales recruitment or book a free consultation using the button below.