sales business developmentcold callingoutbound prospectingpipeline generationsdr
Complete evaluation framework
What to assess and how to score it
Review the evidence signals before interviewing. Then use the anchored descriptions—not instinct alone—to choose the score that best matches each answer.
01
Evaluation factor
Track record
35% weight
Check quota history in concrete numbers: meetings booked per month, SQL acceptance rate by AEs, pipeline dollars sourced, and how they ranked against team targets.
Explains the market and buyer they sold to, not just the product
Distinguishes what they closed from what the team closed
Can describe a deal they lost and why
Five-point scoring guide
1
Poor
No numbers; cannot describe what they actually sold or to whom.
2
Needs Improvement
Vague attainment; credit for team results is unclear.
3
Satisfactory
Real record with some numbers; attribution occasionally fuzzy.
4
Very Good
Clear numbers and ownership, including honest losses.
5
Excellent
Quotes monthly meeting quota, attainment percentage, SQL acceptance rate, and pipeline value sourced, with named segments and deal sizes.
02
Evaluation factor
Method and qualification
25% weight
Probe their outbound motion: sequence structure in Outreach or Salesloft, cold call volume and connect rates, BANT or MEDDIC qualification, and disqualification criteria.
Evidence to listen for
Has a repeatable approach to qualifying and progressing deals
Can walk a real deal from first contact to close
Handles objections with questions rather than scripts
Knows when to disqualify
Five-point scoring guide
1
Poor
No method; pitches at everyone and hopes.
2
Needs Improvement
Weak qualification; deals stall with no diagnosis.
3
Satisfactory
Workable method; inconsistent on complex or long cycles.
4
Very Good
Clear repeatable method; disqualifies early and deliberately.
5
Excellent
Describes a multi touch sequence with call, email, and LinkedIn steps, plus clear reasons they disqualify a prospect early.
03
Evaluation factor
Relationships and trust
25% weight
Assess how they earn a first conversation: research habits before a cold call, handling gatekeepers, and warm handoff quality that keeps AEs taking their meetings.
Evidence to listen for
Has clients or talent who came back or referred them
Manages a difficult conversation without damaging the relationship
Represents the client's interest, not only the commission
Builds rapport across seniority levels
Five-point scoring guide
1
Poor
Transactional; burns relationships for a close.
2
Needs Improvement
Builds rapport but does not sustain relationships.
3
Satisfactory
Solid relationships; less tested in conflict.
4
Very Good
Repeat business and referrals; handles conflict without damage.
5
Excellent
Gives specific pre call research sources and describes handoff notes AEs actually used, with low no show rates as proof.
04
Evaluation factor
Drive and resilience
15% weight
Test resilience against rejection volume: daily dial counts, response to a dry month, and how they used call recordings or manager coaching to fix conversion.
Evidence to listen for
Handles rejection and a bad quarter without unravelling
Self-directed on pipeline rather than waiting for leads
Coachable on feedback
Honest in how they represent the product and themselves
Five-point scoring guide
1
Poor
Gives up easily; blames leads, product, or market.
2
Needs Improvement
Motivation depends on momentum; resistant to coaching.
3
Satisfactory
Steady; recovers from setbacks with support.
4
Very Good
Self-motivated, coachable, and steady through bad stretches.
5
Excellent
Sustains high activity through slumps and names a specific coaching change (opener, objection response) that lifted their connect or booking rate.
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