How Gong's CRO Hires Top Talent: Mastering Interview Tactics (Shane Evans, Gong)

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1. 1:40

   are built by individuals and people. And what I've learned is that when I arrive at each company, I need to spend quite a bit of time making sure that I'm very clear on what the ideal candidate profile should look like, who we should be hiring, how we should be “targeting those individuals.” on what are the interview questions that we're going to use that will actually allow us to test for certain skills, experience, or basically character that we're looking for in top performers. And then finally, it's getting dialed into what does the panel interview style look like? How are we going to try and move people through that process as quickly as possible?

   In SDR candidate sourcing

2. 1:55

   targeting those individuals. And then I work with teams to make sure that we're aligned on what are the interview questions that we're going to use that will actually allow us to test for certain skills, experience, or basically character that we're looking for in top performers. “And then finally, it's getting dialed into what does the panel interview style look like?” How are we going to try and move people through that process as quickly as possible? And I find that if we can get alignment in those areas, it allows us to ensure that not only do we get people that are going to fit what we're after, but they're much more successful because we spend the time up front on defining what that ideal candidate profile looks like

   In SDR interview design

3. 3:11

   hard for people to create beautiful music and have harmony across the business. So if you can spend time, and by the way, this doesn't have to be from a CRO, any individual on the front line can actually take the time to say, hey, can we get aligned on what does the standard procedure or standard operating rhythm look like? How are we going to forecast? “How are we going to create territories? How are we going to do deal reviews? How are we” going to run one-on-ones? All of those are opportunities to ensure that you have alignment on the consistency around manager operating rhythm. Today's show was brought to you by 11X, your all-in-one digital GTM team handling, creating, qualifying, and converting pipeline across every channel. If you are still using stale

   In Territory design

4. 6:02

   Typically, a lot of that is actually updating systems. We're able to get people back four to six hours a week when they're using the conversational intelligence the right way. It leads to higher quality discussions with your leader. It leads to you identifying where you have gaps in behavior. “When you use the tooling that is available through the intelligence, it actually makes you way more effective.” It plays out directly in your win rates. If I were to leave tomorrow and go to another company, I would never run a revenue organization again without having true conversational intelligence that is connected and integrated through the rest of these sales tech stack to make me more effective and knowledgeable in my daily routine.

   In Tools and AI

5. 16:01

   they join the company. Part of it is to make sure they come in knowing that they've got sponsorship and they've got an advocate in me. As we've continued to scale, it becomes a little bit more challenging, but still something I strive to want to do. The way that I structure those is typically up front, two, three minutes getting to know the candidate. “I just want to know their story, what's important to them, what do they do outside of work.” Then I go directly into some of the flags the team may have raised, or they may have prompted me based on their meetings to say, hey, double-check this for us. The team will usually give me an indicator of where they may want me to go a little bit deeper, but then I really want to know why have they been successful in the past?

   In SDR interview design

6. 16:19

   the candidate. I just want to know their story, what's important to them, what do they do outside of work. Then I go directly into some of the flags the team may have raised, or they may have prompted me based on their meetings to say, hey, double-check this for us. The team will usually give me an indicator of where they may want me to go a little bit “deeper, but then I really want to know why have they been successful in the past?” Do they know what has caused or led that to occur, and what do they feel like are going to be their biggest challenges coming into the organization and making sure that they're ready and prepared? I'm a big believer that when you come into a company, the first 90 days are going to set the trajectory for what you can accomplish.

   In SDR interview design

7. 36:10

   I would say a bad habit is pretending or feeling like you have to have an answer. And this shows up in every meeting every single day. When you're with your team or you're with an executive or leader and you asked a question, one of the best answers I've heard is, I don't know, but let me go get some information and can I come back to you? “Even if we're on a sales call, being able to slow down for a moment and acknowledge or take a pause before you jump into an answer.” We're in an age and a day when everyone's expected to know everything and business is moving so rapidly. I think a little bit more candor, a little bit more vulnerability and empathy goes a long way. And so I would recommend don't feel like you have to have the answers regardless of the setting that you're in. Be thoughtful. Be curious.

   In Objection response frameworks

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